chapter 1 Flashcards
(1.1) what are the levels of analysis in psych
social cultural (relating to others)
psychological (thoughts, feelings)
biological (molecules & brain structure)
(1.1) what makes psych distinctive and difficult to understand
- all action is multiply determined
- interrelated factors
- individual differences
-cultural differences - reciprocal determinism
(1.1) what is an emic approach to understanding cross cultural psych
study behaviour from inside perspective (growing up in/living in that culture)
(1.1) what is an etic approach to cross cultural psych
studying behaviour from outside perspective
(1.1) what is naive realism
believing and taking everything we see as true, trusting that we see the world precisely as it is
(1.1) what is a scientific theory vs a hypothesis
scientific theory: an explanation that can explain a large number of findings and can predict new info
hypothesis: a testable prediction derived from a theory
(1.1) what is confirmation bias
the tendency to seek out evidence that supports our beliefs and dismiss those that don’t
(1.1) what is belief perseverance
the tendance to stick to a belief even when evidence contradicts it
(1.1) metaphysical claims:
assertions about the world that we can’t test (god, the soul, an afterlife) vs. a scientific claim (testable)
(1.2) what is pseudo science
claims that seem scientific but aren’t (lack of safeguards against confirmation bias and belief perseverance)
CAN BE TESTED ERGO NOT METAPHYSICAL
(1.2) signs of pseudoscience
- exaggerated claims
- lack of evidence (more “proof”)
- reliance on anecdotes
- lack of self correction
-psychobabble - no connection to other research
(1.2) what is patternicity
our tendency to see patterns in meaningless data or stimuli
(1.2) terror management theory
terror of awareness of our own deaths cause us to seek greater meaning in life (religion, more trust in pseudosciences)
(1.2) what are the dangers of pseudo science
- direct harm
- opportunity cost
- loss of scientific thinking for civilians
(1.2) what is the ad hoc immunizing hypothesis
using loopholes to support a theory to stop it being disproven (vibes not right to perform ESP)
(1.3) what are the 6 principals of scientific thinking ? (RCFREO, really cool fairies really enjoy oceans)
- rule out rival hypothesis
- correlation vs causation
- falsifiability
- replicability
- extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence
- occams razor
(1.4) what is introspection
trained observers reflect carefully and report back on their own mental status
(1.4) structuralism:
use introspection to identify basic structures of experience TITCHENER
(1.4) functionalism:
understand function or ADAPTIVE purposes of thoughts, feelings, and behaviours (influenced by darwin theory natural selection) JAMES
(1.4) behaviourism:
uncover general principals of learning that explain behaviour (reward and punishment, tabula rasa) SKINNER
(1.4) cognitivism;
examine the role of mental processes on behaviour (interpretation of rewards and punishments) PIAGNET
(1.4) psychoanalysis:
uncover unconscious psychological processes and early behaviour FREUD
(1.4) what is the free will-determinism debate
to what extent are our behaviours freely selected rather than influenced by factors out of our control
(1.4) tabula rasa
new borns are blank slate & shaped by environment LOCKE
(1.2) error of using our emotions as guides for evaluating validity of a claim
emotional reasoning fallacy
(1.2) error of assuming a claim is correct just because many people believe it
bandwagon fallacy
(1.2) error of framing a question as if we can only answer it in one of two extreme ways
either or fallacy
(1.2) error of believing we’re immune to errors that others are susceptible to
not me fallacy
(1.2) error or supporting a claim just because an authority figure supports it
appeal to authority fallacy
