Psych chapter 1 module 2 and 3

Hindsight Bias

After learning the outcome of an event, many people

believe they could have predicted that very outcome.

Overconfidence

Sometimes we think we know

more than we actually know.

The scientific attitude

composed of skepticism, curiosity, and humility

curiosity

passion for exploration

skepticism

doubting and questioning

humility

ability to accept responsibility when wrong

critical thinking does not

accept arguments and conclusions blindly

critical thinking examines

assumptions, discerns hidden values, evaluates evidence and assesses conclusions

How Do Psychologists Ask and Answer Questions?

 The Scientific Method

 Description

 Correlation

 Experimentation

theory

an explanation that integrates principles and organizes and predicts behavior or events

hypothesis

testable prediction, often prompted by a theory, to enable us to accept, reject or revise the theory.

Research

administer tests / observe

case study

A technique in which one person is studied in depth to

reveal underlying behavioral principles.

survey

A technique for ascertaining the self-reported

attitudes, opinions or behaviors of people usually

done by questioning a representative, random sample

of people.

Wording Effects

Wording can change the results of a survey

Random Sampling

If each member of a population has an equal chance of inclusion into a sample, it is called a random sample (unbiased). If the survey sample is biased, its results are not valid.

Naturalistic Observation

Observing and recording the behavior of animals in the wild and recording self-seating patterns in a multiracial school lunch room constitute naturalistic observation.

Correlation

When one trait or behavior accompanies another, we say the two correlate.

Correlation Coefficient

is a statistical measure of the relationship between two variables.

scatterplot

is a graph comprised of points that are

generated by values of two variables. The slope of the

points depicts the direction, while the amount of scatter

depicts the strength of the relationship.

Illusory Correlation

The perception of a relationship where no relationship actually exists. Parents conceive children after adoption.

Order in Random Event

Given random data, we look for order and meaningful

patterns.

Given large numbers of random outcomes,

a few are

likely to express order.

Experimentation

Exploring Cause and Effect

Double-blind Procedure

In evaluating drug therapies, patients and

experimenter’s assistants should remain unaware of

which patients had the real treatment and which

patients had the placebo treatment

Random Assignment

Assigning participants to experimental (breast-fed)

and control (formula-fed) conditions by random

assignment minimizes pre-existing differences

between the two groups

Independent Variable

a factor manipulated by the

experimenter. The effect of the independent variable is

the focus of the study.

Dependent Variable

factor that may change in

response to an independent variable.

Mode

The most frequently occurring score in a

distribution.

Mean

The arithmetic average of scores in a

distribution obtained by adding the scores and

then dividing by the number of scores that

were added together

Median

The middle score in a rank-ordered

distribution

Range

The difference between the highest and

lowest scores in a distribution

Standard Deviation

A computed measure of how

much scores vary around the mean

Normal Curve

A symmetrical, bell-shaped curve that

describes the distribution of many types of data

(normal distribution). Most scores fall near the

mean.

Illusory Correlation:

the perception of a relationship

where no relationship actually exists

Regression Toward the Mean

the tendency for extremes

of unusual scores or events to regress toward the average

Making Inferences

A statistical statement of how frequently an obtained

result occurred by experimental manipulation or by

chance