Key features of a Science:
1. Control over variables(independent and extraneous)
2. Establishing cause and effect relationships because extraneous variables are minimised.
3. Empirical data - data being collected through direct observation or experiment
4. Replicability achieved through high control and standardised procedures - Findings to considered scientific they must be verifiable by other Psychologists. This means that other Psychologists must be able to replicate the original experiment, using the same methods and procedure and producing the same or a similar pattern of data. If we get the same results over and over again under the same conditions, we can be sure of their accuracy beyond reasonable doubt. This gives us confidence that the results are reliable and can be used to build up a body of knowledge or a theory.
5. Careful objective measurement (not subject to opinion, bias or interpretation of someone's viewpoint, quantitative over qualitative data)
6. Evidence must not rely on argument or belief.
7. We should be aiming to be able to predict future behaviour from the findings of our research.
8. Has to be falsifiable (has to be provable or disprovable) – this is why hypotheses are needed so that we either prove them or disprove them.
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