Key skills 1030

Reverse Mindfulness, what settings create it

Opposite of mindfulness. Creates a state of absent mindedness, always thinking about the next thing coming (test, lecture, studying, assignments) or about past (results of an exam…), school and work.

How are biology and culture connected

we are the product of our mind and our behaviour, both of which create culture and act on their biology. Biology and culture are constantly influencing one another through things like food, time keeping,

what purpose does language serve. How is this connected to writing systems

Language acts as advanced communication and allows us to extend our memory. Writing allowed us to exchange ideas through time and space, to learn from others without ever meeting them.

Cooking (hypothesis) and who came up with the concept attached to it

Extended digestion. Richard Wranghan came up with the cooking hypothesis which states that we discovered cooking meat and it allowed us to get more nutrients from the food we eat and grow bigger brains, which we then used to make more advanced food (and culture in all areas)

How is time an example of the way our biology and culture are connected and affect one another

We organize time through culturally agreed upon system like clocks and calendars which are based on our biological needs (when we sleep when we eat). biology and culture are integrated.

What is John Cage’s 4’33 seconds. what concepts does this connect to?

a famous 1952 musical composition where the performer makes no intentional sounds for four minutes and thirty-three seconds. Cage wanted to question our idea of what sounds make music (we have a cultural language influenced by our biology for what we deem musical), so he had the audiences sounds (shuffling coughing) be the music. also relates to presence “there is always something to see, something to hear”

ATI (Aptitude-treatement interaction)

Aptitude-Treatment Interaction - examine how an outcome depends on how an individuals aptitude and the treatment they receive match. (how can learning and teaching styles match up to create better outcomes)

when did learning styles and start and reemerge, what are they similar to

started in the 1970’s and reemerged in the 80’s. similar to personality tests like Myers Briggs, (neither have scientific bases)

If learning styles arent scientifically backed, what does the science say

Individuals learn better when they follow their preferences, but they shouldn’t be a guiding force. Learning styles are not about ability (which does differ between individuals). Learning outcomes are based on prior knowledge and ability

what are the 6 steps for building a study

Research question

Participants

Procedure: control variables, limit confounds

Measure

Key comparison: compare results between groups

Interpretation

Constructivism

Knowledge is constructed by the learner not recieved. Learners have an active role in learning through interacting with their environment, they build it.

Mental model

Cognitive framework representing how you understand, organize, and navigate the world. Models simplify our complex world into understandable and organizable chunks

How do we build mental models

you experience reality through sensory experience,

learn through experimentation with that world, develop models through that,

use different models for different situations

what’s the difference between Critical Paths and Non-Critical Paths

critical path= non negotiable, must have tasks

non critical= variable, nice to have tasks to optimize your time

sequencing and critical path analysis

Maps out the absolute minimum steps needed to achieve a goal efficiently

Antecedent

A stumulus or environmental event that creates a behaviour (a measurable, observable response)

What does behaviour result in

A consequence (stimulus or environmental event caused by our behaviour)

Operant conditioning

Law of effect, when specific consequences are associated with a voluntary behaviour. Behaviour is shaped by its consequences.

two types of motivation

Intrinsic: driven by internal rewards (learning for the sake of it, fun)

extrinsic: driven by external rewards (money, accolades, grades)

what example was used to test different types of motivation? what were the results and the finding

two groups given a cube to play with (pieces placed together make different shapes)

one group was just told to play with it, the other was given money for each correct assembly of the cube.

the results: the group paid to play lost motivation to play with the cube once the monitary reward (extrinsic) was removed, the group allowed to play continued to (intrinsic)

External rewards can damage intrinsic motivation

three factors people respond to when trying to learn something new and the kind of learning they correlate with

1. the challenge of mastering something new relates to deep learning

2. reaction to competition relates to strategic learning

3. seek to avoid failure relates to surface learning

three types of learning

surface learning,

strategic learning,

deep learning.

the challenge of mastering something new

deep learning

reaction to competition

strategic learning

seek to avoid failure

surface learning

deep learning

what you learn impacts how you think, feel and act (not just surface level, learning seeps into life)

what example was used to show how cultural practices can influence biological development

do cloth diapers delay walking in infants

what two types of science does psych cover

natural science (biological understanding of humans)

social science (sociocultural understanding of humans)

How does the diaper walking experiment show how biology and culture can clash

even though walking nude is better for a baby’s biology (allow them to learn quicker) our cultural stigma around nudity, modesty and hygiene can lead parents to use diapers anyways

expressed norms

expressed (clearly articulated) norms, observable rules, expectations, and behaviours that are officially endorsed or commonly practiced within that society

5 examples of expressed norms

legal and formal norms

cultural and social norms

public communication (media, education)

symbolic and ritualistic practices (icons, ceremonies)

language and communication

what do we need for normal development

a relationship to a society and its norms

Lev Vygotsky beliefs

cannot separate the self from the society (the self is fundamentally a social self), we construct ourselves around what we see and perceive,

Donald and the chimp

babies raised together to see if the chimp would develop human behaviour. they stopped the experiment after 9 months because Donald was behaving like a chimp. Donald was constructing his own psychology and social construct around the chimp

social development theory, who made it what is it

Lev Vygotsky, A childs cognitive defvelopment and learning ability can be guided and mediated by their social interactions

Children need modeling and guided learning (collaborative learning) children are apprentices that need guidance

Jean Piaget

Logical thinking as a means of cognitive development (experiment)

emphasized the role of biological development in that independent learning leads to best learning.

children construct knowledge from their evironments

interaction with the social and physical environment is essential

Independent learning is best (children are scientists and can guide themselves)

whats the difference between vygotsky and piaget

Vygotsky highlighted how the self is connected to society, he believed children learn through guidance and modeling from others, piaget believed children learn by exploring independently (they can build social frameworks by seeing others behaviour) children can guide themselves

Why is faking it until you make it important

Mistakes are a part of the learning process, if you act like you know what you’re doing, you’ll get yourself in the right headspace to know it. Nobody is born knowing what they’re doing, you have to play the role, we construct our identities as we interact with society and playing the role is a part of becoming it.

Assembly line, what kind of learners does it create

Educational system designed to meet the needs of the industrial society. primarily from a functionalist tradition influenced by Taylorism, keyesianism, and fordist ideas (i dont understand any of that)

standard regimentation efficiency models, mass production, and the step by step process of schooling

creates dysregulated learners who seek extrinsic rewards and avoid failure at the cost of creativity and deep learning

what is taylorism

breaks complex tasks down into simple standardized steps

L(b)O(a)PI (LOPI) what kind of learners does this environment make?

Learning by observing and pitching in

seeing behaviour modeled

participating in it

learners in this system are eager to contribute and learn, intrinsically motivated

writing systems as extended memory

allows you to offload thoughts in a different medium

enhances our biological memory

Multi tasking is actually…

task-switching: executive function ability to unconsciously shift attention between one task and another

what is the risk of taking notes on a laptop

there’s distractions that can pull your attention away from learning

students on laptops often take down notes word for word instead of organizing their thoughts and writing it their own way

What are the four types of notes

Linear: break topics down

Cornell: (notes column, cue column, summary column)

brain mapping non linear (pattern): link concepts to a main idea

Matrix methods: Columns and rows are organized according to ideas or themes

tips for highlighting (dont worry)

determine main concepts before. highlight only key words and phrases, not full sentences. consistent colour coding across courses. underline important concepts, can highlight on a PDF.

the knowledge illusion

Cognitive bias where people overestimate their own understanding, believing they know more about complex topics than they actually do. (People think they understand things before they do)

What is SQ3R’s

A method for reading texts: Survey Questions Read Recite Review

SQ3R: Recite

recall main points as though you are telling a story to someone

pull the information from your brain (retrieving)

SQ3R: Review

consistently review your notes

Connect concepts to other things (broader theories, other courses, personal life…)

ask: what was the point of reading that?

three study tips + one

study early and often (start with definitions, concepts, names, dates)

test yourself (be honest about what you know)

study in groups (teach your partners, test your partners)

Take breaks

Is time real

time is real but the way humans have conceptualized it is constructed

time is not an abstract quantity (you cant waste it save it or spend it)

mindfulness and attention training

links between attention performance and mindfulness interventions. conclusions: mindfulness as a long term practice is associated with reliable changes in objective attention performance

what is procrastination? how to stop

action of delaying or postponing something

Recognize why you procrastinate (often lack of direction and fear of mistakes)

look for positive distractions (set up your environment to do that)

build habits (dicipline)

What is key to building good habits?

discipline

What is the Pomodoro technique?

balances focus with deliberate breaks.

focus entirely on the task (pomodoro) until the bell rings

Pomodori are the timed work intervals

once youve finished the pomodoro you can take a longer break

What is body doubling

another person works alongside you as you complete a task you might otherwise find challenging

what to do if you fall behind

stay calm

dont suffer alone

work on catching up (reach out, make a plan)

do your best, even if its not perfect

if it cannot be saved, withdraw from the class

types of scientific paper

data/ empirical: present and analyze data

theory: present ideas (not data)

review: an overview of an area of research

meta-analysis: an analysis of many analyses

Anatomy of a research paper: abstract

Contains concise summary of the entire article. should allow the reader to quickly get a sense of the articles goals methods findings and discussion

Anatomy of a research paper: methods

What was done and how

• Explain procedures, materials, participants, data collection, analysis technique. Step by step procedures written in past tense, and how statistics were analyzed.

• Ensures transparency, no hiding in how the research was collected and analyzed

Anatomy of a research paper: results

• Contains objective findings

• What you found without any interpretation or discussion

• Trends patterns (key outcomes) past tense.

Anatomy of a research paper: discussion

Describes and interprets

Significance of results

Tie everything back to the research questions

Review findings, puts them into context of overall research

Tie up sections beforehand

Engage in 3 steps

• Interpretation

• Analysis

• Explanation

 (why are the results important and where do they fit in the current research, be self critical of the possible short comings of the research)

Four kinds of journals talked about in class

Disciplinary

specific

Broad and significant

predatory

Why peer review

So only ‘good’ (founded in replicable evidence) is published

observational research

• Researcher does not manipulate the system

• Only take notes and records

• Investigator, observes and collects data without manipulating any variables

• Stuff that happens natural

• Provides insight into correlations for connection of variables does not provide causation

experimental research

• manipulates one or more variable to prove cause effect relationship

• Medicine for diabetes

independent variable

The factor that the researcher changes, controls, or uses to group participants to test its effect on another variable

dependent variable

The outcome (result) that is measured to see if it changes in response to the independent variable

confound

An extraneous variable that has not been properly controlled and interferes with the dependent variable (i.e., results)

example of observational approach limitations

study of smoking and lung cancer,

does not explain why (confounding variables)

how would you do an experimental study on smoking

randomly assign participants to smoking and non smoking groups

artifacts

trying to artificially replicate a behavior or phenomenon that happens naturally can cause artifacts which deviate from real life

eg. is being made to smoke the same as someone who chooses to smoke? someone who does not smoke being made to smoke may choose to cut out other harmful activities to mitigate the effects, or they may inhale less deeply.

differences between observation and experimentation

observe:

• less control

• more natural (real behaviour)

• confounds make it hard to demonstrate causation (can only prove correlation)

  • statistics can help to get rid of specific confounds

experimental:

• more control

• less natural (behaviour is more constructed, can cause artifacts)

• logistical challenges

exploratory research

no specific hypothesis

describe the system (eg visualizations)

raise questions, find promising patterns, inform experimental design

confirmatory approach

Addresses specified hypotheses, wants to confirm something (avoids fishing for results)

uses hypotheses to make a prediction

test predictions against data through observation or experiment

Hypothetico-deductive method

define

6 steps

researchers propose a testable falsifiable hypothesis, then decide specific predictions from it

these predictions are then tested with experiment or observation to see if they match or contradict the hypothesis.

1. problem Identification

2. hypothesis formulation

3. prediction

4. deduction

5. testing observation

6. evaluation

Karl popper

try to Falsify the prediction

“in so far as a scientific statement speaks about reality, it must be falsifiable; and in so far as it is not falsifiable, it does not speak about reality”

a hypothesis makes predictions (testable statement following the logic of the hypothesis) that could be wrong, we have to try to prove them right

HARKing

Hypothesizing after the results are known

fishing expedition

fishing for desired results in an experiment

testing lots of times until you find the result by chance

Quantitative

measurements

how many or how much using numbers to test theories and find patterns

• measure one or more predetermined variables

• use measurements to make visualizations and run statistics

qualitative

explores whys and hows through words and meanings and experiences

• gather information that is not measurement

• focus on processes experiences and meanings

• also part of quantitative research (hypothesis development, variable choice)

What kind of research is ethnographic research (qual or quan)

almost always qualitative

Janet Stephens

first to recreate the hairstyles of ancient Rome and Greece

Zora Neale Hurston

outside of academia and became a Pioneer in archeology

common attributes of good science

1. evidence updates our ideas

2. skepticism

3. Rigor and carefulness

4. transparency

5. documentation

common attributes of pseudoscience and other hokum

1. reliance on authority

2. Appeals to emotion, tradition, or “common sense”

3. unwillingness to test claims

4. reliance on low quality studies

Bayes rule

the probability that something is true is a function of how likely it was to be true before and the strength of the new evidence

example used for changes in scientific understanding

development of the atom

models became more and more accurate as old ones were built upon and moved on from

science is the ability to change with new evidence

Perverse Incentives

You need to find revolutionary big findings in order to succeed financially and socially as a scientist

but true good science is slow and careful

Where is the H-index?

index: 7

h-index

Number to tell how many papers a researcher has published and how often they are cited

More citations means you are more popular and acclaimed

Tries to capture productivity (number of papers) and your impact (number of citations)

Goodhearts Law

when a meaasure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure

nail example (if number is the goal, nails will be small, if weight is the goal, the nails will be very big)

consequences of competition in h-index, (people do weird things when the measures of prestige are weird)

Publication bias (what gets published)

exciting, positive and strong results tend to get published.

boring negative results do not get published

two bad statistical (scientific) practices

small sample sizes

HARKing: hypothesizing after the results are known

Diedrik Stabel

Had fasified data for 15 years

caught by his grad students

Jonathan Pruitt

Spider man

published like 15 papers a year

falsified data

what can we do about bad science

we should curb perverse incentives by focusing on people who do careful slow work, not flashy and fast science

mistakes and fraud solutions:

• replication

• pre-registration

• open data

• data forensics

Publishing bias: double blind review (reviewers dont know the name of the scientist and scientists dont know the nakme of the reviewer who is writing and checking the research)