ABSTRACT
Presently, the experimental investigation of thought and behavior by psychologists follows the basic principles of scientific inquiry prescribed in other fields of science. While the things psychologists study (thought and behavior) distinguish psychology from other scientific fields, the method of inquiry is similar. The law of gravity and the experiments upon which it is based serve as examples of two levels of scientific inquiry that are critical to science. The first level is basic observation; the second level is the realization that these observations are part of a larger system. The scientific inquiry of psychology is based on the same assumption as other scientific fields: There is an underlying reality to behavior and thought that may be revealed through scientific analysis. The human is basically a system—a very complex system—that may be understood and explained through scientific experimentation and rational analysis of the results of these experiments.
