What is the scientific method☄️🪐|| What can science do🌪️🌏|| What dose is...

Meaning of Science

What is science? Science may be defined as a systematized body of knowledge which may be verified at any time by any number of individuals under given conditions. Science is engaged in discovering those conditions and factors that determine or cause the occurrence of a particular event using scientific methods of experimentation and observation. Science has the following characteristics:

1. Scientific statements express a discovery of truth.

2. There is objective proof or evidence for each scientific statement.

3.  Scientific statements are general.

4. Scientific statements are systematic. They are put in a certain order depending on the objectives of the research.

5. Scientific statements go beyond empirical data. They interpret the data and infer the relationship between the observable things and events.

6. The relationship in a scientific inquiry is presented as a system of hypothesis.

7. Scientific laws lead to correct predictions of future developments 8. Scientific statements are applicable to future research and to practical life.

9. All sciences are empirical in nature.

Let us examine how far does psychology as a science fulfilled the above characteristics?

Psychology as a science uses scientific methods to collect data about individuals and groups to analyse and predict their behaviour. We try to find out new truths in psychology. We deal with observable behaviour and establish facts by objective proof or evidence.

In psychological research, we attempt to know more and more about the variables that affect behaviour and present causal relationships as a system of hypotheses.

We can verify the data at any time under the given conditions

We attempt to make exact predictions about human behaviour.

The most basic characteristic of science, in general, is that it organizes and develops our knowledge of the world we live in. This characteristic is also applicable to psychology.

The scientific inquiry develops a way of thinking which develops a critical outlook and a curiosity to examine common sense and traditional ideas and examine their authenticity. In psychology, we use scientific methods to study human behaviour and examine traditional views

Psychology as a science helps us to understand, control and predict behaviour. It uses the experimental method, by controlling variables, checking and re-checking findings and stating its results, in objective terms which can be verified and understood by anyone.

Psychological findings are applicable to future research and practical life.

It is established beyond doubt that psychology is a science but the question arises, is it a biological science or behavioural science?

Psychology as a biological science began with the study of physiology in Germany during the latter half of the nineteenth century. In modern times psychologists are engaged to search for biological determinants of motivation. memory, learning and mental disorders. So we can draw the conclusion that Psychology is a biological science.

Psychology as a behavioural science aims to study behaviour in groups. Human beings are by nature social. They live in social situations from birth to death. Their personality is shaped by the interaction of the external social environment. It is beyond imagination to think that a human being can develop harmoniously without social interaction. In modern psychology, we study how society influences the behaviour of an individual and vice versa. How an individual learns in a group. The behaviour of an individual originates in the social milieu. We know that the behaviour of an individual is studied in terms of social interaction. Psychology as a social science studies the scientific cultural and social problems of society. Psychology has successfully collected enormous data on problems of minority groups, group dynamics etc, and has devised measures to solve social problems. Thus we see that Psychology is a behavioural science.