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PSY 101 > Chapter 1 > Flashcards

Chapter 1 Flashcards

1
Q

Psychology

A

the scientific study of behavior and mental processes

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2
Q

Scientific Approach

A

Critical Thinking: Thinking deeply and actively asking questions, evaluating evidence, questioning facts
Objectivity: See things as they are without bias
Curiosity: Why are things the way they are?
Skepticism: Question what everybody knows

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3
Q

The Empirical Method

A

Involves gaining knowledge by observing events, collecting data, and reasoning logically.

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4
Q

The majority of psychologists work in ______ environments

A

academic

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5
Q

Wilhelm Wundt

A

Studies what the mind is (structuralism). Father of psychology.

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6
Q

William James

A

Studies why the mind does what it does (functionalism)

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7
Q

Structuralism

A

Inside the mind (physically)

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8
Q

Functionalism

A

Purpose of thought

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9
Q

Seven Approaches to Psychological Sciences

A

Biological, Behavioral, Psychodynamic, Humanistic, Cognitive, Evolutionary, Sociocultural

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10
Q

Biological Approach to Psychological Science..

A

Focus on the body (especially the brain and nervous system)

Ex. Why your hands sweat when you lie, why heart races when nervous

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11
Q

Behavioral Approach to Psychological Science..

A

Emphasises the study of physical, behavioral responses and their environmental determinants.

Skinner emphasized that psychology is what people do, not what can’t be seen.

Rewards and punishment determine behavior

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12
Q

Psychodynamic Approach to Psychological Science..

A

emphasizes unconscious thought, the conflict between biological drives.

Ex. The drive for sex, societies demands, and early childhood experiences.

Sigmund Frued- father of psychodynamic approach. Theorized that early
relationships with parents shape an individual’s personality.

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13
Q

Humanistic Approach to Psychological Science..

A

emphasizes a person’s positive qualities, their capacity for positive growth and freedom to choose their own destiny.

Stresses that people have ability to control their own lives and are not simply
controlled by the environment. People choose to live by higher human values.

Unselfish concern for other peoples well-being

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14
Q

Cognitive Approach to Psychological Science..

A

emphasises the mental processes involved in knowing: how we direct our attention, perceive, remember, think and solve problems. Remember, make decisions, plan, set goals, be creative.

Ex. how we solve math problems, why we remember things for certain amount of
time, how we plan for the future

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15
Q

Evolutionary Approach to Psychological Science..

A

emphasises evolutionary ideas such as adaptation, reproduction and natural selection as the basis for explaining certain human behaviors.

David Buss- behavior comes from nature and nurture.

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16
Q

Sociocultural Approach to Psychological Science..

A

examines the influence of social and cultural environments on behavior.
Understanding a person’s behavior requires understanding the cultural context in which action occurs.

Cross cultural research is important for testing the possibility of universal characteristics.

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17
Q

Scientific Method Steps

A

Observe a phenomenon

Formulate a hypothesis and predictions

Testing through empirical research

Drawing conclusions

Evaluate conclusions

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18
Q

Variable

A

anything that can change. What scientists study are called variables

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19
Q

Theory

A

a broad idea or set of closely related ideas that attempt to explain observations

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20
Q

Hypothesis

A

a testable prediction that is derived logically from a theory (educated guess)

Test hypothesis through empirical research (collecting and analyzing data)

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21
Q

Operational Definition

A

provides an objective description of how a variable is going to be measured and observed in a study

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22
Q

Data Analysis

A

applying math procedures to understand the numerical information

Conclusions are drawing from results of data analysis

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23
Q

TRUE OR FALSE..

Before a theory is accepted, the scientific community must establish the results can be replicated with a different method.

A

True

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24
Q

Replication

A

One scientist tries to reproduce a study to see if it gets the same results

Successful replication makes it reliable.

25
Q

TRUE OR FALSE

Published conclusions are constantly questioned

A

False

26
Q

Three Types of Psychological Research

A

Descriptive, Correlational, Experimental

27
Q

Descriptive Research

A

Finding basic dimensions of a variable. It describes a phenomenon. Cannot answer questions but helps researchers get a sense of something.

Ex. Three groups taking the SWLS Test. Generally they are all happy.

Ex. What is the average level of happiness of men in the US?

28
Q

Correlational Research

A

Discovering relationship between variables. Examines how two variables change each other.

Ex. Are married men happier than single men in the US?

29
Q

Correlation Coefficient

A

Tells us the strength and direction of relationship between variables.

Represented by the letter “r”.

30
Q

Negative Correlation

A

Changing in different direction

31
Q

Positive Correlation

A

Changing in the same direction

32
Q

TRUE OR FALSE

Correlation is not causation

A

True

33
Q

The Third Variable Problem

A

when another variable, that is not being measured, accounts for the relationship between two others.

34
Q

Longitudinal design

A

observing and measuring the same variables periodically over time

Ex. The happiness of nuns over their lives (nuns happy in 20s, 2.5X more likely to live into 90s)

35
Q

Experimental Research

A

Establishing causal relationships between variables.

Ex. If men smile, do women perceive them as more attractive in the US?

36
Q

Independent Variable

A

A manipulated experimental factor

37
Q

Dependent Variable

A

Outcome to the independent variable.

38
Q

Experimental Group

A

Participants who receive treatment that is of interest or researcher

Participants that are exposed to the independent variable

39
Q

Control Group

A

Treated just like experimental group but without the independent variable

40
Q

Within Participant

A

Participants serve as control group and experimental group

41
Q

Quasi Experimental Design

A

cannot assign random assignment (impossible or unethical)

42
Q

Validity

A

Soundness of conclusions drawn from an experiment

43
Q

External Validity

A

The degree to which experimental design actually reflects real world issue

44
Q

Internal Validity

A

The degree to which changes in the dependent variable are due to change in the independent variable.

45
Q

Demand Characteristics

A

Any aspect of a study that tells the participant how the researcher wants them to behave.

46
Q

Experimenter Bias

A

When the experimenter’s expectations influence the outcome

47
Q

Research Participant Bias

A

Participant behaving how they think they’re supposed to

48
Q

Placebo Effect

A

When participant expectations, rather than treatment, produce an outcome

49
Q

Double Blind Experiment

A

When experimenter and participant don’t know which participants are in experimental group

50
Q

Population

A

The entire group about which the investigator wants to draw a conclusion

51
Q

Sample

A

A small group from the population

52
Q

Random Sample

A

A sample that gives every member of the population an equal chance of being selected

53
Q

Lab research drawbacks

A

Lab setting is not real world and may cause participants to behave differently

People willing to go to a University laboratory may not represent groups from diverse backgrounds

Some aspects of mind and behavior are difficult, if not impossible, to examine in a lab

Participants know they are being studied

54
Q

Naturalistic Observation

A

Observing behavior in a real-world setting

55
Q

TRUE OR FALSE

A person participating in a study should be no worse coming out of the study than when they went in.

A

True

56
Q

Colleges and Universities have an _____ ______ ______ that accept or deny research plans.

A

Institutional Review Board

57
Q

TRUE OR FALSE

American Psychological Association (APA) has developed ethics guidelines for its members

A

True

58
Q

Areas of research that animal studies have befitted humans:

A

Psychotherapy techniques and behavioral medicine

Rehabilitation of neuromuscular disorders

Alleviation of the effects of stress and pain

Drugs to treat anxiety and severe mental illness

Methods for avoiding drug addiction and relapse

Treatments to help premature infants gain weight

Methods used to alleviate memory defects in old age

PSY 101 (5 decks)

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