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psychology definition
the scientific study of human and animal thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
nativism vs. philosophical empiricism
nature vs nurture
nativism philosopher
Plato
philosophical empiricism philosopher
Aristotle
dualism/ mind-body problem
The position that mind and body are separate but can interact is called dualism, to indicate that behavior is caused by two things.
Berkeley Water "Experiment"
-> 1 hand -- ice cold water
-> 1 hand -- hot water
-> Both hands -- lukewarm water
-- the cold hand was warm and the hot hand was cold both in the same temperature of water
Scientific Method definition
pursuit of knowledge through systematic/ controlled observations, measurements, and testable hypotheses
Scientific Method Steps
Observations, Hypothesis, Experiment, Data Collection, Conclusion, share knowledge
phrenology definiton
Skull shape determines personality (genuine husband vs unreliable husband)
Phrenology flaws?
Skull shape does NOT equal brain topography
Wilhem Wundt & von Helmholtz
Helmholtz- interested in the speed of nerve impulses
Wundt- "father of psychology" & opened the first lab dedicated to physiological psych
Hysteria definition
- Exaggerated or uncontrollable emotion or excitement
- common diagnosis in 1800s
- typically diagnosed in women
Hypnosis definition
altered state of mind, or trance
why was hysteria a bad diagnosis?
subjective nature, gender bias, lack of scientific validity, and the potential harm it caused to those diagnosed with it.
Psychoanalysis problems?
- Worked in isolation from other psychologists
- Theories were often non-falsifiable
- Hypnosis patients are often susceptible to suggestion
- Freud's theories were often anti-women
- Did not use the scientific method
psychoanalysis success?
- Unconscious and subconscious
- Memories are not perfect
Behaviorism
the science of behavior that focuses on observable behavior only
the black box problem (cognitions)
- Don't involve observable behavior
- Difficult to study!
behavioral neuroscience
links psychological processes to neurons, brain structures, and nervous system
Who is Karen Horney?
- clinician
- "Feminine psychology"
- womb envy theory
Which other psychologist did Karen Horney push back against?
Sigmund Freud (penis envy theorist)
Fransis Sumner
- first black American to earn PhD in psychology
- Early 1900's: helped establish the Howard University HBCU psychology department
Kenneth & Mamie Clark
- Brown v. Board of Education case 1950s
- Perception of white and black dolls
- Black children still preferred to play with white dolls
Empiricism
- observation -> knowledge
- Collect a series of observations
- Is every phenomenon observable?
Theories
explanation of phenomena based on empirical evidence (observations)
hypothesis
a prediction statement that can be proven wrong (falsifiable)
variable
a factor/condition that can vary in type or degree
operational definition
exactly what way the variable will be defined in the research (as specific as possible).
instrument of measurement def
anything that can record/detect when the variable occurs
instrument of measurement examples
timer, ruler, even other humans
validity
- the behavior/questionnaire actually taps into the variable
- Facial expressions? (RBF)
reliability
produces consistent and stable results
power
is able to detect even small effects
Why are humans tricky test subjects?
- Complex: brain and behavior are incredibly intricate
- Variable: no two people are exactly the same
- Smart: people know when they are being "tested"
- Demand characteristics
- naturalistic observation
demand characteristics
during studies, participants want to do what they believe is expected of them.
what can we do to reduce demand characteristics?
- Make studies anonymous
- Measure behavior that is harder to voluntarily control
-disguise the purpose of the study
naturalistic observation definition
naturally record evidence about people without ANY interference or control
naturalistic observation pros
- Behavioral in natural environments
- Little to no demand characterizes
- Good start to forming/refining a theory
naturalistic observation cons
- Lack of control
- Too many other variables are present that aren't accounted for
- Cannot test casual relationships
observer bias definition
measurement can be impacted by human error/bias
what can we do to reduce observer bias?
- Reduce human involvement in measurement
- Double-blind technique: neither observer nor participant know the hypothesis
--- Condition of the variable is unknown (pill vs. sugar pill)
double- blind technique
neither observer nor participant know the hypothesis
correlation design defintion
describe a statistical relationship between two variables
- ASK people what they do/think
positive correlation design
as one variable increases, the second variable increases
OR as one variable decreases, the second variable decreases
- positive if same direction!!!
negative correlation design
as one variable increases, the second variable decreases
- museum and reality TV example problem
correlation design pros
- Can determine strength + direction of 2 variables' relationship
----Helpful when forming/refining hypotheses
- Variables that are hard/unethical to manipulate
----Smoking, spanking, etc.
correlation design cons
Cannot determine causality with 100% certainty***
pearson's r
statistic that describes direction and strength of a correlation
correlation strength
r= 0 NO relationship
r= -0.3, -0.5,-0.7 is negative
r= +0.3,+0.5, +0.7 is positive
third-variable problem
an unmeasured third variable may be influencing both tested variables
self-selection problem
a participant chooses their own environment
the direction problem
Which variable causes which?
experimental design definiton
- Does taking gyzophil cause uncontrollable sneezing?
- Medicine type → independent variable (IV)
- Gyzophil = experimental group
- Sugar pill = control group
- Sneezing → dependent variable (DV)
experimental design pros
- Can test causal relationships!
- Can often easily be repeated/replicated
experimental design cons
- Some variables cannot be manipulated (ethical, feasible)
- Sometimes feel "artificial"
- Demand characteristics
descriptive statistics
- numbers (stats) that describe the sample
- Sample: data points collected in the study
key components to an experiment
- Independent variable
- dependent variable
- control group
- experimental group
- random assignment
- random selection
- control of extraneous variables (EVs)
independent variable definition and ex
- variable that is manipulated
- video game played
dependent variable definition and ex
- The measurable effect, outcome, or response in which the research is interested.
- aggression or # of times punching bag was hit
control vs experimental group
- experimental group is the group that is tested on
--- group that played GTA
- control group (the one that isn't tested on)
--- group that played animal crossing
random assignment
participants have an equal chance of being assigned to either group
controlling extraneous variables
- Provides control
- temperature and noise
- time of day
- collect data from large groups + random assignment
normal distribution definition
- bell-shaped curve probability density
- characterized by mean of distribution 'μ' and standard deviation of distribution 'σ'
what shape is shown by normal distribution?
bell curve
mean
statistical average
- (1+2+3+4)/4 = 2.5
range
how fart apart the highest and lowest are
- (1,2,3,4) -> 4-1= 3
standard deviation
- Describes average distance from the mean
- Small SD → scores are not spread out
- Large SD → scores are super spread out
internal validity
- great experiments will have HIGH internal validity
- Controlled EVs
- Our ODs were valid
- Random assignment
external validity
- Realistic as possible (natural)
- Sample represents the average population
the IRB
- institutional review board
- Researchers, instructors, and people from the community
the ethical checklist
- informed consent
--- written
- freedom from coercion
--- may leave at any time
- protection from harm
--- avoid harm
- justified deception
---lying to participants must be justified
- debriefing
--- reveal purpose of study
- confidentiality
--- personal info kept private
neuron
- Cell in the nervous system
- Comprise the brain
- Communicate and produce output constantly!
nervous system
the network of neurons that carry information to and from the brain
cell body (soma)
- the largest part of the neuron
- keeps the neuron alive
- energy production
nucleus
houses your DNA
dendrites
- tree branches
- Point of contact with other neurons
- Receive messages and relay to the cell body, the axon
axon
relay those messages down the neuron
myelin sheath
- insulates the axon
- increases the speed of messages
axon terminal
- tip of the axon
- communicates to another neuron's dendrites
synapse
gap between the axon terminal & a dendrite
resting potential
-70 millivolts
action potential
Sending electric signal down the axon
activation shreshold
- -55 millivolts
- All or nothing!
refractory period
- Action potential cant be initiated again yet
- Must return to -70 mv (resting potential) first
synaptic transmission
Neuron releases neurotransmitters across synaptic gas to another neuron
neurotransmitter
- Chemicals that carry specific information
- Carried within vesicles (bag-like)
autoreceptor
- Detects the amount of NTs in the gap
- Will cease transition if too much in the synaptic gap
receptor sites
- Located on the dendrite
- Receives the NTs
reuptake
NTs are reabsorbed into the axon terminal
enzyme deactivation
Enzymes destroy excess NTs
the primary neruotransmitters
- acetylcholine (Ach)
- Glutamate
- GABA
- dopamine
norepinephrine
- serotonin
- endorphins
acetylcholine (Ach)
- voluntary muscle control
- attention, learning, sleeping, dreaming, memory
- if low related to Alzheimer's disease
glutamate
- Primary excitatory NT
- Enhances communication between neurons
- Tells a neuron to fire!
GABA
- Primary inhibitory NT
- Stops a neuron from firing
- Seizers- abundance of glutamate OR lack of GABA
dopamine
- Motivation (reward), pleasure, arousal
- Drug addiction
- Schizophrenia- high levels of dopamine
- Parkinson's disease- low levels of dopamine
noreoinephrine
- Heightened awareness (vigilance)
- On alert for danger
serotonin
- Sleep regulation
- Eating
- Aggression regulation
- Mood disorders (depression, anxiety)- poor regulation
endorphins
- Dulling pain
- Enhancing emotion
- Exercise
agonist
- Increase NT function
- L-dopa for Parkinson's' disease (dopamine)
antagonist
- Block NTs function
- Bets blockers for high blood pressure (epinephrine)