AO1 - Knowledge Flashcards
What is a null hypothesis?
A hypothesis that does not predict a change in the dependent variable:
There will not be a significant difference in the DV when we use IV1 compared to IV2.
What is an alternate hypothesis?
A hypothesis that predicts a change in the dependent variable:
There will be a significant difference in the DV when we use IV1 compared to IV2
What are order effects?
Order effects are when the participants repeat the experiment more than once and get tired or bored, which could affect their results.
What are demand characteristics?
Demand characteristics are when the participants figure out the aim of the experiment and change their behavior to seem more desirable to the researcher, decreasing the validity of the experiments.
What are extraneous variables?
Extraneous variables are variables that affect the dependent variable instead of the independent variable, which leads to the researcher not being able to establish cause and effect, decreasing the validity of the study.
What is a lab experiment? Strengths and weaknesses?
A lab experiment is:
Carried out in a controlled, lab environment with standardized procedures
Under the full control of the researcher
What is a field experiment? Strengths and weaknesses?
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What is a natural experiment? Strengths and weaknesses?
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What is opportunity sampling? Strengths and weaknesses?
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What is random sampling? Strengths and weaknesses?
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What is stratified sampling? Strengths and weaknesses?
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What is systematic sampling? Strengths and weaknesses?
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What is an independent measures design? Strengths and weaknesses?
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What is a repeated measures design? Strengths and weaknesses?
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What is a matched pairs design? Strengths and weaknesses?
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What are the five ethical guidelines researchers must follow when carrying out experiments?
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What is a questionnaire? Strengths and weaknesses?
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How do you conduct and design a questionnaire?
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What are open and closed questions? Examples?
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What are some strengths and weaknesses of questionnaires?
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What is social desirability?
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What are some strengths and weaknesses of open questions?
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What are some strengths and weaknesses of closed questions?
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What is an interview? Strengths and weaknesses?
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How do you conduct and design an interview?
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What are structured and unstructured interviews?
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What are some strengths and weaknesses of structured interviews?
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What are some strengths and weakness of unstructured interviews?
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What is an observation? Strengths and weaknesses?
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How do you conduct and design an observation?
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What are categories of behaviour?
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What is inter-observer reliability? How can we establish this?
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What are overt and covert observations?
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What are naturalistic and controlled observations?
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What are some strengths and weaknesses of naturalistic observations?
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What are some strengths and weaknesses of controlled observations?
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What is primary data? Examples?
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What is secondary data? Examples?
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What is tertiary data? Examples?
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What is qualitative data? Strengths and weaknesses?
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What is quantitative date? Strengths and weaknesses?
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Define correlation
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What is positive correlation?
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What is negative correlation?
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What is encoding?
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What is storage?
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What is retrieval?
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What are the three ways information is encoded in our brain?
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What is coding?
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What is capacity?
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What is duration?
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What is the serial position effect?
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What is the primacy effect?
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What is the recency effect?
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What are the three factors that affect memory?
Interference
Context
False memories
What is interference?
Interference is when people have difficulty recalling information because other memories get in the way. The more interference there is, the worse the accuracy of memory is.
What is retroactive interference?
When new information gets in the way of old information, for example the memory of a new phone number may interfere with the memory of an old one
What is proactive interference?
When old information gets in the way of new information, for example your friend moves to a new house, but the memory of their old address interferes with the memory of their new one
What is context?
The setting or environment we learn something in
How does context affect our memory?
When we learn something in a certain environment, for example a classroom, we can recall the information learnt by picking up cues around us. This is the same reason why we remember something important in our room, but when we step outside to get it done, we forget what this important thing was. This is because the environment has changed and there are no cues to trigger our memory.
What are false memories?
A false memory is the memory of something that never really happened
How do we create false memories?
There are two ways of creating false memories:
- Repeated exposure
- Post event discussion
Repeated exposure is when a person is exposed to a false memory over and over again until they start believing it. An example of this is when you make up a story about your sibling getting lost in the mall for hours, and tell them this for days. Eventually your sibling will believe this and it will become a false memory.
Post event discussion is when, after an event, eye witnesses discuss what happened. For example a verbal fight could break out at school, but when you talk to others about it, you might hear “did you see the punch?”, “did you see this?”, “did you see that?”. Though there was no physical violence in the event, you would slowly start to believe that there were punches being thrown around, creating a false memory. This information is valuable for the court system, where eye witnesses are not allowed to talk to each other to prevent false memories.
What is a schema?
A cognitive model of a person, situation or object shaped by our experiences. As we grow, our schemas change with our experiences. Schemas change the way we perceive and experience new information.
What is assimilation?
When information is added to an existing schema. For example, a child will add information to her schema of dogs to include new dogs she hasn’t seen before.
What is accomodation?
Significantly changing or creating a new schema to accommodate new information
What is person praise?
Person praise is when people are praised and admired for their natural intelligence after achieving something. For example, telling a student “smart girl” or “smart boy” is person praise: praising them for their ingrained intelligence and not the work they put into it. Person praise feeds a fixed mindset.
What is process praise?
Process praise is when people are praised and admired for the work and effort they put into overcoming a challenge, for example telling a student “well done, your hard work paid off”: praising them for the work they put in to achieve their goal. Process praise feeds a growth mindset.
What is self efficacy?
The belief in our own ability to achieve a goal
Describe brain development during pregnancy, from the 3rd week until birth
3rd week - Multiplying cells come together to form a structure known as the neural plate. The ends of this fold up to create the neural tube
4th week - The neural tube divides into four parts: the hindbrain, the forebrain, the midbrain and the spinal cord
6th week - The forebrain divides into two parts: the cortex (front) and the thalamus (back). As more neurons, synapses and the spinal cord develop, the fetus is able to move around and respond to its environment.
15th week - The cerebellum develops from the hindbrain (this is the part that controls balance and fine movements such as writing)
24th week - The brain is fully formed but has not yet reached its full size
Last 12 weeks - As the brain grows to fit the skull, folds appear
Birth - The brain is 25% that of the size of an adult’s brain
What is a neuron?
A specialized nerve cell that can send and receive electrical impulses
What is a synapse?
A small gap between the dendrite of one neuron and the receptor site of another which allows electrical impulses to flow across neurons
What is the brain stem?
It connects the spinal cord to the brain. It is responsible for basic autonomic functions like breathing and heart rate. This helps the baby’s heart to beat regularly after 6 weeks of pregnancy with blood pumping through the main vessels.
What is the thalamus?
Known as the deep chamber. It receives messages from sensory organs and turns them into behavioral responses, moving them to the cortex. It also acts as a gateway and passes information from the senses to the cortex.
What is the cortex
The cortex is the outer layer of the brain and controls the higher cognitive functions (language, decision making etc.). It is divided into 4 sections: the frontal lobe, the parietal lobe, temporal lobe and occipital lobe.
The frontal lobe
The temporal lobe
The occipital lobe
The parietal lobe
What is the cerebellum
The cerebellum is also known as the ‘little brain’. It helps with fine motor movements and balance. It gets information from parts like the cortex and allows a motor response to this information. If you damage this then you would have problems walking or balancing and coordination.
