Chapter 1 - The History Of Psychology Flashcards
1
Q
Scientific approach
A
-System of gathering data so bias and error measurement are reduced.
2
Q
Psychology’s goals
A
- Description: What’s happening?
- Explanation: Why it’s happening?
- Prediction: When will it happen again?
- Control: How can it be changed?
3
Q
Scientific approach (steps)
A
- Step 1. Perceive the question.
- Step 2. Form a hypothesis; Tentative explanation of phenomenon based on observation.
- Step 3. Test the hypothesis.
- Step 4. Draw conclusion.
- Step 5. Report your results; other could replicate study or experiment to see whether same results will be obtained to demonstrate reliability of results.
4
Q
Naturalistic observation
A
- Watching animals or humans behave in normal environment.
- Major advantage: Realist picture of behavior.
- Disadvantage: Observer effect, observer bias, each naturalistic setting is unique, and observations may not hold.
5
Q
Laboratory observation
A
- watching animals or humans behave in a laboratory setting.
- Advantages - control over environment, allows use of specialized equipment.
- Disadvantage - artificial situation may result in artificial behavior. (description methods* lead to formation of testable hypotheses)
6
Q
Case studies
A
- study of one individual in great detail.
- Advantage: tremendous amount of detail.
- Disadvantage: cannot apply to others.
- Ex: Famous case study - Phineas Gage
7
Q
Surveys
A
- Researchers ask a series of questions about topic under study.
- Given to representative sample of population.
- Population: entire group of people or animals in which researchers is interested.
- Advantages: data from large #’s of people; study convert behaviors.
- Disadvantage: must ensure representative sample or results not meaningful: Courtesy bias.
8
Q
Correlation
A
- Measure of relationship between two variables (anything that can change or vary) in mathematical formula and produce a correlation coefficient.
- knowing value of one allows researchers to predict value of another.
- Direction of relationship
- Strength of relationship
- Correlation coefficient ranges from -1.00 to +1.00 -closer to -1.00 or +1.00, Stronger the relationship between two variables.
- No correlation = 0.0
- Perfect correlation = -1.00 or + 1.00
9
Q
Positive correlation
A
- Variables are related in the same direction
- As one increases, other increases
- As one decreases, other decreases.
10
Q
Negative correlation
A
- Variables are related in opposite direction.
- One increases, other decreases.
Correlation does not prove causation!!
11
Q
Experiment
A
- Deliberate manipulation of variable to see whether corresponding changes in behavior result, allowing determination of cause-and-effect relationships.
12
Q
Operationalization
A
- Specific definition of variable of interest that allows it to be directly measured.
- Ex. Def. of aggressive play.
13
Q
Independent Variable (IV)
A
- In experiment that is manipulated by the experimenter.
14
Q
Dependent variable (DV)
A
- In experiment that represents measurable response or behavior of subjects in experiment.
15
Q
Experimental group
A
- Subjects in experiment who are subjected to independent variable.
16
Q
Control group
A
-Subjects who are not subjected to independent variables and may receive placebo treatment.
17
Q
Random assignment
A
- Process of assigning subjects to experimental or control groups randomly.
18
Q
Placebo
A
- Phenomenon where the expectation of participants can influence their behavior.
19
Q
Experimenter effect
A
- Experimenters expectations for study to unintentionally influence results.
20
Q
Single-Blind study
A
- Subjects don’t know whether they’re in experiment or control group.
- Reduces placebo effect.
21
Q
Double-Blind
A
- Neither experimenter not the subjects know who are in what group.
- Reduces placebo effect and experimenter effect.
22
Q
Institutional review boards
A
-groups of psychologists or other professionals look over research study and judge it according to its safety and consideration for the participants in study.
23
Q
Common Ethical Guidelines
A
- Rights and well-being of participants must be weighed against study’s value to science.
- Participants must be allowed to make informed decisions.
- Deception must be justified
- May withdraw from study, any time.
- Must be protected from risks or told of risks.
- Investigators must full debrief participants.
- data must remain confidential.
- If study results in undesirable consequences, researchers responsible for detecting/removing/correcting.
24
Q
Four Basic Criteria
A
- There are very few “truths” that don’t need to be subjected to testing.
- All evidence isn’t equal in quality.
- Authority or lots of expertise doesn’t make everything they claim true.
- Critical thinking requires open mind.
25
Q
Hypothesis
A
-Tentative explanation of a phenomenon based on observation.
26
Q
Replicate
A
- In research, relegating a study or experiment to see if the same results will be obtained in an effort to demonstrate reliability of results.
27
Q
Observer effect
A
-Tendency if people or animals to behave differently from normal when they know they are being observed.
27
Q
Participate observation
A
- A naturalistic observation in which the observer becomes a participant in the group being observed.
27
Q
Observer bias
A
- Tendency of observers to see what they expect to see.
27
Q
Representative Sample
A
- Randomly selected sample of subjects from a larger population of subjects.
27
Q
Population
A
- The entire group of people or animals in which the researcher is interested.
27
Q
Correlation coefficient
A
- Number that represents the strength and direction of a relationship existing between two variables; number derived from the formula for measuring a correlation.
