The Scientific Process and Research Methods Revision

This final lesson covers the scientific process in psychology and provides a comprehensive revision of all research methods concepts for the AQA GCSE Psychology exam.

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The Scientific Process

Psychology aims to be a science. This means it follows the scientific process — a systematic approach to investigating the world:

Steps of the Scientific Process

1. Observation — noticing a pattern or phenomenon that needs explaining
2. Hypothesis — formulating a testable prediction based on existing theory
3. Research design — planning a study to test the hypothesis (choosing methods, sampling, etc.)
4. Data collection — carrying out the study and gathering data
5. Data analysis — using statistical methods to examine the data
6. Conclusion — interpreting the results and deciding whether the hypothesis is supported
7. Peer review — submitting findings for evaluation by other experts
8. Publication — sharing findings with the scientific community
9. Replication — other researchers repeat the study to check the findings

This process is cyclical — new findings lead to new questions, which lead to new hypotheses and further research.

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Key Features of the Scientific Method

Objectivity