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Purpose of the Homework: This assignment will help you learn to distinguish the characteristics of science and pseudoscience. Over a century ago, a British scientist, Francis Galton, conducted a study to see if prayer had an effect in the natural world (contrasted with the religious, or supernatural, domain). That is, does prayer work to give us what we ask for in this world? You will respond to Galton's study on the efficacy of prayer. Based on the information here and on what we discuss in class, tell whether Galton's research should be considered as having a scientific approach. Remember that a study can be useful even if its methodology has problems; in your homework, make sure you do not confuse methodological weaknesses with problems with the characteristics of science.
The Study: Galton defined the Royal Family has being prayed for because, every Sunday, the clergy took a moment to pray for the health and well being of the Royals. He defined the other groups (lawyers, doctors, and clergy) as not being prayed for because large numbers of people were never called on to pray for them. He went to official records that were quite accurate to see how long the people in each group lived, on average.
He reasoned that because members of the Church of England prayed for the health and well-being of the royal family every Sunday, if prayer is effective, it would mean that the Royals would live longer than other people. He discovered that, of 94 male members of the royal family, the mean age at death for males was 64.04. He compared it with other men: the clergy, whose mean age at death was 69.49 years; with lawyers, 68.14 years; and with doctors, 68.14 years. His research was published in a popular magazine that regularly published the results of research, Fortnightly Review, in 1872. He concluded that prayer is not effective in the natural world because the Royals lived shorter lives than the members of the other groups.
Does this research reflect a scientific approach? Briefly explain yourself by applying identifying the chracteristics of science to Galton's study and the ideas of what constitutes acceptable science.
Make sure you relate your answer to the characteristics of science we have discussed in class and that appear in the textbook. Then tell me your overall conclusion in a general statement of how scientific you think this research is.
Describe characteristic #1 and explain the extent to which Galton’s research meets this criterion. (2 pts)
Describe characteristic #2 and explain the extent to which Galton’s research meets this criterion. (2 pts)
Describe characteristic #3 and explain the extent to which Galton’s research meets this criterion. (2 pts)
Describe characteristic #4 and explain the extent to which Galton’s research meets this criterion. (2 pts)
Identify the methodological weaknesses of this study. What limits your confidence in the validity of the results? (2 pts)
How would you remedy the methodological weaknesses? Any remedy you propose has to be realistic. (2 pts)
What is your conclusion regarding how scientific Galton’s study was? Your response should be based on the extent to Galton’s study met the four criteria for determining scientific research. (3 pts)