Definitions Flashcards
What is the Cognitive Angle?
Concerned with the internal processes of the mind as a way of explaining human behaviour.
What is Information Processing?
Input, Processing, Output
What is the Computer Analogy?
Computer = Mind
Used as an analogy to understand the mind
What is the difference between a computer and the human mind?
Humans are slower for searching for information
We are better at using mental shortcuts to locate information
Memory
The processes by which we store and retrieve information
Forgetting
If we fail to encode, store or retrieve information, forgetting will occur
Encoding
The process of transforming sensory information into a memory trace
Storage
Sensory Storage –> Short Term –> Long Term
Retaining/Maintaining information in STM or LTM
Retrieval
Locating and Extracting stored memories for use
What does the computer analogy handle?
Information
In the computer analogy where is the information input from?
The senses
In the computer analogy what is the information in the form of?
Memory and Language
In the computer analogy what is the output in the form of?
Decision Making, Speech and Action
What is a lab experiment?
Conducted under highly controlled conditions
Advantages of lab experiment? List 2
- Precise control of variables
- High reliability - Can be easily replicated
What is the purpose of control over variables?
To isolate the one key variable (the IV), in order to observe it’s effect on the DV.
What is control intending to allow the researcher to conclude?
That it is the IV and nothing else which is influencing the DV.
Disadvantages of lab experiment? List 4
- Demand characteristics could be present
- Low ecological validity, so difficult to generalise findings
- Not always possible to control all variables - May be variable the experimenter is unaware of
- Ethical Issues - experiments often involve deceiving the participants to some extent
Disadvantages of lab experiment? List 4
- Demand characteristics could be present
- Low ecological validity, so difficult to generalise findings
- Not always possible to control all variables - May be variable the experimenter is unaware of
- Ethical Issues - experiments often involve deceiving the participants to some extent
What it ecological validity?
How true to life it is
What is IV?
The thing you change
What is DV?
The thing you measure
What is extraneous variable?
The thing that can’t be controlled, but could affect results
Advantages of lab experiment? List 2
- Experimental Control
- High reliability - Can be easily replicated
What is an extraneous variable?
The thing that can’t be controlled, but could affect results
What is a field experiment?
Conducted in a real world situation.
Participants are usually unaware that they are in an experiment.
Advantages of a field experiment? List 2
- Usually high in ecological validity
- Avoids demand characteristics/socially desirable behaviour as participant is unaware of the experiment
Disadvantages of field experiment? List 3
- Hard to achieve experimental control
- Usually time consuming and expensive to conduct
- Ethical Issues - No consent/debrief to participant
What is experimental control?
Precise control of variables
What is another way of saying natural experiment?
Quasi experiment
What is a natural experiment?
Conducted in the everyday environment of the participants.
The experimenter has no control over the IV as it occurs naturally in real life.
Disadvantages of field experiment? List 3
- Hard to achieve experimental control
- Usually time consuming and expensive to conduct
- Ethical Issues - No consent/debrief to participant
Advantages of natural experiment? List 3
- High ecological validity
- Low demand characteristics - Participants don’t know that they are being studied
- Can be used in situations where it would be ethically unacceptable to manipulate the IV e.g. researching stress
Disadvantages of natural experiment? List 4
- No control over EV that might bias the results.
- Hard to replicate
- No control over IV
- Unethical as participants don’t know they are being observed (no consent).
