While you may end up with a logically true conclusion, it does not really lead you forward. These nonscientific ways of knowing are not seen as lacking value, rather they may stimulate questions which require scientific investigation. The goal of this approach is to describe , predict , and understand . In aiming to describe , researchers are seeking to define or classify phenomena or events and their relationships. A valuable way to start out.
Theory is the framework within which new knowledge is brought together.
The more research that comes out in support of a theory the more confidence scientists have in the theory. Logically we can never prove a theory, but we can disprove it. Simple explanations are preferred over complex. Theory building and evaluation are the core of scientific investigation . At times they are not easy to work with, but they are essential tools in the development of psychology.