CHAP 1: EXPERIMENTAL PSYCH Flashcards
The science of behavior
PSYCHOLOGY
Research about the
psychological processes underlying
behavior
Psychological
science
Science etymology
Latin- scientia which means
knowledge
Science content
Information that we know
Science as a process
includes the systematic ways in which
we go about gathering data, noting relationships, and offering explanations
ALL AREAS OF PSYCHOLOGY RELY ON SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH METHODS.
- Laboratory experiments
- Observations
- Surveys
we collect and use psychological data to understand the behavior of others and to guide our Own behavior.
THE NEED FOR SCIENTIFIC
METHODOLOGY
kind of everyday, nonscientific data gathering that shapes our expectations and beliefs and directs our behavior toward others
Commonsense psychology
Ability to gather data in a systematic and
impartial way is constrained by two factors:
- The sources of psychological information
- Our inferential strategies
Commonsense beliefs about behavior are
derived from
data we collect from our own experience and what we have learned from others.
Once we believe we know something, we tend to overlook instances that might disconfirm
our beliefs and we seek
Confirmation bias
All commonsense psychologists are TRAIT THEORIST at least when it comes to
explaining the behavior of others.
True
the more data we have available (accurate or not), the more confidence we have in our
judgments about behavior)
Overconfidence bias
CHARACTERISTICS OF MODERN SCIENCE
- Scientific Mentality
- Gathering Empirical Data
- Seeking General Principles
- Good Thinking
- Self-correction
- Publicizing Results
- Replication
belief that there are specifiable (although not
necessarily simple or obvious) causes for the way people behave
Scientific Mentality
describing that order in a systematic way of collecting empirical data-
Gathering Empirical Data
advocated systematic observation of experience.
Aristotle
go beyond cataloging observations to proposing general principles
Seeking General Principles
generality to apply in all situations
laws
we advance understanding and testing an interim explanation commonly
theory
private beliefs and expectations must not influence observations or conclusions.
Good Thinking
being open to new ideas even when they contradict our prior beliefs.
Good Thinking
“Occam’s Razor”
“Parsimony”
when two explanations are equally defensible, the simplest explanation is preferred
“Occam’s Razor”/ Parsimony
Modern scientists accept the uncertainty
of their own conclusions.
Self-correction
Scientists meet frequently through professional and special interest groups and attend professional conferences to exchange information
Publicizing Results
repeat our procedures and get
the same results again if we have gathered data objectively and if we have followed good thinking.
Replication
We have a great deal more confidence that we have explained something if the predicted effects are repeatable by other researches.
Replication
