Introduction to Research Methods — Acquiring Knowledge and the Scientific Method Explained | Chapter 1 of Research Methods for the Behavioral Sciences
Introduction to Research Methods — Acquiring Knowledge and the Scientific Method Explained | Chapter 1 of Research Methods for the Behavioral Sciences Chapter 1 of Research Methods for the Behavioral Sciences introduces the foundational principles of how knowledge is acquired and the role of the scientific method in advancing psychology and behavioral science. This chapter explores nonscientific approaches to knowledge such as tenacity, intuition, authority, rationalism, and empiricism, highlighting their limitations compared to systematic scientific inquiry. It then explains how the scientific method provides a structured, empirical, and objective pathway for understanding human behavior. Watch the full summary above and subscribe to Last Minute Lecture for more chapter-by-chapter study guides. Ways of Acquiring Knowledge The chapter begins by contrasting traditional ways of knowing with scientific reasoning: Tenacity: Accepting information because it has always been...