Chapter 01 Flashcards
Psychology
Is the scientific study of human behavior and the mind
Theory
Organizes info about what is known about mind/behavior
- Explains how the mind and/or behavior works
- Enables prediction of future behavior and/or thinking
Pure Research
Study a topic, expand theory, but not always immediately useful
Applied Research
Design to solve specific problems and produce useful results
Experimental Psychologists
Conduct lab studies/experiments that try to identify causes of behavior
Personality Psychologists
Study behavior for patterns, consistent traits that define individuals
Developmental Psychology
Study of how people change with age
Health Psychology
Study of how physical illness affect health
Industrial Psychology
Study of behavior at work
Organizational Psychology
Study of behavior in large organizations
School Psychology
Assists a student, one-on-one
Educational Psychology
Use of psychology to design educational structure
Forensic Psychology
Application of psychology in the criminal justice system
Sport Psychology
Application of psychology to assist athletes in factors that help improve physical ability
Clinical Psychologist
Trained to diagnose and treat people who have chronic and severe disorders (PhD/PsyD)
Counseling Psychologist
Trained to treat less severe disorders and general adjustment problems
Aristotle
Proposed a more scientific view of rules and laws to explain behavior and mind
Socrates
Proposed that rational thought needed to be complimented by inner introspection
Wilhelm Wundt
Structuralism: study of how basic elements that make up experience (reduction to parts of behavior)
William James
Functionalism: study of how behavior and thinking helps us adapt to environment
[Behaviorism] John Watson
Psychology should study only observable causes of behavior; scientific only if study of what can be seen and measured
[Behaviorism] Skinner
Theory that reinforcement has casual effect on behavior; positive consequences cause behavior to be repeated
PsychoanalysisDr. Sigmund Freud (1927)
Dr. Sigmund Freud (1927) proposed that unconscious ideas and impulses formed in infancy/early childhood where the causes of adult behavior
Gestalt PsychologyDr. Kohler (1930s)
Dr. Kohler (1930s) proposed study holistic perception processes, the influence on thinking and problem solving
Kenneth & Mamie Phipps Clark
Conducted a study of children’s perceptions which was significant in the Supreme Court decision that segregated schools were not “separate but equal”
[Current] Psychodynamic Perspective
Assume behavior and thought flows from internal and unconscious causes
- Freud: proposed parent-infant dynamics were formative
- Erikson: proposed the dynamics are social and continue across the lifespan
[Behaviorism] Learning Perspective
Assume only external experience determines behavior; study how stimuli and consequences elicit behavior
Social-Cognitive Perspective
Experience is important, BUT…
- People observe, think about what other people were rewarded for doing
- People’s actions changes their environment (select or ignore reward)
Biological Perspective
Assumes there are physiological (chemical or physical functions) causes of behavior and thought, especially how brain, hormones, and heredity relate to a person’s behavior
Evolutionary Perspective
Studies genetic control of behavior and traits; assumes survival enhancing traits are passed along parent to child
Cognitive Perspective
Studies mental processes like memory, learning, thought, perception; assumes that behavior depends on mental ability
Humanistic-Existential Perspective
Studies self-awareness; assumes we make our own personal decisions
• Existentialism assumes we have free will and direct our lives, and are responsible for our choices
Sociocultural Perspective
Assumes that behavior is influenced by society and culture
- Studies the influence of ethnicity, gender, values, socioeconomic status
- ADHD example: Boys more than girls are diagnosed with ADHD
Critical Thinking
- Look for evidence
- Examine definitions and assumptions
- Avoid oversimplifying and overgeneralizing
Scientific Method
An organized way of using experience and testing ideas
Hypothesis
Specific statement about behavior or thinking that is testable
[Data] Generalization
To apply results to people no actually studiedMay be affected by volunteer bias: when volunteers differ in significant ways from those who do not volunteer
[Data] Representative Sample
When sample accurately reflects diversity within the population
[Data] Random Sample
Ensures diversity because every person has equal chance of selection
[Data] Stratified Sample
Ensures subgroups are represented in proportion to how they appear in population
Natural Observation
Observe organism in its natural habitat; cannot ask questions or intervene in any way
Laboratory Observation
Create place of study that is similar to real life conditions; all participants have the opportunity to show what they would do
Case Study
Biographical study of one (1) or two (2) individuals; gain detail but takes a long period of time and the sample size is small
Survey Study
People answer questions about attitudes, opinions, and behaviors; large sample size, but the data is unreliable as people may exaggerate and/or lie
Correlational Method
Determines if a consistent, predictable relationship between two or more observed variable exists; there is NO attempt to influence the variables
• Correlations =/= proof! ! ! !
Correlation Coefficient
Statistic that describes the strength of relationship (between -1 to +1)
- Pos. correlations ( + ): the variables move in the same direction
- Neg. correlations ( - ): the variables move in opposite directions
Experimental Method
Seeks to confirm cause and effect relationships by:
- Manipulating test variables
- In controlled laboratory conditions
Independent Variable
This variable is manipulated; expected to cause a change
Dependent Variable
The measured effect, or change expected to be dependent ton the independent variable
Experimental Group
Receives the independent variable/treatment
Control Group
All conditions are held consistent
Quasi-Experimental Method
Researcher looks to compare pre-existing groups that differ on only one single variable
• People who have smoked [vs] people who have never smoked
Blind Design
When participants do not know which group they are in
• The way a person thinks can cause a behavior not part of the study
Double-Blind Design
Both participant and observer do not know which group is which
• Knowing the group could lead observer to [expect something] and therefore [look to find] what they expect
[Ethics] Basic Guidelines
- Do no harm
- Keep confidentiality
- Act to ensure people volunteered and were not forced to participate or deceived into participating
- Ethic Review Boards: determine if research proposals adhere to guidelines
[Ethics] Informed Consent
To provide enough information so people can decide if they want to participate or not
[Ethics] Debriefing
To answer questions and give additional explanation of value of study at the end of the study
