The Scientific Thinking Principles

Psychology is ever changing. Five years from now, there will be a plethora of new findings and innovative research but the information that will stay fastened in my mind from Psychology 1001 will be the six scientific thinking principles. These principles include ruling out rival hypotheses, correlation isn't causation, falsifiability, replicability, extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, and Occam's razor. These scientific thinking principles allow one to assess all claims in a reasonable, unbiased method. These principles can be used to evaluate claims not only in school but in everyday life, as well as overcoming confirmation bias. These six scientific thinking principles were emphasized throughout this entire semester which leads me to believe that they are vital points one must know in order to think critically. These principles have shaped my thinking through Psychology 1001 and will continue to influence my thought process in times of scientific thinking.