Psych 100 exam 1 review

scientific theory

well substantiated explanation of some aspects of the world

terror management theory

when people are reminded of their own deaths they are more readily to enforce their cultural world views often leading to punitive actions/violence

falsifiability of scientific theory

can be proven wrong; failure to falsify a scientific theory makes it a good theory

hypothesis

a testable prediction, often prompted by a theory, to enable us to accept, reject, or reuse the theory
ex: people with high self esteem are less likely to be depressed

Case study

closely observe a single person/event/phenomena
ex: psychologists might explore how access to resources in a community has affected mental well-being of those living there
eval: learning about a complex instance

observational study

naturalistic observation:observe what happens naturally
ex: an opinion survey asking questions about how people liked the most recent documentary
eval: characteristics of a population

correlational study

survey: collect info about whats out there w/ not manipulation or change
ex: if there are multiple pizza trucks in the area and each one has a different jingle, we would memorize it all and relate it to its pizza truck
eval: correlation does not equal causation

experiment

manipulate or change something to see what happens next
ex:when scientists give rats new medicine and see how they react to learn about the medicine
eval:designed to find out casual relationships

Range of correlation/strength and direction

researcher has control; can collect large quantity of data; social desirability and sampling bias; analysis= when one trait or behavior accompanies another, we say the two correlate

spurious correlation

two or more events of a variable are associated but not casually related
ex: ice cream and drowning

testable hypothesis

a prediction about what should occur if a theory is valid

independent variable

the variable that is being manipulated (control group)

dependent variable

outcome variable

random assignment

randomly assign participants into experimental conditions

social psychology

scientifically studies how we think about influence, and relate to one another

crowds

refers to large gatherings of people who not necessarily know one another

groups

psychological processes involving communication, conflict, and pressure among group members

diffusion of responsibility/bystander effect

as the number of bystanders increases, the personal responsibility that an individual bystander feels decreases
ex: kitty genovese murder

conformity

changing ones behavior to match the responses or actions of others
ex: keeping quiet during a funeral

informational conformity

influenced by group

normative conformity

you know you're correct but don't want criticism from the group

group identification/social validation

the person does not identify strongly with the group/ an interpersonal way to locate and validate the correct choice

compliance

changing ones behavior in response to a direct request
ex: when your neighbor asks you to buy some girl scout cookies from his daughter although you don't really care about sweets you agree to buy a couple of boxes

reciprocity

a social norm discovered in all cultures of the world
marketing free gifts/free samples

commitment/consistency

people tend to act in ways consistent with past behavior
ex: door to door sales; problem of cancellations technique of having customers complete sales form

authority

figures that are often used in the marketing world- people with expertise or influence, instead of real authority persons who have substantial power
ex: a construction worker says you can't lean on the bridge vs, a random person saying you can't lean on the bridge

scarcity

things that are in short supply seem more valuable- time running out- limited quantities available

liking

people are more likely to say yes to people they know/like
ex: compliments/ multilevel marketing (relies on the principle of liking to broaden their customer base)

obedience

changing ones behavior in response to a directive from an authority figure (power status)
ex: soldiers take orders; mom tells kids to wash hands before dinner

milgrams shocking experience

participants were told by an experimenter to administer increasingly powerful electric shocks to another individual
participants obeyed even when the individual was screaming in pain
finding: people obey out of fear or out of desire to appear cooperative

social relations

social psychology teaches us how we relate to one another through prejudice, aggression and conflict

prejudice

unjustifiable (usually negative) attitude toward a group and its memories-> directed toward different cultures, ethnicities, and gender groups
ex: after 9/11 many people lashed out on muslim americans

stereotype threat

negative emotional experience when people recognize a negative stereotype about themselves and conform to such stereotype unknowingly

aggression

behavior intended to injure another -> it is aimed at hurting, its different from assertive behavior- injury can be physical or emotional

direct aggression

behaviors intended to hurt another person to their face
ex: hockey players get into a fight

indirect aggression

behavioral attempts to hurt another person without confrontation
ex: spreading rumors about another person to hurt their reputation

emotional/instrumental agression

hurtful behavior that stem from angry feelings
ex: someone slaps their partner after finding out they were cheating
hurting another to accomplish another goal
ex: someone uses verbal abuse to hurt their partners

genetic/situational factors

brain, hormone, weapon effect

psychoanalytic perspective

the self actualizing person: an individuals patters of thinking, feeling, and acting

trait perspective

personality dimensions

conscience

regions of mind containing the mental contents of which you're aware at any given moment

preconscience

regions of mind containing ideas you can easily bring to awareness

unconscience

you're not aware and generally cannot become aware of even if you wanted to

id

motivated people to satisfy basic bodliy (sexual and aggressive) needs (animal self) original energy (drive)

ego

mental system that balances the demands of the id with the opportunities and constraints of the real world- societal self (formed in childhood)

superego

represents societies moral and ethnic tules- moral self (formed older)

psychosexual stages

period during which the child focuses on obtaining sensual gratification through a particular part of the body

oral stage

0-18 months: seek gratification through the mouth

anal stage

18-3 yrs: release of tension resulting from the control and elimination of feces

phallic stage

3-6 yrs: source of gratification is the genitals

latency stage

sexual desires are repressed into the unconscious until puberty

genital stage

starts at puberty; signaling the reawakening of sexual desire

life energies

motivate the preservation of life and reproduction; primarily sexual, pursue sex to desire pleasurable , sensible activities

death energies

oppose the life energies; humans possess an instinctive awareness of their mortality and mental energy that motivates them to attain a final resting place

psychodynamic processes

changes in mental energy that occur as energy flows from one personality structure to another, or is directed to desired objects

anxiety

if energy flow is blocked, it will result in anxiety, which is the ultimate source of mental disorder

defense mechanism

mental strategy that is devised by the ego to protect against anxiety
ex: projection, denial, displacement, etc.

free association

psychologists encourage people to let their thoughts flow freely and say whatever comes to mind

projective tests

interested in the way test takers interpret the ambiguity "projecting" elements of their own personality onto the test

humanistic theory

an approach to personality that focuses on peoples thoughts and feelings about themselves and the ways that interpersonal relationships shape these feelings

self

an organized set of self perceptions of out personal qualities; peoples conceptions of who they are

actual self

peoples perceptions of psychological qualities they possess currently, in the present

ideal self

optimally would possess in the future

self actualization

a motivation to realize ones inner potential

condition of worth

A behavioral requirement imposed by others, such as parents, as a condition for being fully valued, loved, and respected

humanistic therapy

mental health approach emphasizing the importance of being your true self in order to lead the most fulfilling life

Maslow's Heirarchy of Needs Theory

begins with psychological needs, we try to reach the state of self actualization, fulfilling our potential
psychological, safety, love and belonging, esteem, and self actualization

trait

a persons typical style of behavior and emotion

lexical approach

all significant individual differences among people will be presented by naturally occurring words in everyday language

factor analysis

a statistical technique that identifies patterns in large sets of correlation

Big 5 factors

openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism

openness

related to motivation, need for variety, need for cognition-> imaginative vs. practical; variety vs. routine

consciousness

organized vs. disorganized; careful vs. careless and disciplined vs. impulsive

Extraversion

sociable vs. retiring, fun-loving vs. sober, affectionate vs. reserved

agreeabless

self hatred vs. ruthless; trusting vs. suspicious' helpful vs. uncooperative

Neuroticism

calm or anxious, secure or insecure, self-satisfied or self-pitying