How different sciences produce their data: Commonalities and differences

What is it about?

Different sciences produce different data. Social scientists and psychologists produce data about persons and must therefore use other methods than, for example, biologists and physicists. But in all sciences, persons are involved in producing the data, such as researchers using technical instruments, behavioural observers or survey participants. The paper shows how methods can be classified by the ways in which human abilities are involved to produce data.

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Why is it important?

Accurate data are important in all fields. The paper defines rules for determining which methods are suited to produce data about particular objects of research. These rules are defined by the ways in which we as humans can perceive the study objects. This highlights that methods used in psychology and the social sciences are not always adequate to produce data about people’s feelings, thoughts and behaviours.

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