What makes psychology a science?????
and What are independent and dependent variables in regards to scientific research in psychology?????
To the extent that psychology uses scientific methods, it is a science. Below may be more information than you wanted.
An independent variable is the potential stimulus or cause, usually directly manipulated by the experimenter, so it could also be called a manipulative variable.
A dependent variable is the response or measure of results.
Extraneous variables — other than the independent variable — potentially can affect the dependent variable, so they must be controlled. If possible, you try to keep them constant between the experimental and control group.
The experimental group receives the independent variable.
The control group is similar to experimental, except it does not receive the independent variable. Extraneous variables are balanced between experimental and control groups.
Types of experiments
1. Single blind gives the control group a placebo — a substance that is inert, it has no physical effect. Subjects don't know if they are in experimental or control group to reduce placebo effect, a change in behavior solely due to believing that you are getting the independent variable.
2. Double blind keeps both subjects and experimenter ignorant of group setup. Distribution of the independent variable and placebo are controlled by third party. This controls for experimenter bias and self-fulfilling prophecy, which means that experimenters with particular expectations are likely to consciously or unconsciously to bias the experiment and influence it to conform to their expectations.
As an example, suppose you want to find out if fluorides reduce dental cavities. You would find two groups, trying to control the extraneous variables. Extraneous variables are found by surveying previous research in the area. In this case, you would match the groups in terms of previous history of cavities, diet and dental hygiene habits including how and how often they brush their teeth.
The experimental group would get toothpaste with the independent variable, the fluoride, while the control group would not have the fluoride in their toothpaste. The toothpaste without the fluoride would be the placebo.
The dependent variable would be the number of cavities after participating in the experiment for a time. The dependent variable indicates the results, but it is not the results. At the end of the experiment, both groups could have no change in cavities or one of the groups could have a greater reduction in cavities. (Of course, if the fluoride increased cavities, you wouldn't want to use it.) All of these varied results would be indicated in terms of the dependent variable.
If only the subjects do not know who is getting the fluoride, it is a single blind experiment. If both the subjects and experimenter do not know, it is a double blind.
Psychology is considered a science because it follows the principles of the scientific method to study human behavior and mental processes systematically. It applies scientific methods of observation, experimentation, and analysis to understand and explain various psychological phenomena.
In scientific research, independent and dependent variables are essential components. The independent variable is the factor or condition that is intentionally manipulated or changed by the researcher. It is the cause or the predictor of the outcome being studied. The researcher controls or alters the independent variable in different groups or conditions to make comparisons.
On the other hand, the dependent variable is the factor or outcome that is being measured or observed. It is the result or the effect of changes in the independent variable. The researcher looks for variations or differences in the dependent variable across different conditions or groups to assess the impact of the independent variable. The dependent variable is what psychologists seek to understand or explain.
For example, let's say a psychologist is investigating the effects of sleep deprivation on memory performance. In this case, sleep deprivation would be the independent variable. The researcher would intentionally manipulate sleep deprivation levels by varying the amount of sleep participants receive. The dependent variable, in this case, would be memory performance. The researcher would measure the participants' memory performance and compare it across different sleep deprivation conditions to understand the relationship between sleep deprivation and memory.
By manipulating and measuring these variables systematically, psychologists can conduct rigorous scientific research to gain insights into human behavior and mental processes.