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Rulers, Scales, & Thermometers -
oh my!
Spellcheck Hates
Operationalism
Limits & Scales
#s etc
Grab-bag
100
When scientists capture change & record event characteristics in a universal language they are doing this.
What is measuring?
100
It is the method we use to measure event characteristics & it keeps science grounded in observable events.
What is "Operationalism?"
100
We do this to get meaningful units of measurement.
What is "use continuous units by adding decimal points?"
100
They aren't lucky but they do "describe and help produce theory" in science.
What are "numbers?"
100
The ‘glue’ that holds epiphenomena (everything in the universe) together.
What is "causality?"
200
Imperfect description of the events that interests us.
What is "measurement error?" *** Further explanation: The farther away our numbers are from perfect correspondence, the worst our descriptions are. The more we misrepresent what is going on in the real world. ***
200
The reason we use Operationalism.
What is "we do this because find the cause of something you need to define it into existence & you need to describe it in a scientifically meaningful way?"
200
We choose these arbitrarily based on what we are researching.
What are "units & limits?"
200
This variable has boundaries and uses whole numbers. An example is "# of children in a family."
What is a "discrete variable?" ***You can have 2 or 3 kids, but you can't have 2.5 kids. Here is how I remember this... we all know how babies are made. When people make babies, hopefully they are DISCRETE and in the privacy of their own room. Discrete=Babymaking=# of kids=whole numbers***
200
The relationship between correlation & cause.
What is "Correlation does not guarantee causation?"
300
Three ways "measurement matters."
What are 1. The arbitrary made up units of measurement effect our thinking & view of the real world. 2. Every process of measurement requires assumption. 3. Measures only have a meaningful existence because of measurement standards. ?
300
The problem with stating, "Using the numbering system we have chosen, the events we describe behave as the numbers do" in an experiment.
What is "this claim is imperfect?"
300
The things we measure sometimes require different ____ __ ________ depending on what we hope to get out of them.
What are "scales of measurement?"
300
This variable does not have unit boundaries, meaning it isn't restricted to whole numbers.
What is a "continuous variable?" ****Height, weight, time. You can be 55.5 inches, you can weight 149.38 pounds, you can be 59.5 seconds late. Remember CONTINUOUS variables have decimals & decimals are like wild stallions & annoying roommates, they have no boundaries and they just keep going & going, continuously.****
300
Determinism & it's meaning to science.
What is "Everything that exists in the material universe is part of a large causal fabric, therefore cause and effect are in charge of everything. Every scientist must describe cause and effect relations.
400
This is why scientists' measure.
What is "So that we are able to communicate in a universal language (aka the numbering system) & to get empirical constructs that let us translates from real world up to theory & back down in a universal language?"
400
An ________ ________ could be described like this: "measures intangible concepts (or constructs or data language or epiphenomena) by observing tangible characteristics of the concept. " Another way to describe it is defining an event into existence by measuring it’s event characteristics.
What is an operational definition?
400
This is when changes of limits has a corrupts & influences our thoughts, and we start to think our measures are real. Example: Treating concepts like yards or miles as reality when they are just ideas.
What is "Reification?" ***a more visual example: Or IQs and grades: "An 'A' is far superior than a 'B.'" even though the difference between those scores could simply be the difference of the 'A' exam getting just one more question right over the 'B' exam because that numbering system says 88.55% is a 'B' and 89.55% is an 'A.'****
400
A type of zero that represents the lowest possible value on a scale of measurement. Example: meters, inches, pounds, age... all have this type of zero
What is an "absolute zero?" **** You can't be and age less than 0, you can't be shorter than 0 inches, you can't weigh less than 0 pounds. Get it? Those zeros are absolute zeros because they are the lowest possible value.
400
Three major differences between science and religion.
What is "Science works, Science is ok with being wrong/corrects itself, & there are checks & balances."
500
Four reasons scientists' need measurable concepts.
What are: 1. Named concepts make old concepts more precise. 2. We introduce new words to name new concepts. 3. We introduce new names to refine old names. 4. We introduce new terms to summarize related conceptually adding to theory. ?
500
Five problems with operationalism.
What are: 1. The claims are overstated 2. Most theoretical constructs are not operationally defined. 3. We know some measures of a construct are better than others yet but operationalism have no way of judging the value of measurements. 4.Operational def are useful but limited 5. Some terms like faith are operationally defined but don’t belong in science ?
500
These are the Four Scales of Measurement
What are "nominal, ordinal, interval, & ratio?"
500
Inter-theoretic Reductionism
What is "All theories from all sciences should reduce to, or converge, on to some big theory that describes it all?"
500
Hume's three criteria.
What are "(1) Cause and effect must touch in space and time. (2) A cause must always precede an effect in time. (3) There is always a necessary connection between a cause and an effect?"