Psych Unit 0 Exam

Introspection and Freud’s Use of It

- Introspection: Examining one's own conscious thoughts and feelings.

- Freud’s Use: Freud used introspection to explore unconscious processes and inner conflicts through techniques like free association and dream analysis.

Key Words for Psychological Approaches

- Psychoanalytic: Unconscious, repression, childhood.

- Behaviorism: Conditioning, reinforcement, observable behavior.

- Socio-cultural: Culture, social norms, group behavior.

- Humanistic: Self-actualization, free will, personal growth.

- Biological: Brain, neurotransmitters, genetics.

- Evolutionary: Natural selection, adaptation, survival.

- Cognitive: Thinking, memory, problem-solving.

Impact of Various Items on Research

- Hindsight Bias: Tendency to see events as predictable after they happen.

- Overconfidence: Being overly sure of one’s own answers or predictions.

- Placebo Effect: Improvement due to believing one is receiving treatment.

- Hawthorne Effect: Changes in behavior due to being observed.

- Random Sampling: Ensures every member of a population has an equal chance of being chosen, increasing generalizability.

Difference Between Correlational and Experimental Research

- Correlational Research: Examines relationships between variables without manipulating them.

- Experimental Research: Manipulates one variable (independent) to observe effects on another (dependent), showing causation.

Importance of Operational Definitions

- Operational Definitions: Specify how variables are measured or manipulated, ensuring clarity and consistency in research.

Dependent and Independent Variables

- Independent Variable: The factor manipulated in an experiment (e.g., amount of caffeine given).

- Dependent Variable: The factor measured to see if it changes (e.g., levels of alertness).

Illusory Correlation

- Illusory Correlation: Perceived relationship between variables that doesn’t exist (e.g., thinking that carrying a lucky charm improves performance).

Research Components

- Experimental/Scientific: Manipulation of variables, control group, random assignment.

- Observational: Watching and recording behavior without interference.

- Correlational: Measuring the strength and direction of relationships between variables.

- Case Study: In-depth analysis of an individual or group.

Examples of Correlations

- Positive Correlation: More study time leads to better grades.

- Negative Correlation: More stress leads to less sleep.

Correlation vs. Causation

- “Correlation does NOT mean causation”: Just because two variables are related doesn’t mean one causes the other. Example: Ice cream sales and drowning rates are both higher in summer but don’t cause each other.

Correlation Coefficient

- Purpose: Measures the strength and direction of a relationship between two variables.

- Number Indication: Ranges from -1 to +1; closer to ±1 means stronger correlation.

Statistical Terms

- Mean: Average of all values.

- Mode: Most frequently occurring value.

Clinical vs. Sports Psychologist

- Clinical Psychologist: Treats mental health issues.

- Sports Psychologist: Enhances athletic performance and mental resilience.

Baby Albert Experiment

- Design: Conditioned a baby to fear a white rat by pairing it with a loud noise.

- Conducted By: John B. Watson and Rosalie Rayner.

Nonmaleficence in Ethical Standards

- Nonmaleficence: Obligation to avoid causing harm to participants.

Purpose of Debriefing

- Debriefing: Inform participants about the study’s purpose and any deceptions used, ensuring they leave in a good state.

Basic Principles in Research Projects

- Milgram’s Study on Obedience: Explored obedience to authority, where participants were instructed to administer shocks to another person.

- Stanford Prison Experiment: Examined the effects of perceived power by assigning roles of guards and prisoners in a simulated prison.

- Watson’s Little Albert Experiment: Conditioned a baby to fear a white rat by associating it with a loud noise.

- Bandura’s Bobo Doll Experiment: Investigated how children’s behavior is influenced by observing aggressive actions.

- Elliot’s Brown Eye/Blue Eye Experiment: Demonstrated the impact of discrimination and prejudice through eye color-based segregation.