Title: The Scientific Method | Boundless Psychology
Headings: The Scientific Method
The Scientific Method
Psychology and the Scientific Method: From Theory to Conclusion
Learning Objectives
Key Takeaways
Key Points
Key Terms
The Basic Principles of the Scientific Method
The Basic Steps of the Scientific Method
Example of the Scientific Method
Why the Scientific Method Is Important for Psychology

Content: Refine the hypothesis: My toaster is broken. From this point, the process would be repeated with a refined hypothesis. Why the Scientific Method Is Important for Psychology
The use of the scientific method is one of the main features that separates modern psychology from earlier philosophical inquiries about the mind. Compared to chemistry, physics, and other “natural sciences,” psychology has long been considered one of the “social sciences” because of the subjective nature of the things it seeks to study. Many of the concepts that psychologists are interested in—such as aspects of the human mind, behavior, and emotions—are subjective and cannot be directly measured. Psychologists often rely instead on behavioral observations and self-reported data, which are considered by some to be illegitimate or lacking in methodological rigor. Applying the scientific method to psychology, therefore, helps to standardize the approach to understanding its very different types of information. The scientific method allows psychological data to be replicated and confirmed in many instances, under different circumstances, and by a variety of researchers. Through replication of experiments, new generations of psychologists can reduce errors and broaden the applicability of theories.