Epistemology, the philosophical study of the nature, origin, and limits of human knowledge. The term is derived from the Greek epistēmē (“knowledge”) and logos (“reason”), and accordingly the field is sometimes referred to as the theory of knowledge.

Let’s not ask what truth is: let us ask instead how we can recognize it reliably when it appears. Four factors determine the truthfulness of a theory or explanation: congruence, consistency, coherence, and usefulness. A true theory is congruent with our experience – meaning, it fits the facts.

Honesty is the foundation for trust in a relationship, and trust is necessary for a relationship to function and thrive. When you’re always honest with someone, it tells them that they can trust you and the things you say. It helps them know they can believe your promises and commitments.

Four sub-processes of attaining knowledge are observation, explanation, prediction and control. Observation can be internal or external. It can even be a scientific observation. An explanation is the elaboration of facts of knowledge in a logical manner.

Research Methods in Psychology

• Intuition. The first method of knowing is intuition.
• Authority. Perhaps one of the most common methods of acquiring knowledge is through authority.
• Rationalism. Rationalism involves using logic and reasoning to acquire new knowledge.
• Empiricism.
• The Scientific Method.

We discuss some of the sources from where human beings gain knowledge These sources of knowledge are: 1) life experience, 2) social customs and traditions, 3) authority, 4) deductive and inductive reasoning, 5) scientific method, 6) social inquiry method. Let us now briefly discuss each of these sources.