Chapter 1: Psychology and Research Flashcards
Why do research psychologists use scientific methods?
To discover new knowledge about the causes of human behavior.
Why do psychologist-practitioners use existing research?
To enhance the lives of others.
What is data?
Information collected through formal observation or measurement.
Why do psychologists use data?
To answer questions about, and predict human behavior.
Define Intuition
Personal feelings and experiences about what the right answer should be.
Define Hindsight Bias
The tendency to think that we could have predicted something that has already occurred that we probably would not have been able to predict.
Define empirical methods
The processes of collecting and organizing data and drawing conclusions about those data.
Define scientific method
The set of assumptions, rules, and procedures that scientists use to conduct empirical research
Define value statements
A statement that cannot be measured objectively or tested for truthfulness, it cannot be evaluated using scientific inquiry.
Define values
Personal statements or beliefs
Define Facts
Objective statements verified by empirical evidence.
How can facts be used?
To help develop or determine their values
How can values impact research?
By determining what research is appropriate or important
Define Levels of Explanation
Perspectives that are used to understand behavior
Identify the 3 levels of explanation?
Lower Level
Middle Level
Higher Level
Define Lower Level
Related to biological influences.
Define Middle Level
Related to characteristics and abilities of individuals
Define Higher Level
related to social groups, organizations, and cultures
Define Individual Differences
the variations among people on physical or psychological dimensions.
define multiply determined
Behavior that is caused by many factors, often interrelated causes, which occur at many levels of explanation.
Define Repressed
outside our conscious awareness.
All psychologists use:
scientific method
Define Psychology
The scientific study of behavior
Behavior
Anything a human does that can be measured; how someone acts
Overt Behavior
Activity that can be seen and observed by others.
Covert Behavior
Activity that cannot be seen or observed by others.
Science
The systematic method of discovering and verifying knowledge