Psychology and Science Concepts self study chapter 1

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Science

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The use of systematic observation and empirical methods to acquire knowledge about the observable world.

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Systematic Observation

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Careful, organized, and controlled observation of phenomena, often involving measurement and record-keeping.

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Empirical Methods

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Approaches to inquiry that rely on direct observation and measurement rather than intuition or belief.

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Hypothesis

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A specific, testable prediction or explanation about a phenomenon.

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Theory

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A group of closely related ideas or observations that explain a set of phenomena.

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Cumulative Knowledge

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The idea that scientific discoveries build on previous findings over time.

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Scientific Democracy

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The principle that scientific ideas are open to debate and evaluation, regardless of the researcher’s status.

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Psychology

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The scientific study of behavior and mental processes.

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Behavior

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Observable actions that psychologists use to make inferences about mental processes.

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Mental Processes

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Internal experiences such as thoughts, emotions, perceptions, and memories.