1. Methods of Acquiring Knowledge
Tenacity
Similar to superstitions
May be promoted by “mere exposure”
Problems with knowledge acquired by tenacity
May be inaccurate
Does not provide mechanism for correcting inaccurate knowledge
Used in science when a researcher persists in the belief of a good idea

2. Intuition—knowing without reasoning
Used in forming some hypotheses (hunches)
Problem—no mechanism for separating accurate from inaccurate knowledge
Authority—facts stated from a respected source
Can be used in the design phase of a study
Problem—authority can be wrong

3. Rationalism—knowledge from reasoning
Used to derive hypotheses
Empiricism—knowledge from experience
Observation used to collect data in science
Problem with this method of acquiring knowledge
Perception of the cause of our experience can be biased

4. Science Just another way of acquiring knowledge
Assumed to be better than other methods
Because it is void of bias
Testing procedures open to public inspection
Not just one universal method of science
Methods of science has changed over the centuries

5. Advantage of the Scientific Method
Allows us to make objective observations
Allows us to establish the superiority of one belief over another

6. Characteristics of the Scientific Approach
Control—eliminating the influence of extraneous variables
Operationalism—representing constructs by a specific set of operations

7. Operationalism focuses on features used to represent a construct
Is essential for communication
Are many different ways of representing constructs

8. Replication— reproduction of results Reasons for failure to replicate
By intergroup observations
By intersubject observations
By intrasubject observations
Reasons for failure to replicate
Effect doesn’t exist
Replication study is not an exact replication

9. Objectives of Science Description—describing the variables
Explanation—identifying causes
Prediction--forecasting
Control
Definition—manipulation of conditions that determine a phenomenon
Different meanings of the word control
Comparison
Eliminating the influence of extraneous variables
Guidance

10. Basic Assumption Underlying Science
Uniformity in nature or determinism
Axioms underlying assumption of determinism
Reality in nature
Rationality—logical reason for events
Regularity
Discoverability

11. Role of Theory in Science
Summarize and integrate existing data
Guide research

12. Role of Scientist in Science
Curiosity
Patience
Objectivity
Change