psych 105 midterm 1

why are people so hard to study (3 reasons)

1. complexity 

2. variability 

3. reactivity (rule of parsimony)

1. complexity 
2. variability 
3. reactivity (rule of parsimony)

why are people so hard to study (3 reasons)

operational definition (definition)

How we define what we want to measure that will accurately detect it

How we define what we want to measure that will accurately detect it

operational definition (definition)

variability (definition)

the extent a property and measurement are conceptually related

the extent a property and measurement are conceptually related

variability (definition)

what are demand characteristics

aspects in an observational setting that cause people to behave in a way they would not to be perceived a certain way

aspects in an observational setting that cause people to behave in a way they would not to be perceived a certain way

what are demand characteristics

Naturalistic Observation

• Gathering info by observing people in their natural environment
• Provides good description of behaviour but doesn’t allow clear causal conclusions 
• important for ecological validity

• Gathering info by observing people in their natural environment
• Provides good description of behaviour but doesn’t allow clear causal conclusions 
• important for ecological validity

Naturalistic Observation

different types of correlations (4)

1. matched samples 
2. matched pairs 
3. third-party variable 
4. natural correlations

1. matched samples 
2. matched pairs 
3. third-party variable 
4. natural correlations

different types of correlations (4)

parametric

normal distribution

normal distribution

parametric

nonparametric

not normal distribution -> more conservative thus harder to get statistical significance

not normal distribution -> more conservative thus harder to get statistical significance

nonparametric

histograms

graphically represent the frequency of particular groups of scores

graphically represent the frequency of particular groups of scores

histograms

bin size

resolution for a graph (numbers of x axis)

resolution for a graph (numbers of x axis)

bin size

box plot info

1. median
2. variability 
3. asymmetry
4. outliers

1. median
2. variability 
3. asymmetry
4. outliers

box plot info

central goal of psychcological science

how much variability there is in behaviour

how much variability there is in behaviour

central goal of psychcological science

error variance

varience from factors that were not controlled in an experiment

varience from factors that were not controlled in an experiment

error variance

ways variables can differ in

directionality and strength

directionality and strength

ways variables can differ in

pearson product-moment correlation coefficient

used to represent direction and strength of relationship between 2 variables

used to represent direction and strength of relationship between 2 variables

pearson product-moment correlation coefficient

r^2

how much variabnce in measure y can be accounted for by differences in measure x

how much variabnce in measure y can be accounted for by differences in measure x

r^2

line of best fit

minimizes overall distance between all points

minimizes overall distance between all points

line of best fit

t score

learn about entire population based on a sample (inferential statistic and parametric)

learn about entire population based on a sample (inferential statistic and parametric)

t score

null hypothesis

no significant difference between final scores

no significant difference between final scores

null hypothesis

alternative hypothesis

significant difference between final scores

significant difference between final scores

alternative hypothesis

purpose of a t test

determine whether the means of two groups are statistically different

determine whether the means of two groups are statistically different

purpose of a t test

considering 2 factors in t tests

means and variability

means and variability

considering 2 factors in t tests

3 types of t tests

1. single sample 
2. related-samples 
3. independent-samples

1. single sample 
2. related-samples 
3. independent-samples

3 types of t tests

single-sample t test

• whether difference between sample and population mean is significant
• should be normally distributed and randomly selected
• need to know population mean

• whether difference between sample and population mean is significant
• should be normally distributed and randomly selected
• need to know population mean

single-sample t test

related-sample t test

• two samples are compared with each other that have something in common
• same people can be tested under both conditions

• two samples are compared with each other that have something in common
• same people can be tested under both conditions

related-sample t test

independent-sample t test

• two samples are compared with each other
• randomly assigned to conditions

• two samples are compared with each other
• randomly assigned to conditions

independent-sample t test

effect size

• strength of difference/association that is irrespective of sample size 
• indicates how much effect one variable has on another

• strength of difference/association that is irrespective of sample size 
• indicates how much effect one variable has on another

effect size

4 central goals of science

1. description
2. prediction
3. influence or control of behaviour
4. explanation and understanding
   

1. description
2. prediction
3. influence or control of behaviour
4. explanation and understanding
   

4 central goals of science

smaller hippocampal size effects

smaller hippocampal size is linked with stronger and more persistent emotional responses when exposed to trauma

smaller hippocampal size is linked with stronger and more persistent emotional responses when exposed to trauma

smaller hippocampal size effects

basic research

answers questions with intent of gaining better understanding of phenomenon

answers questions with intent of gaining better understanding of phenomenon

basic research

applied research

answers questions that has implications for everyday life for purpose of finding solutions to everyday problems

answers questions that has implications for everyday life for purpose of finding solutions to everyday problems

applied research

3 levels of analysis

1. biological 
2. psychological
3. environmental

1. biological 
2. psychological
3. environmental

3 levels of analysis

structuralism

• first school of psych
• attempted to analyze different componenets of the mind and how they interact 
• analytic introspection

• first school of psych
• attempted to analyze different componenets of the mind and how they interact 
• analytic introspection

structuralism

analytic introspection

method to research the conscious mind - trained participants report own mental experiences

method to research the conscious mind - trained participants report own mental experiences

analytic introspection

humanistic perspective

focus on free will, finding meaning and personal growth - abraham maslow

focus on free will, finding meaning and personal growth - abraham maslow

humanistic perspective

person-centered therapy

therapist is mirror of client for them to their own conclusions - developed by carl rogers

therapist is mirror of client for them to their own conclusions - developed by carl rogers

person-centered therapy

gestalt psychology

the whole is greater than the sum of its parts

the whole is greater than the sum of its parts

gestalt psychology

critical period

period in childhood when experience with language produces best language acquisition

period in childhood when experience with language produces best language acquisition

critical period

Dr. Seuss experiment

mothers read to their kids in utero, when born, they were tested and they remembered sound patterns that were presented to them in the womb

mothers read to their kids in utero, when born, they were tested and they remembered sound patterns that were presented to them in the womb

Dr. Seuss experiment

when do dramatic gains occur in language acquisition

first 5 years of life

first 5 years of life

when do dramatic gains occur in language acquisition

infrant-directed speech

thought to attract and maintain attention of infants

thought to attract and maintain attention of infants

infrant-directed speech

phonemes

• basic building blocks of language that are linked together to create words 
• consist of consonant and vowel sound
• not all languages have the same phonemes

• basic building blocks of language that are linked together to create words 
• consist of consonant and vowel sound
• not all languages have the same phonemes

phonemes

morphemes

smallest meaningful units of a language - consistently modify words

smallest meaningful units of a language - consistently modify words

morphemes

deep structure

overall meaning of a sentence

overall meaning of a sentence

deep structure

surface structure

how sentence is worded

how sentence is worded

surface structure

theories of vocabulary spurt

1. naming insight
2. change in concepts
3. ability to sort objects

1. naming insight
2. change in concepts
3. ability to sort objects

theories of vocabulary spurt

fast mapping

connecting new words with references so quickly they can't be considering all the possible meanings for the new word

connecting new words with references so quickly they can't be considering all the possible meanings for the new word

fast mapping

joint attention

the more something is looked at, more value is put on that object or thing

the more something is looked at, more value is put on that object or thing

joint attention

holophrases

one word utterance used by child to communicate more than typical meaning of that word

one word utterance used by child to communicate more than typical meaning of that word

holophrases

naming errors

1. underextension (too narrow)
2. overextension (too broad)
3. disapperance (gradual)

1. underextension (too narrow)
2. overextension (too broad)
3. disapperance (gradual)

naming errors