Chapter 1 and 2

Question 1

Psychology definition?

Answer 1

The Scientific study of behaviour of individuals and their mental processes (mind brain behaviour)

Question 2

Belief Perseverance

Answer 2

Sticking to your belief even when evidence contradicts them. (stubborn on the “hot hand”)

Question 3

Confirmation Bias

Answer 3

Tendency to seek out evidence that supports our belief and deny evidence that contradicts them

Question 4

5 Main Challengers of Psychology (HPIPB)

Answer 4

1) Human behaviour is difficult to predict
2) Psychological influences are rarely independent
3) Individual differences among people
4) People influence one another
5) Behaviour is shaped by culture

Question 5

Scientific Theory

Answer 5

An explanation for a large number of findings in the natural world.

Question 6

5 Steps of the Scientific Method

Answer 6

1) State the problem (Specific question asked)
2) Develop a hypothesis (Prediction)
3) Design a study (manipulate variables IV and DV)
4) Collect/Analyze Data (summaries)
5) Draw conclusions/Report results (was hypothesis true?)

Question 7

What is Behaviour?

Answer 7

Observable actions by which an organism adjusts to its environment. (also looks at role of unobservable)

Question 8

Levels of Analysis

Answer 8

1) Social Culture Influences (Relationships, family)
2) Psychological Influences (thoughts, emotions)
3) Biological Influences (molecules, brain structure)

Question 9

4 Goals of Psychology (DEPC)

Answer 9

1) Describing what happens
- Behavioural data, levels of analysis, objectivity
2) Explaining what happens
- Examining patterns, synthesis of info
3) Prediction what happens
- Stating likelihood that a certain behaviour will occur
4) Controlling what happens
- Prevention, intervention

Question 10

Pseudoscience and its 6 signs

Answer 10

> Set of claims that sound scientific but isn’t

1) Exaggerated claims
2) Over-reliance on Anecdotes
3) No connection to other research
4) Lack of peer review
5) Meaningless psychobabble
6) Talk of “proof” over “evidence”.

Question 11

3 Logical Fallacies in thinking

Answer 11

1) Emotional reasoning fallacy
2) Bandwagon fallacy
3) Not me fallacy

Question 12

3 Main Dangers of Pseudoscience (ODI)

Answer 12

1) Opportunity Cost (not going to correct solution)
2) Direct Harm (Often physical or mental consequences)
3) Inability to think scientifically (crucial for other views)

Question 13

6 Principles of Scientific Thinking (RCFREO)

Answer 13

1) Ruling out rival hypothesis
2) Correlation vs Causation
3) Falsifiability
4) Replicability
5) Extraordinary claims
6) Ocam’s Razor (simple over complicated)

Question 14

Psychology’s Origin (4 people)

Answer 14

1) Socrates- Know thyself
2) Aristotle/Plato- Relationship of mind/body/soul
3) Descartes- Mind > body distinction
4) Locke/Hume- knowledge linked to experiences/sense

Question 15

Gestalt Psychology

Answer 15

• How elements are organized into wholes
• Whole is > the sum of its parts.
• Max Wertheimer

Question 16

Functionalism

Answer 16

• Focuses on HOW and WHY the mind functions
• purpose of consciousness > structure
• Broadened beyond observable
• Williams James (wrote principles pf psychology)
• John Dewey (brought to NA)

Question 17

Structuralism

Answer 17

• “What” of mental behaviour
• Study of the conscious elements of the mind
• Used introspection (experiences thru senses)
• Wilhelm Wundt (developed first psych lab)
• Edward Eichener (brought structuralism to NA)
• James Baldwin (First Canadian lab)

Question 18

Sigmund Freud Information

Answer 18

• Theories of the unconscious mind
• He believed unconscious mental process directed behaviour
• Used Psychoanalysis: the study of unconscious mind
• Believed that dreams in children were unconscious wishes.
• Believed everyone was sexual from birth (used seduction theory)
• Free association (talking without interruption)
• Transference (explaining thoughts/emotions to someone)
• Defence mechanisms (guide our unconscious)

Question 19

Behaviourist Perspective

Answer 19

• Founded by John Watson/BF Skinner

- Focused on what is observable (environment determines behaviour)

Question 20

Humanistic Perspective

Answer 20

• Carl Rogers/Abraham Maslow

- Hierarchy of needs (desire to fulfill ones potential)

Question 21

Cognitive Perspecitve

Answer 21

-Focused on thinking, memory, perception

Question 22

Biological Perspective

Answer 22

-Genes, Nervous system

Question 23

Evolutionary Perspective

Answer 23

• Darwin

- Behaviours are passed onto the next generation

Question 24

Sociocultural Perspective

Answer 24

-Culture/Society Influences

Question 25

Empiricism

Answer 25

-View that knowledge must be acquired through careful observation rather than logic or intuition. (UFOs)

Question 26

Theory Development (focuses on goals of psych)

Answer 26

• Ideas that describe, explain, and predict behaviour

- A+B=C

Question 27

Heuristic and 2 most common types

Answer 27

Mental structures/rule of thumb(oversimplify reality)

1) Representative
- “Like goes with like”
- Fall into base rate fallacy, happening more than it does
2) Availability
- “Off the top of my head”
- how easy it comes to our mind

Question 28

2 Cognitive Biases

Answer 28

1) Hindsight: Knew it all along

2) Overconfidence: Overestimating ability to be correct

Question 29

Independent vs Dependent Variables

Answer 29

IV: The variable being manipulated
DV: What we are measuring (doesn’t change)
“the effect of _IV__ on the __DV__”

Question 30

Descriptive Research Method

Answer 30

No manipulation of any variables

Describing and observing and taking in info that way

Question 31

Descriptive Method #1 Case Study

Answer 31

Interviewing people to gain background info
Pro: Large amount of data collected
Con: Cannot infer causation
example is freud and Anna O who had random physical problems with no known cause. diagnosed with hysteria

Question 32

Descriptive method #2 Naturalistic Observation

Answer 32

Observing events from a distance
Pro: High external validity
Con: Low internal validity

Question 33

Descriptive Method #3 Survey/Self Report measure

Answer 33

Written questionnaires/phone interviews
Pro: Easy to administer
Con: dishonesty, malingering, response sets

Question 34

Descriptive Method #4 Correlational Study

Answer 34

Determine strength between two variables
Pro: Predict behaviour
Con: Correlation doesn’t mean causation

Question 35

Descriptive Method #5 Ex Post Facto Study

Answer 35

Comparing people with blue eyes, same gender, etc

Con: Cant infer causation

Question 36

Experimental Method

Answer 36

Random assignment and Manipulating IV

• Confound variable= outside of the IV and DV
• Experimental group vs control group
• falls in line with scientific method

Question 37

4 pitfalls of experimental method

Answer 37

1) Placebo effect
2) Nocebo effect
3) Experimenter Expectancy Effects: Double blindness
4) Demand Charecteristics: cues researcher gives

Question 38

Illusory Correlation

Answer 38

Believing the existence of an association between 2 variables where there isn’t one

Question 39

3 ethical obligations in research

Answer 39

1) Informed consent
2) avoid harm or discomfort
3) Debrief and reveal any deception used

Question 40

2 Descriptive Stats

Answer 40

1) Central Tendency

2) Variability

Question 41

2 Inferential Stats (SP)

Answer 41

Putting sample into population data

1) Statistical significance
- 0.05 level of confidence, what is the sample size?
2) Practical Significance
- Real world important