· Psychological researchers generally follow a scientific approach.
· A scientific approach to research advocates careful definition and measurement, and the logic of testing hypotheses (predictions) elicited from falsifiable theories.
· Hypotheses need to be precisely stated before testing.
· Scientific research involves the promotion & checking of ideas among colleagues.
· Researchers employ probability statistics to decide whether effects are 'significant' or not.
· Research must be carefully planned, and attention given to design, variables, samples & subsequent data analysis.
· If there is a lack of planning in these areas results may be ambiguous, even useless.
· Some psychological researchers reject the scientific methods outlined above.
· In order to study people they advocate qualitative methods which deal with meaningful verbal data rather than exact measurement and statistical summaries.