Psychology: Scientific Methodology, Research Methods, and Approaches

This report provides a comprehensive overview of scientific methodology in psychology. It begins by defining scientific methodology and outlining its six key steps: observation, questioning, hypothesis formulation, prediction, testing, and iteration. The report then delves into two primary research methods: laboratory experiments and observation, discussing their respective advantages and disadvantages. Furthermore, the report examines two key approaches in psychology: the biological approach, emphasizing genetic and physiological influences, and the behavioral approach, focusing on observable behaviors and environmental stimuli. The strengths and weaknesses of each approach are analyzed. Finally, the report addresses ethical considerations in psychological research, highlighting issues such as informed consent, debriefing, protection of participants, deception, confidentiality, and withdrawal from investigations, along with examples of ethical violations.

Scientific Methodology
Scientific Methodology is generally defining as method
of investigating which will be involve observing and
theory to test the scientific Hypotheses. Scientific
Methodology is generally a procedure which used to
characterized natural science since 17 centuries. These
methodologies generally consider or focused on
systematic observation, measurement and experiment and
formulation, testing and modification of hypotheses
(Gutting, 2017). Scientific Methodology is generally
regarded as a process based methodology, there are 5
basic steps in scientific methodology plus one Feedback
step in methodology, all the 6 steps of scientific
methodology is as follows:
Make an observation: It is the first step under which the
observation will be done, outcome of the observation will
be regarded as a basis on which scientific study will be
conducted in a way that issue can be understand by the
investigator (Lauer, 2019).
Ask a question: It is second stage in which the
investigator itself will be asking the question on the basis
of the outcome of the observation.
Propose a Hypothesis: It is next stage in scientific
methodology, under this stage investigator looks at
different hypotheses and on the basis of the same will
derive the best hypotheses which can be applied as a
result of the observation and question of methodology.
Make a prediction: It is a next stage of the process in
which prediction is generally made in regards of the
hypothesis which company is desiring to see by applying
the selected Hypotheses in the organization (Hansson,
2019).
Test the prediction: it is the next stage in scientific
methodology in which hypotheses is generally tested to
perform the different experiment which is associated with
the prediction.
Iterate: It is the last stage in scientific methodology, on
these stage organizations used to reflect on the results
which had been derived and use the same result as a
guide other results in the future.
Two scientific research methods
In the field of scientific research, it had been identified that there are more than
one type of research methods which are used by the psychologists. This research
method generally used to help psychologists in improving the efficiency of result
which had been derived with the help of research (Gonçalves and et.al., 2020).
Two such type of research Method are as follows:
Laboratory experiment: Laboratory experiment is generally
conducted under highly controlled condition, where accurate measurement is
possible. Laboratory experiment generally allows the researcher to isolate
variables. This help in exactly measure effect of one thing on another. For
example: To check the blood group of individual lab experiment is generally
done by the hospital. Advantage and Disadvantage of Laboratory experiment is
as follows:
Advantage
Replicable: It has been identified that this type of experiment which are
generally performed in the organization are very easier to replicate reason
identified behind the same is that in the Laboratory experiment standardized
process is generally used by different organization.
Controllable: Laboratory experiment at the same time in the research generally
used to allow precise amount of control of extraneous and independent variables
in general. This help in establishing the cause and effect relationship in the
research as well.
Disadvantage
Behavior change: Under Laboratory Experiment Demand characterized
participant generally used to change the behavior of the research.
Non flexible: It is another disadvantage of this type of research, it had been
identified that laboratory experiment is that it is non flexible as it used to have
low level of ecological validity and take time to generalize to other situations.
Observation: It is another research method which is generally used
under the scientific research methodology. Observation is generally regarded as
an activity or the process in which individual generally used to observe and
monitor something to find out the hypotheses (Bizzego and et.al., 2019). In
simple words it can be said that observation is nothing more than statement
based on something one has seen, heard or notice. Example: To evaluate the
movement or growth of flower reproduction, observation is generally done of
flower. Advantage and disadvantages of Observation method of research is as
follows:
Advantage
Cost effective: Biggest advantage of this form of the research is that, this
research method is generally cost effective in nature. It generally used to ask less
amount of the cost to carry out the outcome of the research.
Deep understanding: Observation form of research generally help the
researcher in having deep understanding of the research as behavior change are
very easy to understand.
Disadvantage
Time consuming: This form of research method is generally a high time
consuming method and may involve large amount of inactivity.
Non ethical: This form of the research is also regarded as a non-ethical form of
the research method to be conducted.

Two Approaches of Psychology
Biological Approach is generally believing that all of us
are generally consequences of our genetic and physiology. This type of
the approach generally used to examine thoughts, feeling and behavior
(Broyles, Robinson and Daniels, 2018). Main focus of biological
research approach is relationship between psychological process and
underlying physiological, genetic and molecular.
Strength: This approach in generally used to provide the clear
prediction and this approach generally used to provide the reliable and
practical outcome. Also it helps in yielding out different psychological
disorders.
Weakness: Biggest weakness of this approach is identified that it
generally used to fails in accounting for other influences on behavior.
This approach is generally regarded as a nomothetic research approach
as well.
Looking at the aspect of Biological approach it had been analyzed that
it generally used to Effects the emotion and relationship of individual.
As this behavior showcase the thoughts, feeling and behavior of
Human.
Behavioral approach is generally regarded as a approach
which generally emphasis on the scientific study of observable behavior
approaches. Behavioral approach suggest that key point of the
development are observable behavior and external stimuli of the
environment. This approach generally focused on the learning and
conditioned respond to the events. For example, Positive reinforcement,
punishment, token economy and self-management are some of the
example of Behavioral approach.
Strength: Biggest strength of Behavioral approach of physiology is
that it generally used to get it very easy to clearly observe and measure
the behavior. This sort of behavior is generally based on the observable
behavior, so it generally used to get very easy at the time of collecting
different data to conduct the study (Cammaerts, 2020).
Weakness: Biggest weakness of Behavioral approach is that this type
of approach is processed and time bound. This eventually consume
good amount of time to determine the outcome of the research. Another
weakness which had been identified is in regards of understanding the
behavioral issue. It had been analyzed that it Behavioral approach is
consider to be Innoral in nature.
Behavioral approach generally used to impact the relationship and
stereotype behavior of Human, reason behind the same is that it used to
understand the behavior of different human being and on the basis of
Ethical issue of Psychological research
There are six different type of the ethical issue which is raised by the
physiologist in the past. All the six type of ethical issue is as follows:
Informed consent: It is the first issue which generally arises when
participant are not informed of their participation. This issue pass on
the information that participant should be aware about their participant.
They should be properly informed about what they are really agreeing
to.
Debrief: It is another sort of ethical issue which might be faced by the
researcher, researcher generally has to make sure that they are briefing
participant about the purpose of investigation and also they should be
clear about their role in the research (Bennett and et.al., 2016).
Protection of participant: Researcher in the study has to make sure
that they generally used to consider the protection of the participant at
top most priority. Researcher had to make sure that participant who are
taking part in survey will not be caused with any sort of distress.
Deception: It is another sort of ethical consideration which has to be
seen by the researcher. Researcher had to make it sure that participant
who is taking part in the research had been not deceived in regards to
the aim and objective of the research.
Confidentiality: Researcher also had to make sure that all the data or
the information which has been collected from the participant side is
safeguarded in the research. As researcher has to make sure that no
data about the participant is disclosed to anyone.
Withdrawal from an investigation: Scholar also has to make sure that
all the individual who are taking part in the research are always given
the alternative of withdrawing themselves from the research at their
choice.
Looking at example where there was ethical issue and study was
violated, Little Albert study is one of the example as under that study
consent in the study i.e. parents were not Informed about the principle
i.e. “do not harm”. Another study which had seen ethical violation is in
Faculty of Tropical Medicine where there was debrief and not
informed consent.
REFERENCES
Gutting, G., 2017. Scientific methodology. A Companion to the Philosophy of Science, pp.423-432.
Lauer, R., 2019. Is Social Ontology Prior to Social Scientific Methodology?. Philosophy of the Social Sciences. 49(3). pp.171-189.
Hansson, S. O., 2019. Farmers’ experiments and scientific methodology. European Journal for Philosophy of Science. 9(3). p.32.
Gonçalves, M and et.al., 2020. PROBLEMS OF SCIENTIFIC METHODOLOGY RELATED TO PLACEBO CONTROL IN QIGONG STUDIES: A
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies.
Bizzego, A and et.al., 2019. pyphysio: A physiological signal processing library for data science approaches in physiology. SoftwareX, 10, p.100287.