In order for a theory to be scientific, it must be falsifiable. In other words:

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In this question, we are evaluating the statement about what it means for a theory to be scientific, specifically the idea of falsifiability.
Option 1: 'the theory must be capable of being proven true.' This reflects a verification mindset rather than falsifiability. In science, a theory being provable true is not required and, in fact, many well-supported theories cannot be proven true in all possible situations. The key standard is testability and potential refutation, not guaranteed truth.
Option 2: 'the theory must be capable of being refuted by evidence.' This aligns with the principle of falsifiability proposed by Karl Popper: a scientific theory should make predictions that could, in principle, be proven wrong by empirical evidence. If no possible evidence could refute it, the theory is not scientific by this criterion.
Option 3: 'the theory must be taken with skepticism.' Skepticism is a healthy scientific attitude, but mere skepticism does not define falsifiability. A theory could be skeptical-sounding yet unfalsifiable if it cannot be tested or contradicted by evidence.
Option 4: 'the theory must be consistent with previous theories.' Consistency with prior theories is desirable and often expected, but it is not a defining criterion for scientific falsifiability. A theory could conflict with older theories yet still be scientifically testable and falsifiable if it yields testable predictions.
Overall, the central idea being tested is whether the theory can be potentially refuted by evidence, which is the essence of falsifiability in scientific theory.

PSYC1101.40653.202540 Exam 1- Requires Respondus LockDown Browser

In order for a theory to be scientific, it must be falsifiable. In other words:

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