History of Psychology & Research Study Guide

Functionalism

: aimed to understand adaptive purposes of thought and behavior.

Structuralism

: aimed to identify most basic elements or "structures "of psychological experiences through introspection.

Independent

: Manipulated variable, the one researchers change throughout the experiment.

Nature vs Nurture

: whether our genetics determines our behavior, or if it was the environment that we were surrounded by and grew up in.

Replication

: demonstrating and observing a phenomenon more than once.

Publication

: making observations available to everyone so that others can evaluate the claims.

Correlational

: measure 2 variables, determine if relationship exists.

Statistical Significance

means that the difference obtained between the two groups is a real effect of the IV.

Experimental

: control /manipulate 1 variable, determine if changing IV causes changes in another variable.

Repetition

of false information, desire for easy answers and quick fixes, selective perception & memory, inferring causation from correlation, & exaggeration of a truth.

Psychoanalysis

: aimed to uncover mental processes that may be operating below conscious awareness.

Naturalistic observational studies

work by making observations of people /animals in their natural environment, while the researcher remains concealed.

Psychology

can be studied from different levels of analyses by looking at certain aspects and determining their effect on .

Behaviorism

: aimed to uncover how animals learn behaviors through environmental experiences, and why people behave differently under different conditions.

Reliability

is different from validity because measures how consistent the results are, whereas validity measures the correctness of those results.

Empiricism

: objective observations of the world.

Sample

: small group of the population that we measure.

Hypothesis

: prediction about outcome of our research.

P Value

: the probability that you would obtain the difference that you obtained just by chance (if the IV really had no effect)

Population

: a large group of interest for a survey.

Variables

: a quality or characteristic that can take on different values for different observations.

independent variable

Confound: Any factor that covaries perfectly with the .

scientific method

Psychologists study behavior using the .

Correlation Coefficients

: a number that is produced that tells us how strongly two variables are related, and the form of that relationship.

Humanistic and Positive Psychology

: aimed at understanding how individuals find meaning and meet their full potential.

Scientific Theory

: systematic body of ideas that organizes whats known about a topic from past observations and makes predictions about future observations.

Random assignment

is when researchers create 2 equivalent groups by people to one group or the other.

Construct

: an abstract psychological concept that we can not observe or measure directly.

Validity

: Correctness /truthfulness /accuracy.

Reliability

: the degree to which a measure yields consistent results each time it is administered.

Psychology

is the study of the mind, the brain, and behavior.

Nature vs. Nurture

whether our genetics determines our behavior, or if it was the environment that we were surrounded by and grew up in

Free Will

Whether we are truly making our own decisions, or if they have all been predetermined by our brain and by our neurons

Structuralism

aimed to identify most basic elements or "structures" of psychological experiences through introspection

Behaviorism

aimed to uncover how animals learn behaviors through environmental experiences, and why people behave differently under different conditions

Functionalism

aimed to understand adaptive purposes of thought and behavior

Cognitive

aimed to demonstrate how mental processes shape our behavior

Psychoanalysis

aimed to uncover mental processes that may be operating below conscious awareness

Humanistic and Positive Psychology

aimed at understanding how individuals find meaning and meet their full potential

Skeptical

examine evidence behind claims

Open-minded

willing to consider new ideas, but wont accept those ideas unless evidence supports it

Understanding

realize they can be fooled and design research that protects against it

Empiricism

objective observations of the world

Replication

demonstrating and observing a phenomenon more than once

Publication

making observations available to everyone so that others can evaluate the claims

Observational Research

objectively observe and record behavior

Correlational Research

measure 2 variables, determine if relationship exists

Experimental Research

control/manipulate 1 variable, determine if changing IV causes changes in another variable

Scientific Theory

systematic body of ideas that organizes whats known about a topic from past observations and makes predictions about future observations

Hypothesis

prediction about outcome of our research

Variables

a quality or characteristic that can take on different values for different observations

Operational definition

definitions of variables that are used to define them in the term of the operations performed to measure them

Sample

small group of the population that we measure

Population

a large group of interest for a survey

Correlation Coefficients

a number that is produced that tells us how strongly two variables are related, and the form of that relationship

Independent

Manipulated variable, the one researchers change throughout the experiment

Dependent variable

measured variable, the variable that is/cannot be changed by researchers

Confound

Any factor that covaries perfectly with the independent variable

Validity

Correctness/truthfulness/accuracy

External Validity

Can we generalize the results of our experiment to the population from which our sample was drawn

Internal Validity

Can we draw correct conclusions about the causal relationship between the IV and DV

Construct

an abstract psychological concept that we cannot observe or measure directly

Construct Validity

Is our operational definition of a construct a good way to measure the construct

P-Value

 the probability that you would obtain the difference that you obtained just by chance (if the IV really had no effect)

Descriptive statistics

statistics that summarize participants differing responses in terms of what was most typical and how much peoples responses varied from the average

Inferential Statistics

Statistics that use sample results to infer what is true about the broader population

Reliability

the degree to which a measure yields consistent results each time it is administered

Psychology

the study of the mind, the brain, and behavior

How can psychology be studied from different levels of analyses?

Psychology can be studied from different levels of analyses by looking at certain aspects and determining their effect on psychology.

What discipline did Psychology come from?

Philosophy

What type of education do you need to become a psychologist?

A doctorate

What are different types of psychologists?

Clinical, Counseling, School, Forensic, & Industrial Organizational

What are ways we get fooled into believing what is true?

Repetition of false information, desire for easy answers and quick fixes, selective perception & memory, inferring causation from correlation, & exaggeration of a truth

What are the goals of the scientific study of behavior?

To describe, predict, identify causes of behavior in hopes to control/change behavior, & explain behavior

What is the case study approach?

Using detailed observations of a single individual and providing a description of its condition and its development based on those observations

How can we use correlational research to predict behavior?

To predict behavior by knowing the value of one variable, and predicting the value of the other variable based on that research

How can we interpret the strength of a correlation?

By how linear a line that is produced by the graph

What is meant by correlation is not causation?

Changes in two variables can be caused by each other or an added 3rd variable, however the two variables may also be related by coincidence

what does experimental research allow researchers to do?

Experimental research allows researchers to identify causal relationships between variables.

What are the differences between experimental and correlational research?

Experimental research manipulates one variable, & measures the other; correlational research utilizes 2 measured variables.

How is random assignment different from random sampling?

Random assignment differs from random sampling because sampling uses a group (sample) that is similar to the population they are trying to measure. Random assignment picks equivalent, random groups, regardless of of population or sample

what are measures of central tendency?

mean, median, and mode

how is reliability different from validity?

reliability measures how consistent the results are, whereas validity measures the correctness of those results.

What are the core ethical principles of research with humans?

autonomy, benefiance, and justice