PSYB70H3 - Units 1-7

Psychology as a Science

Psychology as a Science

Systematic study of mind, brain, and behavior.

Scientific Methods

Observation, hypothesis testing, evidence-based reasoning.

Interdisciplinary Nature

Influence of societal factors on behavior and processes.

Ethics in Research

Ensures participant well-being and rights.

Integrity and Honesty

Maintaining truthfulness in research practices.

Understanding and Empathy

Importance of empathy in psychological research.

Reliability

Striving for accuracy in psychological findings.

Curiosity

Drives inquiry and exploration in psychology.

Compassion

Caring attitude towards affected individuals.

Land Acknowledgment

Recognizes indigenous peoples' connection to land.

Ethical Violations

Past exploitation highlights need for ethical conduct.

Informed Consent

Participants must understand and agree to research.

Cultural Diversity

Respecting varied cultural perspectives in research.

Transparency in Research

Promotes accountability and trustworthiness in findings.

Empiricism

Commitment to evidence-based decision-making.

Basic Research

Generates new knowledge about mind and behavior.

Applied Research

Solves practical problems through psychological insights.

Translational Research

Bridges basic and applied research for practical use.

Interdisciplinary Approach

Collaboration across psychology branches for insights.

Research Skills

Enhance critical thinking and evaluation abilities.

Benefits of Research

Offers solutions to societal challenges and informs practice.

Evaluating Research Claims

Assessing validity of claims in various sources.

Frequency Claims

Describes prevalence of phenomena in groups.

Association Claims

Highlights relationships between two or more phenomena.

Causal Claims

Indicates one variable influences another directly.

Identifying Claim Type

Determine claim type based on language used.

Understanding Methods

Investigate empirical testing methods for claims.

Ethical Research

Research conducted with respect for participants' rights.

Respect for Persons

Protect autonomy and those lacking decision-making capacity.

Beneficence

Research should benefit participants and minimize risks.

Justice

Equitable inclusion avoids unfair burdens on groups.

Privacy

Protect participants' private information from disclosure.

Integrity

Researchers must be accurate, truthful, and honest.

Responsibility

Researchers maintain ethical standards in all roles.

Ethical Dilemmas

Conflicts between participant rights and legal obligations.

Animal Research

Research involving animals raises significant ethical debates.

Veterinary Improvements

Animal research enhances treatments for psychological issues.

Psychological Insights

Animal studies improve understanding of human psychology.

Historical Violations

Past unethical practices increased focus on animal welfare.

IACUC

Committee ensuring ethical standards in animal research.

Replacement

Use alternatives to animal research when possible.

Reduction

Minimize animal use by sharing materials among studies.

Public Perception

Influenced by extreme cases like cosmetics testing.

Generalizability

Assess applicability of animal study results to humans.

Transparency

Open communication about research processes and findings.

Fairness

Equitable treatment of all research participants.

Minimal Risk

Research poses low risk to participants' well-being.

Trust

Building confidence between researchers and participants.

Autonomy

Participants' right to make informed choices.

Truth

Commitment to honesty in research reporting.

Refinement

Implement procedures causing the least harm.

Legal Compliance

Research must adhere to local and federal laws.

Ethical Balance

Cost-benefit analysis maximizing benefits, minimizing harm.

Research Integrity

Accuracy, truthfulness, and honesty in research.

Data Fabrication

Inventing data to fit a hypothesis.

Data Falsification

Manipulating study results by altering data.

Plagiarism

Using others' work without proper attribution.

Peer Review

Ensures high-quality research publication.

Double-Masked Review

Reviewers and authors remain anonymous to each other.

Pre-Registration

Documenting research plans before conducting studies.

Public Repositories

Open platforms for registering research studies.

APA Style

Guidelines for preparing psychology research articles.

Bias Reduction

Strict rules for language and participant demographics.

Reviewer Responsibilities

Evaluate scientific importance and quality of research.

Open Science Principles

Encourage data sharing and enhance reproducibility.

Respect

Recognition of individuals' worth and dignity.

Tri-Council Policy

Training course for ethical research conduct.

Belmont Report Principles

Respect, beneficence, and justice in research ethics.

Case Study

Examining ethical dilemmas in teen pregnancy research.

Mandatory Reporting

Legal obligation to report discovered abuse.

Ethical Safeguards

Guidelines preventing ethical violations in research.

Participant Inclusion Criteria

Restrict the study to one member of a potentially problematic pair (eg, the pregnant teenager) to avoid legal risks.

Role of Research Ethics Boards (REBs)

Committees that review and monitor research involving humans.

Composition of REBs

Includes researchers, ethicists, community members, and legal experts.

Purpose of REBs

Ensure research risks are minimized and are comparable to everyday life risks of participants.

Risk Assessment and Management

Compare the risks associated with the research to everyday risks faced by participants.

Unexpected Risks

Address and mitigate any unexpected risks that arise during the study.

Safeguards

Implement specific measures to protect participants, such as anonymizing data and managing sensitive information responsibly.

Data Anonymization Techniques

Collect data anonymously whenever possible to avoid ethical and legal dilemmas.

Coding Systems

Use codes to separate identifying information from collected data.

Anonymized Data

Delete identifiers from data once collected to protect participants' privacy.

Principles of Informed Consent

Core tenets include voluntary participation, ongoing consent, informed decision-making, and accessible information suited to participants' understanding levels.

Vulnerable Populations

Special considerations for minors and marginalized groups.

Balancing Autonomy and Protection

Respect participants' ability to make their own decisions while safeguarding those who may lack decision-making capacity.

Justice and Equitable Inclusion in Research

Ensure no group bears an unfair burden or is excluded from research benefits.

Targeted Recruitment

Match participants to the target population and avoid convenience sampling.

Importance of Ethical Conduct in Research

Upholding ethical standards is crucial for maintaining public trust in science.

Transparency and Integrity

Be honest and transparent in reporting research methods and results, including acknowledging mistakes.

Responsibility of Researchers

Researchers have a responsibility to society to conduct and present their work ethically.

Example of Frequency Claim

"Cannabis use in Canada increased 40% between 2013 and 2017."

Example of Association Claim

"Several studies have linked marijuana use to increased risk for psychiatric disorders."

Example of Causal Claim

"A new study found marijuana legalization leads to more problematic use."

Population vs Sample

Understand the difference between the population of interest and the sample used in the study.

Constructs and Variables

Identify the concepts being studied (constructs) and how they are measured (variables).

Operationalization

Assess how well the variables are defined and measured.

Causality Examination

Analyze how causality is explored and what evidence supports causal claims.

Experimental Design

Consider whether an experimental design would be feasible and ethical for testing causal claims.

Ethical Considerations in Experiments

Discuss the ethical implications of conducting experiments to test causal claims, especially in sensitive areas like health and behavior.

Media Evaluation

Contrast media headlines with actual research findings to assess accuracy and validity.

Validity

Consider internal and external validity; high internal validity indicates controlled experiments with manipulated independent variables.