Chapter 1 - What is Psychology? Flashcards
What is psychology?
Scientific study of human behaviour and mental processes and how they effect and are effected by an organisms physical and mental states and environment
What is science’s approach known as?
Positivism
What are the 4 goals of psychology?
1) description (describe the behaviour as accurately as possible
2) explanation (enables researchers to state the causes (why) of the behaviour)
3) prediction (when researchers can specify the conditions which a behavior is likely to occur)
4) control (researchers understand how to manipulate conditions to cause or prevent occurrences)
What is a theory?
General hypothesis or principle that explains how facts are related to one another
What are the two functions of a theory?
1) organizes facts systematically
2) guides scientific research
What do psychologists use theories?
Propose reasons for relationships among events
Allow us to derive explanations and predictions
What is critical thinking?
Thoughtfully analyzing and probing questions, statements, and arguments of others
What are the principles of critical thinking?
1) be skeptical
2) insist on evidence
3) examine the definitions of terms
4) examine the assumptions or premises of arguments
5) be cautious in drawing conclusions from evidence
6) consider alternative interpretations of research evidence
7) do not oversimplify
8) do not overgeneralize
What are the two types of research?
Basic (Pure)
Applied
What research seeks new knowledge?
Basic (Pure)
Which research is used to solve real-world problems?
Applied
Which research uses control?
Applied
Which research describes, explains and predicts?
Basic (Pure)
Who is known as the “Father of Psychology”?
Wilhelm Wundt
Who was structuralism founded by?
Wilhelm Wundt and Edward Titchener
What was the research method used by Wundt?
Introspection - analyzing basic events of conscious mental experience
- proved to be subjective and inaccurate
What was Joseph Gall’s contribution?
Phrenology - talking about different components of brain
What do you need to remember about James Mark Baldwin?
1) structuralist
2) established first psychology lab in Canada
Who founded functionalism?
William James
What was William James theory of functionalism?
We adapt to our environment, and if we don’t, we die
Who founded Behaviorism?
John B. Watson
What does Behaviorism state?
Psychology should be the study of observable behavior
Who founded Gestalt psychology?
Max Wertheimer, Kurt Koffka, and Wolfgang Kohler
What is Gestalt Psychology focused on?
Emphasizes the tendency to organize perceptual input into wholes and patterns. Suggests that insight contributes to problem solving
Who founded Psychoanalysis
Sigmund Freud
What did Sigmund Freud emphasize?
The unconscious and early childhood experiences are of primary importance
Who was the founder of Feminist psychology?
Karen Horney
What do modern psychologists practice?
Biopsychosocial model - combines aspects of each broad model To explain why we behave and think the way we do
What are current perspectives?
Biological, evolutionary, and sociocultural
What is the biological perspective?
Study of the brain and nervous system - Seek to understand the link between physical processes and structures and behaviour and mental processes
What is the evolutionary perspective?
Focusses on how humans have evolved behaviours required for survival against environmental pressures over the course of evolution
Who has influenced the evolutionary perspective?
Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection
What is the Sociocultural perspective?
Studies the influence of culture, ethnicity, gender, and Socioeconomic status on behaviour and mental processes
What is cognitive psychology?
Specialty that studies mental processes such as memory, problem-solving, reasoning and decision-making, language, perception and other forms of cognition. Humans actively seek out experiences, alter and shape events
What is humanistic psychology?
Focusses on uniqueness of human beings in their capacity for choice, growth, and psychological health. Based in the present… What do we need?
Who suggested that we are motivated by need?
Abraham Maslow
Who suggested that human beings are innately good?
Carl Rogers
What is the humanistic-existential perspective?
Focusses on conscious awareness and subjective experience
What is humanism?
Stresses the human capacity for self-awareness, self-fulfillment, and growth
What is existentialism?
Stresses the importance of free will and responsibility
What are learning perspective?
1) Contemporary behaviorist’s emphasize environmental influences and learning of habits to repetition and reinforcement.
2) Social-cognitive theorists suggest that people can modify and create their environment
What is the scientific method?
Also known as positivism, it’s a systematic process of conducting research through and create and analysis by:
1) formulating research questions or stating hypothesis
2) Examining questions or testing hypothesis in view of evidence
3) drawing conclusions based on findings
4) Constructing or modifying a theory
5) Developing new research questions or hypothesis
What is the case study?
Single individual or a small number of persons are studied in great depth over a period of time
What is the cohort study
Case study over an extended period of time (e.g. street corner society)
What is the survey?
Method of study in which researchers use interviews or questionnaires to gather information about the attitudes, beliefs, experiences or behaviours of a group of people
Which method of research is most useful for a large sample of people?
Survey
What is the research method in which researchers observe and record behaviour in its natural setting without attempting to influence or control it?
Naturalistic observation
What is the method of research in which behaviour is studied by observation in a laboratory?
Laboratory observation
What are the different sampling types?
Random sample and stratified sample
What is a random sample?
Sample drawn so that every member of the population has an equal chance of being selected to participate
What is a stratified sample?
Sample drawn so that identify the sub groups in the population are proportionately represented
What is the experimental method?
Six to confirm “cause-and-effect” relationships by introducing independent variables and observing their effects on dependent variables
What is the difference between an independent variable and a dependent variable?
Independent - manipulated so that its effects may be observed
Dependent - resulting behavior/outcome of the effects
Who is the experimental group comprised of?
Participants who obtain the treatment
Who belongs to the control group?
Participants who do not obtain the treatment and are used to compare the results of the IV on the behaviour of participants
What is a placebo?
A fake treatment that has the appearance of being genuine
What is a blind study?
Condition under which participants are unaware of whether or not they have received a treatment
What is it called when both study participants and observers do not know who has received the treatment?
Double-blind study
What are concerns with psychological tests?
Reliability (consistency in what it measures) and validity (measure what was intended)
What is correlational research?
Investigate whether two variables are related
What is the correlation coefficient?
Number between 1 and -1 expressing the strength and direction of the relationship between two variables
Positive correlation indicates that has one variable increases, the other does as well. Negative correlation indicates that is one variable increases, the other decreases
What are the ethics for human research?
- Participation must be voluntary
- must be respect for confidentiality
- participants must be informed of all risks
- participants must be free to withdraw at any time
- participants must be debriefed as soon as practicable
What are the four principles for ethical decision making?
1) Respect for the dignity of persons and people
2) responsible caring
3) integrity in relationships
4) responsibility to society
What are five reasons animals are used in research?
1) provide a simpler model for studying
2) can exercise more control over animals
3) Wide range of medical and other manipulations can be used
4) Easier to study the entire lifespan of an animal
5) Cheaper to use an available at researcher’s convenience
What is a guideline provided by the Canadian Counsel on Animal Care for researchers working with animals?
Animals may be harmed only one there is no alternative and the benefits of the research justify the harm
