Psychology- Chapter 1

Psychology

Psychology

Systematic study of behavior, experience, and thought.

Systematic

Based on the scientific method and avoids biases the researcher may have.

Why Systematic?

Common sense is often fallible and can lead to contradictory predictions.

Psychological findings are often…

Distorted or misconstrued in popular media.

What does research tend to show?

general tendencies

Research may not be…

applicable to someone at any given time.

Research has a number of factors that could influence it:

Culture, Age, Prior experience, situation factors(mood, hunger level, stress, etc.)

Consciousness

Subjective experience of being and having thoughts separate and distinct from the rest of the external world.

Dualism

The mind is separate from the brain, but somehow controls the brain/body. Biology exists, but there also exists a soul/etc.

Monism

Consciousness inseparable from physical brain and the mind produced by brain activity(only biology makes us conscious)

Free Will

A belief that behavior is caused by independent decisions.

Determinism

Everything that happens has a cause that can be measured.

Determinists believe that…

free will is an illusion.

Nature

Genetics, Biological factors

Nurture

Environmental factors: Upbringing and other external factors (Society you live in, etc.)

Conducting Research starts with a…

hypothesis

Sources for Hypotheses…

Previous Research and Basic Observation

Naturalistic Observation

Observing behavior in its own environment and real life

Naturalistic Observation is not…

influenced by artificial setting

An Example of Naturalistic Observation

People will not act the same in a lab research room.

Observer Bias

Observer has an opinion about what they expect to be the case.

How to get around Observer Bias

With a Blind Observer, they’re not aware of researcher expectations.

Surveys

Mailed out, online, or research participation and typically anonymous.

Why are surveys sometimes better?

You can ask about sensitive topics that can’t be observed and generate lots of data. (also cheap)-

Surveys are often used to see…

if there is a relationship between 2 factors.

Correlation

A measure of the relationship between 2 or more factors. (A numerical amount that connects 2 things.)

Positive Correlation

High levels of one are associated with high levels of another factor.

Positive Correlation (Points up)

Negative Correlation (Points down)

Negative Correlation

High levels of one factor are associated with low levels of another factor

No Correlation

No relationship between 2 factors.

No Correlation (random)

Correlation Strength

A numeric Value ranging from -1 to 1

0

No Correlation

0.3

Weak Positive Correlation

0.7

Strong Positive Correlation

If you have a Positive 1 or Negative 1 you have…

perfect predicted ability

If dots are closer together…

Stronger Correlation

If dots are farther apart…

Weaker Correlation

-0.3

Weak Negative Correlation

-0.7

Strong Negative Correlation

Causation

Just because 2 things are related does not mean that 1 caused the other.

X could be causing…

Y

Y could be causing…

X

Z could be causing…

Both X and Y

Descriptive Research does not allow you to conclude about…

Causation

Experiment

Deliberate manipulation of one “factor” to see if it causes changes in another.

Minimizes the possibility that something other than the factor you are studying…

can explain your results

Experiments

Cause

Correlation

Associated

Operational Definition

Precise definition of a term that is being investigated in an experiment.

Independent Variable

Factor that the experimenter actively manipulates or changes.

Dependent Variable

Factor that you will measure and what you suspect might change as a result of your independent variable.

Experimental Group

Participants in a study who receive the primary focus of manipulation.

Control Group

Participants in a study that do not receive the primary focus of the manipulation.

Random Assignment

Assign Participants to groups randomly.

Why do we do Random Assignment?

Each Participant has an equal chance of being in any 1 group and it minimizes the impact of individual differences on results.

Measurement and Results

Measuring the dependent variable: Blind observers code behavior.

Conclusion

Need to have some sort of claim.

Example of Conclusion

Violent television increases aggressive behavior in children.

Biological Psychology

Refers to the attempt to understand how human behavior is influenced by our biological underpinnings.