Psychology: A Scientific Discipline — Psychology STD 12 Commerce / Arts — Question

The word science is derived from the Latin word ‘Scientia’ which means ‘Knowledge’. Science is the pursuit and application of knowledge and understanding of the natural and social world, following a systematic methodology based on evidence.
The key features of a science are:

1. Empirical evidence – It refers to acquiring information through direct observation or experiments. Scientific knowledge is based on verifiable evidence.
2. Objectivity – This refers to the ability to observe and accept facts as they exist, setting aside all sources of expectations, values, prejudices, etc.
3. Scientific causality – Science aims to establish cause-effect between the variables under consideration, i.e., the effect of the Independent Variable on the Dependent Variable.
4. Systematic exploration – Science adopts a sequential procedure for studying various phenomena. It includes scientific steps like formulating a hypothesis, collection of facts, scientific generalization, etc.
5. Replication – Scientific knowledge can be replicated under the same circumstances as the original experiment. This ensures reliability of results towards establishing a scientific theory.
6. Predictability – Science involves describing and explaining phenomena as well as to make predictions accordingly.