Chapter 1:Scientific Understanding of Behavior

• part of causal inference
• a potential alternative cause of an observed relationship between variable

conducted to address issues in which there are practical problems and potential solutions

accept something because someone in AUTHORITY believes it

Tries to answer fundamental questions about the nature of behavior

• part of causal inference
• observing that a change in one variable is accompanied by a change in a second variable

use of objective observations to answer a question about the nature of behavior

• to describe behavior
• to predict behavior
• to determine the causes of behavior
• to understand or explain behavior

• accept unquestioningly what your own personal judgment
• a single story about one's experience tells you about the world

The process of judging the scientific merit of research through review by peers of the reacher - other scientist with the expertise to evaluate the research

Researched designed to evaluate programs - social reforms - that are designed to produce certain changes or outcomes in a target population

• claims that are made on the basis of evidence that is designed to appear scientific
• such evidence is not bases on the principles of the scientific method

ideas must be evaluated on the basis of careful logic and results from scientific investigations

• part of causal inference
• the cause preceded the effect in a time sequence