Chapter 1 - Adjusting to Modern Life Flashcards
What is the paradox of progress?
Modern technology has provided us with an abundance of time saving devices yet we complain about not having enough time
What is the cost of having a greater available range of life choices?
Too many choices creates mental dilemmas, creating stress
What is the cost of modern technology providing us with more control of the world than before?
This creates a negative impact on the environment
What are we not, despite progress?
Healthier or happier
Of a total four explanations, what is the first explanation for this fact?
Traditional sources of emotional security, such as family, community, and religion have been lost
What is the second explanation?
We are overwhelmed by rapid cultural change
What is the third explanation?
Mental demands of modern life have become too complex
What is the fourth explanation?
Excessive materialism has weakened social ties, makes us insecure, and undermines our sense of well-being
What is the greatest challenge in modern life?
The search for meaning in life or a sense of direction
What do people do in desperation to find a sense of direction?
Turn to many ineffective and/or self-destructive sources for enlightenment (e.g. radio personalities, cults)
What is the most prominent source of information of the meaning of life or a sense of direction?
Self-help books
What are some ways in which self-help books are not effective (first way)?
Their message is too vague to be useful
What is the second way?
They are not based on solid, scientific research
What is the third way?
They don’t provide explicit directions for changing behaviour
What is the fourth way?
They encourage a narcissistic (self-centred) approach to life
What are the 6 things to look for in a good self-help book (1)?
Clarity in communication
(2):
Books that are realistic, that don’t promise too much change too soon
(3):
Books by authors with good credentials
(4):
Books with theoretical or research basis
(5):
Books that provide detailed, explicit directions about how to alter your behaviour
(6):
Books that focus on a particular kind of problem or behaviour
What are the four approaches of this textbook (1)?
This text is based on the premise that accurate knowledge about the principles of psychology can be of value to you in everyday life
(2):
This text attempts to foster a critical attitude about psychological issues and to enhance your critical thinking skills
(3):
This text should open doors
(4):
This text assumes that the key to effective adjustment is to take charge of your own life
What are the two facets of psychology (1)?
The science that studies behaviour and the physiological and mental processes that underlie it
(2)
The profession that applied the accumulated knowledge of this science to practical problems
What is “behaviour” considered?
An overt (observable) response
What is meant by the term adjustment?
The psychological processes through which people manage or cope with the demands and challenges of everyday life
What is empiricism?
The premise that knowledge should be acquired through observation
What are the conclusions of scientific psychology based on, with the idea of empiricism?
Careful, systemic observation rather than speculation or common sense
What are the two advantages of the scientific approach to behaviour (1)?
Clarity and precision - empiricism demands that scientists state exactly what they are referring to in their hypothesis
(2)
Relative intolerance for error - scientists ideas are subjected to empirical tests, their ideas and research are scrutinized by other scientists
What is an experiment?
A research method in which the investigator manipulates one (independent) variable under carefully controlled conditions, and observes whether any changes occur in a second (dependent) variable as a result
What is an independent variable?
A condition or event that an experimenter varies in order to see its impact on another variable - or the variable the researcher manipulates in the experiment
What is a dependent variable?
The variable that is thought to be affected by the manipulations of the independent variable - usually a measurement of behaviour
What is the experimental group?
Consists of subjects who receive some special treatment in regard to the independent variable
What is the control group?
Consists of similar subjects who do not receive the special treatment given to the experimental group
What occurred in Schacter’s study?
The experimental group was told the shocks will be painful, to initiate anxiety while the control group was told the choose would not be painful. Desire to affiliate was tested between these groups
How is cause and effect determined in experiments?
If the experimental and control groups are alike in every way except for the treatment from the independent variable AND if a difference in the dependent variable is found THEN the difference in their response must be due to the independent variable
How is the cause and effect shown in the Schacter experiment?
Everything was the same except some knew the shock would be painful AND there was a difference in desire to affiliate between groups THEN fear of the painful shock in some but not others should be due to the independent variable
What is the advantage of using experiments?
Precise control allows cause and effect conclusions to be drawn
What is the disadvantage of using experiments?
There are some variables of interest that cannot be ethical reasons, be manipulated in an experiment
When does a correlation exist?
When two variables are related to each other
What is a correlation coefficient?
A numerical index of the degree of relationship that exists between two variables
What two pieces of information does the correlation coefficient provide?
- How strongly related to variables are and 2. the direction (positive or negative) of the relationship
Positive correlations indicate…
That two variables covary in the same direction
How could you model a positive correlation using “x” and “y”?
High scores on variable x are related to high scores on variable y, low scores on variable x are related to low scores on variable y
Negative correlations indicate…
That two variables covary in the opposite direction
How could you model a negative correlation using “x” and “y”?
High scores on variable x are related to low scores on variable y
What is an example of a positive correlation?
High school GPA and college GPA
What is an example of a negative correlation?
Exam scores and frequency of absences
What is the strength of the correlation indicated by?
The size of the correlation coefficient
What values can correlation coefficients range from?
0 to +1.00 if positive and 0 to -1.00 if negative
What do coefficients near 0 indicate?
There is no association between the variables
What do coefficients near +1.00 or -1.00 indicate?
Strong associations
What are three common methods of finding correlations between variables (1)?
Naturalistic observation - careful observation of behaviour without intervening directly with the subjects
(2)
Case studies - in depth investigation of an individual participant
(3)
Surveys - structured questionnaires designed to solicit information about specific aspects of participants behaviour
What are the advantages of using correlations?
They allow us to explore variables not suitable for/or ethical to manipulate in experimental research (e..g the effect of psychological trauma on males versus females)
What does correlations therefore allow for?
Investigation of a broader array of psychological phenomenon than is possible in experimental research
What are the disadvantages of using correlations?
Correlations only tell us that two variables are related, not how the two variables are related, so cause and effect cannot be determined from correlations alone
How can this disadvantage be described, using “x” and “y”?
X could be causing changes in y, y could be causing changes in x, or z a this variable could be causing changes in x and y
What six factors are not very important in determining happiness (1)?
Money - the correlation between income and happiness is very weak (between .12 and .20) in the US
(2)
Age - is unrelated to global estimates of happiness, however young adults and the elderly a a bit happier than middle-aged adults
(3)
Gender - also accounts for less than 1% of variation in reported happiness
(4)
Parenthood - good and bas aspects of parenthood offset each other
(5)
Intelligence - there is no association between IQ and happiness
(6)
Physical attractiveness - attractive people people enjoy many advantages in society, but the relationship with happiness is very weak
What four factors are somewhat important in determining happiness (1)?
Health - health and happiness have a positive correlation of .32
(2)
Social activity - people who are satisfied with their friendships and are socially active report above average levels of happiness
(3)
Religion - people with sincere religious convictions are more likely to be happy
(4)
Culture - more affluent nations are more likely to be happy
What three factors are very important in determining happiness (1)?
Love, marriage and relationship satisfaction - across cultures, for men and women, married people are happier than people who are single or divorced
(2)
Work - job satisfaction is strongly related to happiness
(3)
Genetics and personality - extraversion (or positive emotionality) is a strong predictor of happiness, while neuroticism (an anxious temperament) is negatively correlated with happiness
What are four conclusions that can be made about happiness (1)?
Subjective feelings of happiness are more important than objective measures
(2)
Happiness is relative - we evaluate our happiness relative to what others have around us, and we evaluate our happiness relative to our own expectations
(3)
It is hard for people to predict what will make them happy
(4)
People adapt to their own circumstances
When does hedonic adaptation occur?
When the mental scale that people use to judge the pleasantness-unpleasantess of their experiences shifts so that their neutral point, or baseline for comparison is changed
What are the three steps to developing sound study habits (1)?
Set up a schedule for studying
(2)
Find a place to study where you can concentrate
(3)
Reward your studying
What five ways can you improve your reading (1)?
Preview reading assignments section by section
(2)
Actively process the meaning of the information
(3)
Identify the key ideas of each paragraph
(4)
Carefully review key ideas after each section
(5)
Use text chapter outlines, summaries and learning objectives
What five tips are there for getting more out of your lectures (1)?
Use active listening procedures
(2)
Prepare for lectures by reading ahead
(3)
Write down the lecturer’s thoughts in your own words
(4)
Look for subtle cues about what the instructor thinks is important
(5)
Ask questions during lectures
What five strategies are there to aid memory (1)?
Engage in adequate practice - use over learning (continued rehearsal of material after you have first appeared to master it)
(2)
Use distributed practice - breaking up studying is more effective than cramming
(3)
Organize information - outline material from your text to enhance retention
(4)
Emphasize deep processing - try to make material personally meaningful
(5)
Use mnemonic devices (memory strategies) - use verbal mnemonics such as acrostics or acronyms, or visual mnemonics such as the Link Method or the Method of Loci
What is the Link Method?
Forming a mental image of items to be remembered in a way that links them together
What is the Method of Loci?
Taking an imaginary walk along a familiar path where you have associated images of items you want to remember with certain locations
