PSY 324 - Unit 2 - Exam 1

Experimental Methods - Spring 2025

falsifiability

a hypothesis has it if it is practically possible to refute or disprove

marr’s 3 levels of analysis

a way of analyzing any information processing system

level 1 of analysis

computational theory; can we describe what is happening and why it is happening?

level 2 of analysis

representation & algorithm; where cognitive psychologists work, by what abstract process is it occurring? (software)

level 3 of analysis

hardware implementation; what is the physical realization of this process?

mathematical model

an equation that is meant to describe a cognitive process

visual model

the most common application; flow charts/diagrams that explain the relationships between factors

computational model

meant to describe mental processes, but it’s too complex to represent with a simple equation; we require additional resources to describe the process (a computer)

examples of objective variables

accuracy rate, blood pressure, heart rate, reaction times

examples of subjective variables

pain rating, attitude rating, likert scale responses

replication

demonstrating a finding twice is better than demonstrating a finding once (replication crisis)

scientific method

1. make an observation

2. search for existing research

3. form hypothesis

4. perform experiment

5. analyze findings

6. null hypothesis testing

7. report findings