Investigating the Psychological World: Scientific Method in the Behavioral Sciences (Life and Mind: Philosophical Issues in Biology and Psychology)

This book considers scientific method in the behavioral sciences, with particular reference to psychology. Psychologists learn about research methods and use them to conduct their research, but their training teaches them little about the nature of scientific method itself. In Investigating the Psychological World , Brian Haig fills this gap. Drawing on behavioral science methodology, the philosophy of science, and statistical theory, Haig constructs a broad theory of scientific method that has particular relevance for the behavioral sciences. He terms this account of method the abductive theory of method (ATOM) in recognition of the importance it assigns to explanatory reasoning. ATOM offers the framework for a coherent treatment of a range of quantitative and qualitative behavioral research methods, giving equal treatment to data-analytic methods and methods of theory construction. Haig draws on the new experimentalism in the philosophy of science to reconstruct the process of phenomena detection as it applies to psychology; he considers the logic and purpose of exploratory factor analysis; he discusses analogical modeling as a means of theory development; and he recommends the use of inference to the best explanation for evaluating theories in psychology. Finally, he outlines the nature of research problems, discusses the nature of the abductive method, and describes applications of the method to grounded theory method and clinical reasoning. The book will be of interest not only to philosophers of science but also to psychological researchers who want to deepen their conceptual understanding of research methods and methodological concerns. A broad theory of research methodology for psychology and the behavioral sciences that offers a coherent treatment of a range of behavioral research methods. This book considers scientific method in the behavioral sciences, with particular reference to psychology. Psychologists learn about research methods and use them to conduct their research, but their training teaches them little about the nature of scientific method itself. In Investigating the Psychological World , Brian Haig fills this gap. Drawing on behavioral science methodology, the philosophy of science, and statistical theory, Haig constructs a broad theory of scientific method that has particular relevance for the behavioral sciences. He terms this account of method the abductive theory of method (ATOM) in recognition of the importance it assigns to explanatory reasoning. ATOM offers the framework for a coherent treatment of a range of quantitative and qualitative behavioral research methods, giving equal treatment to data-analytic methods and methods of theory construction. Haig draws on the new experimentalism in the philosophy of science to reconstruct the process of phenomena detection as it applies to psychology; he considers the logic and purpose of exploratory factor analysis; he discusses analogical modeling as a means of theory development; and he recommends the use of inference to the best explanation for evaluating theories in psychology. Finally, he outlines the nature of research problems, discusses the nature of the abductive method, and describes applications of the method to grounded theory method and clinical reasoning. The book will be of interest not only to philosophers of science but also to psychological researchers who want to deepen their conceptual understanding of research methods and methodological concerns. This book considers scientific method in the behavioral sciences, with particular reference to psychology. Psychologists learn about research methods and use them to conduct their research, but their training teaches them little about the nature of scientific method itself. In __Investigating the Psychological World__, Brian Haig fills this gap. Drawing on behavioral science methodology, the philosophy of science, and statistical theory, Haig constructs a broad theory of scientific method that has particular relevance for the behavioral sciences. He terms this account of method the __abductive theory of method__ (ATOM) in recognition of the importance it assigns to explanatory reasoning. ATOM offers the framework for a coherent treatment of a range of quantitative and qualitative behavioral research methods, giving equal treatment to data-analytic methods and methods of theory construction. Haig draws on the new experimentalism in the philosophy of science to reconstruct the process of phenomena detection as it applies to psychology; he considers the logic and purpose of exploratory factor analysis; he discusses analogical modeling as a means of theory development; and he recommends the use of inference to the best explanation for evaluating theories in psychology. Finally, he outlines the nature of research problems, discusses the nature of the abductive method, and describes applications of the method to grounded theory method and clinical reasoning. The book will be of interest not only to philosophers of science but also to psychological researchers who want to deepen their conceptual understanding of research methods and methodological concerns. This Book Considers Scientific Method In The Behavioral Sciences, With Particular Reference To Psychology. Psychologists Learn About Research Methods And Use Them To Conduct Their Research, But Their Training Teaches Them Little About The Nature Of Scientific Method Itself. In Investigating The Psychological World, Brian Haig Fills This Gap. Drawing On Behavioral Science Methodology, The Philosophy Of Science, And Statistical Theory, Haig Constructs A Broad Theory Of Scientific Method That Has Particular Relevance For The Behavioral Sciences. He Terms This Account Of Method The Abductive Theory Of Method (atom) In Recognition Of The Importance It Assigns To Explanatory Reasoning. Atom Offers The Framework For A Coherent Treatment Of A Range Of Quantitative And Qualitative Behavioral Research Methods, Giving Equal Treatment To Data-analytic Methods And Methods Of Theory Construction.--publisher Description. Method, Methodology, And Realism -- Detecting Psychological Phenomena -- Theory Generation: Exploratory Factor Analysis -- Theory Development: Analogical Modeling -- Theory Appraisal: Inference To The Best Explanation. Brian D. Haig. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Brian Haig constructs a broad theory of scientific method, which speaks to the conduct of psychological research. This abductive theory of method (ATOM) portrays research as a bottom-up process comprising two broad phases: the detection of empirical phenomena, and the construction of explanatory theories in order to explain claims about the phenomena. ATOM functions as a broad framework theory within which a variety of more specific research methods can be located and employed. A coherent treatment of those methods is enhanced by placing them within the framework of ATOM. Contents 8 Preface 10 Acknowledgments 18 1 Method, Methodology, and Realism 22 2 Detecting Psychological Phenomena 52 3 Theory Generation: Exploratory Factor Analysis 80 4 Theory Development: Analogical Modeling 108 5 Theory Appraisal: Inference to the Best Explanation 126 6 Conclusion 154 Notes 184 References 192 Index 210