INTRO TO PSYCHOLOGY | unit 0 test

biological theory

• Explains behavior in neurological/biological terms

  • Brain chemicals/hormones

  • Genetics (DNA/Heredity)

sociocultural theory

• Explains behavior in terms of rules & expectations of…

  • Social Groups (Family/Peers/Media, Etc)

  • Culture (Traditions & Practices)

humanistic theory

• Explains behavior in terms of a human’s unique perception of the world

  • Humans have free will & the ability to change their behavior

  • Humans focus on growing to reach their maximum potential

behavioral theory

• Explains behavior in terms of what people learn in their immediate environment

  • Shaped by rewards & punishments

cognitive theory

• Explains behavior in terms of mental processing including…

  • Brain’s analysis & interpretations of information

  • Examining the way a person thinks

psychoanalytic

• Explains behavior in terms of unconscious mental processing

  • Humans are unaware of the contents

  • Repressed memories/events

  • Instincts/drives/desires 

evolutionary theory

• Explains that behavior is a result of adaptive aspects of behavior resulting from natural selection

  • Cooperation & Aggression, for example, are adaptive survival strategies.

psychodynamic/psychoanalytic

-Subconscious/Unconscious              

-Childhood Trauma

-Repressed Memories    

-Drives/Instincts        

behavioral

-Environmental                 -Learned

-Reward                            -Modeling

-Punishment                     -Influenced

biological

-Inheritance                     -Hormones

-DNA                                -Brain/Brain Chemistry/Neurotransmitters

-Genetics                         -Genomes

humanistic

Unique Perception                       -Reaching Full Potential

-Self Actualization                         -Free will

-Unique Experiences                    -Autonomy

cognitive

-Mind vs. Brain             -Interpretations

-Mental processing      -Comprehension

sociocultural

-Rules                -Societal Standards        

-Expectations    -Traditional

evolutionary

-Adaptive Behaviors                -Darwinism

-Survival                    -Natural Selection

crtitical thinking

Basis for research (stems from curiosity)

Hypothesis

testable prediction

Operational Definition

EXACT definition of variable

Variables

• Factors in research

• Can be manipulated or measured

Data

• Numerical representation of research findings

• Provide the basis for research conclusions

Theory

• statements that can account for, or predict behavior

• Subject to critical thinking 

Naturalistic Observation

 

Observation of human or animal behavior in natural environment

-Descriptive data  -Uncontaminated by outside influences

-Observer bias   -Participant self- consciousness

Case studies

 

Extensive examination of a specific person or situation

-Provides detailed analysis of new, complex, or rare phenomena

-May not provide representative picture of phenomena

Surveys

 

Standard sets of questions asked of a large number of participants

-Gather large amounts of data -Quick and inexpensive

-Sampling errors -Poorly phrased questions -Response biases

Correlational studies

 

Examine relationships between research variables

-Makes predictions -Evaluates theories -Suggests new hypotheses

Cannot confirm causal relationships between variables

expirement

 

Manipulation of an independent variable and measurement of its effects on a dependent variable.

Can establish a cause-effect relationship between independent and dependent variables

Confounding variables may prevent valid conclusions.

Population sampling

Using the sample, researchers use generalizability to draw conclusions

Process of selecting participants

Representative Sample

Sample reflects whole population; Age, Race, Gender, Socioeconomics, etc.

Random Sample

Equal chance of being selected; Attempts to avoid biased samplin

Generalizability

The extent to which findings in a study can be applied to the natural setting.

Participant bias

Control: Placebo Treatment ; Knowledge/expectation of treatment changes the participants behavior/results

Expirementer Bias

Unintentionally encourage participant responses to support hypothesis; Control:  Double Blind Study- design in which experimenter nor participants know who is a part of experimental or control groups

Double blind study

design in which experimenter nor participants know who is a part of experimental or control groups

descriptive statistics

• describe data

• central tendency

• variability

• corellation coefficients

inferential

• used to judge meaning

• statistical signifagence

Mode

most frequent

median

halfway point

mean

average

range

Difference between highest & lowest value or score

Standard Deviation (SD)

• Average between each score and the average

• The more variable the data, the HIGHER the standard deviation will be. 

Correlation coefficients

The relationship between two variables

Represented by r

Direction:

+ or -

Strength:

1.00 to 0

positive correlation

• Direct Relationship

• Correlation coefficient from +0.5 to +1.0 (strong)

negative correlation

• Inverse Relationship

• Correlation coefficient  -0.5 to -1.0 (strong)

No correlation

• No relationship between two variables

• Correlation coefficient at or near zero

Correlations can help

PREDICT 

behavior

but they cannot

determine the

 CAUSE

of behavior