Features of Science

About the lecture

In this lecture, we think about features of science, focusing in particular on: (i) the empirical method as a method of data collection prior to analysis; (ii) objectivity as a vital part of the empirical method, to ensure that results and processes are not influenced by individual views and biases; (iii) replicability as another important aspect of the empirical method, such that experiments return the same or similar results if run again at a later time; (iv) falsification as the third important element of the empirical method, one of Karl Popper’s key defining features of science.

About the lecturer

Dr Ashok Jansari is a senior lecturer in the Department of Psychology at Goldsmiths, University of London. Dr Jansari’s research interests include memory disorders, prosopagnosia, executive functions, and synaesthesia. Dr Jansari is most famous for his research into prosopagnosia, having made numerous TV appearances, including on BBC1’s The One Show, as well as hosting his own ‘Neuro Talk’ YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/c/DrAshokJansariNeuroTalk/featured

Some of Dr Jansari's recent publications include 'Acquired synaesthesia following 2C-B use' (2019), 'Using virtual reality to investigate multitasking ability in individuals with frontal lobe lesions' (2019), and 'Identification from CCTV: Assessing police super-recogniser ability to spot faces in a crown and susceptibility to change blindness' (2018).