Psychology Levels of Analysis and Key Studies

Flashcards covering general definitions, three levels of analysis in psychology, and key underlying empirical studies.

Psychology

The scientific study of people, the mind and behavior, as defined by the British Psychological Society.

Experiment

A research method where variables are used to test a hypothesis to prove the correlation between two variables.

Case Study

A research method in which the researcher explores a subject in depth, without a hypothesis or variables.

The Biological Level of Analysis

A level of analysis that considers genetic, chemical and hormonal explanations, and studies the role of the brain.

The Cognitive Level of Analysis

A level of analysis that considers the way that the individual processes information, including how patterns of thinking are developed and used in individual interactions with the world.

The Sociocultural Level of Analysis

A level of analysis that looks beyond the individual to the influence of other people and situations on behavior.

Statements of the Biological Level of Analysis

Core principles stating that emotions and behavior are products of anatomy and physiology, patterns of behavior can be inherited, and animal research may inform our understanding of behavior.

Phineas Gage (1848)

One of the first studies relating the brain to human behavior, where a metal pole damaged Gage's frontal lobe, altering his personality and social behaviors.

The Case of H.M

A case study of a patient who had tissue removed from his temporal lobe and hippocampus at age 27 to stop seizures, resulting in amnesia and the inability to create new memories.

Rosenzweig and bennet (1972)

A study where rats placed in an enriching environment developed a much thicker cortex and heavier frontal lobes compared to those in a deprived environment.

Brain Plasticity

The brain's ability to alter its structure (such as cortex thickness and frontal lobe weight) in response to environmental conditions, as shown by Rosenzweig and bennet (1972).

Blair et al (1999)

A PET scan study on convicted psychopaths showing impairment in pathways between the amygdala and frontal lobe, leading to difficulty feeling emotions and increased impulsivity.

Frontal Lobe Theory

A theory derived from Blair et al (1999) proposing that a malfunctioning relationship between the amygdala and the frontal lobe can lead to criminal behavior.

Statements of the Cognitive Level of Analysis

Core principles stating that mental processes can and should be studied scientifically, and that mental representations guide behavior.

Lotus and palmer (1974)

An experiment demonstrating that misleading questions using different verbs ('smashed', 'hit', 'bumped') alter speed estimates of a car crash, proving language can manipulate memory.

Bartlett

An experiment showing that British participants reproducing a Native American story over time changed details to fit cultural schemas (e.g., canoes to boats), demonstrating memory is reconstructed rather than an exact copy.

Darley and gross (1983)

A study where participants predicted a better future for a girl shown in a rich environment than one in a poor environment, demonstrating how acquired knowledge forms active interpretations and assumptions.

Statements of the Sociocultural Level of Analysis

Core principles stating that the social and cultural environment influences individual behavior, and that we construct our conceptions of the individual and social self.

Bandura (1965)

An experiment showing that children presented with a film of an adult aggressing toward a doll showed significantly less aggressive behavior when the adult model was punished compared to control or rewarded conditions.

Social Learning Theory

A theory demonstrated by Bandura (1965) stating that children learn aggressive behavior by observing adults and are influenced by observed rewards or punishments.

Asch (1951)

An experiment on visual perception where participants in an experimental group conformed to wrong line-length estimations made by a majority to avoid criticism and social disapproval.