Social Psych: 8.27.26 lecture study guide

Definition of science?

Science= empiricism + logic  (Scientific method)

• Empiricism is being able to observe, to record, to replicate

• Observation is NOT enough you also have to use logic

Core Features of experiment

1. Random assignment of participants to levels of independent variable (IV)

2. Measure participants’ score/choice/outcome on dependent variable (DV)

Video on knee surgery to control pain

• 2 group would have a surgical procedure and the third group would have a placebo procedure

• The surgeon did not know what the patient was getting until he was in the operating room. He would open an envelope and if it was placebo he would pretend as if it were a real surgery

• The placebo group got better because of what they believed to be true

In the knee video, identify the a. the independent variable, the levels of the independent variable: 1. Real surgery 2. Saline rinse 3. Fake surgery. the dependent variable

IV= type of surgery, levels: 1. Real surgery 2. Saline rinse 3. Fake surgery. DV: level of pain after surgery

Was the knee surgery experiment single-blind or double-blind

single blind

Single blind

When the participant does not know what condition they are assigned to

Double blind

When both the participant and the researcher do not know what condition they are assigned to

Facilitated communication with betsy

• Transcriptions of sexual abuse

• Betsy (supposedly she is typing out that her parents are sexually abusing her. The parents that she is not being abused and that she needs to come home where she is comfortable. They go to court and the question arises about who is writing these messages. Is it betsy or is it the communications facilitator?)

Why was facilitated communication not submitted to double-blind testing sooner in the betsy case

Negligence, arrogance, money, parents are desperate for answers/communication

Why study social psychology?

• Because humans are social, no other species are as social as we are

• Worst punishment is solitary confinement in prison

• We are designed for social lives

What is social psychology?

an attempt to understand and explain how the thoughts, feelings, and behavior of individuals are influenced by the actual, implied, or imagined presence of other people

ABC’s of Psychology

A: affect/feelings

B: Behavior

C: Cognition/ thoughts

Is social psych involved? Paying bus tickets, California stop, burning yourself on the stove?

1. Paying bus tickets: (YES) You are influenced

2. Cali stop: (YES) You see other people do it so your are influenced

3. burn on stove: (NO) -you learn it is your own fault