EXPESY Lesson 1 EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY AND THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD - Sheet1 Flashcards
It is the science of mental processes and behavior.
PSYCHOLOGY
As psychologists, we take a scientific approach to understanding behavior, and our knowledge about psychological processes is based on _ evidence accumulated through research.
scientific evidence
As psychologists, we take a scientific _ to understanding behavior
SCIENTIFIC APPROACH
As scientists, we rely on _ methods when we conduct psychological research.
scientific methods
This is the research about psychological processes underlying behavior.
PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE
All areas of psychology rely on _ research methods.
scientific research methods
Whether the data come from laboratory experiments, real-world settings, or therapy sessions, all psychologists use _ criteria to evaluate their data.
scientific criteria
connotes content and process
Science
consists of the scientific techniques we use to collect and evaluate data
Methodology
the facts we gather using scientific methods
Data
Who called nonscientific data gathering commonsense psychology
Heider
nonscientific data gathering
commonsense psychology
This approach uses nonscientific sources of data and nonscientific inference
commonsense psychology
nonscientific use of information to explain or predict behavior.
Nonscientific inference
- Gambler’s fallacy
- overuse of trait explanations
- stereotyping
- Overconfidence bias
4 Nonscientific inference
people misuse data to estimate the probability of an event, like when a slot machine will pay off.
gambler’s fallacy
we falsely assume that specific behaviors cluster together
stereotyping
Stereotypes ignore individual differences.
stereotyping
to explain others’ behavior, we often make unwarranted dispositional attributions and underuse situational information
overuse trait explanations
This bias can reduce the accuracy of our explanations and predictions.
overuse trait explanations
we feel more confident about our conclusions than is warranted by available data.
overconfidence bias
This form of nonscientific inference can result in erroneous conclusions when we don’t recognize the limitations of supporting data.
overconfidence bias
assumes that behavior follows a natural order and can be predicted
Alfred North Whitehead’s scientific mentality
This assumption is essential to science. There is no point in using the scientific method to gather and analyze data if there is no implicit order.
Alfred North Whitehead’s scientific mentality
There is no point in using the scientific method to gather and analyze data if there is no implicit order
implicit order
consists of statements generally expressed as equations with few variables with overwhelming empirical support
law
an interim explanation
theory
a set of related statements used to explain and predict phenomena
theory
integrate diverse data, explain behavior, and predict new instances of behavior
Theories
is critical to the scientific method
Good thinking
We engage in good thinking when data collection and interpretation are _, _ and _
systematic, objective, and rational
The principle of _ is that we prefer the simplest helpful explanation.
principle of parsimony
Sir _ proposed that science advances by revising theories based on the “weight of evidence.”
Karl Popper
Sir Karl Popper proposed that science advances by revising theories based on the “weight of _”
weight of evidence
Science is _ as scientific explanations and theories are challenged, revised, or replaced.
self-correcting
principle of _ allows us to disprove statements using a single, contrary observation
principle of modus tollens
We can never prove a statement because a contradictory _ might be found later.
contradictory observation
an exact or systematic repetition of a study
Replication
increases our confidence in experimental results by adding to the weight of supporting evidence
Replication
DISCRIPTION
PREDICTION
EXPLANATION
CONTROL
4 objectives of psychological science
a systematic and unbiased account of observed characteristics of behaviors “WHAT”
Description
the capability of knowing in advance when certain behaviors should occur “ANTICIPATE”
Prediction
knowledge of the conditions that reliably produce a behavior “WHY”
Explanation
the use of scientific knowledge to influence behavior “CHANGE/MODIFY”
Control
addresses real-world problems like how to improve student graduation rates
Applied research
tests theories and explains psychological phenomena like helping behavior
Basic research
OBSERVATION
MEASUREMENT
EXPERIMENTATION
3 TOOLS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE
It is the systematic noting and recording of events.
OBSERVATION
means that the procedures are consistently applied
SYSTEMATIC (OBSERVATION)
It must be objective so that there can be strong agreement among raters.
OBSERVATION
Assigns numbers to objects, events, or their characteristics.
MEASUREMENT
This is an inherent feature of quantitative research.
MEASUREMENT
It is the process we use to test the predictions we call hypotheses and establish cause-and- effect relationships.
EXPERIMENTATION
It is not always possible because our predictions must be testable.
EXPERIMENTATION
1 We must be able to manipulate the independent variable and measure its effect on the dependent variable.
2 An experiment requires creating at least two treatment conditions and randomly assigning subjects to these conditions.
3 In psychology experiments, we control extraneous variables so that we can measure “what we intend to measure
requirements for an experiment
We must be able to manipulate the IV and measure its effect on the DV.
requirements for an experiment
An experiment requires creating at least two treatment conditions and randomly assigning subjects to these conditions.
requirements for an experiment
In psychology experiments, we control extraneous variables so that we can measure “what we intend to measure.”
requirements for an experiment
We must be able to manipulate the _ and measure its effect on the _.
manipulate IV and effect on the DV
An experiment requires creating at least _ treatment conditions and randomly assigning subjects to these conditions.
TWO
In psychology experiments, we control _ VARIABLES so that we can measure “what we intend to measure.”
extraneous variables
An experiment attempts to establish a _ relationship between the antecedent conditions (IV) and subject behavior (DV).
cause-and-effect relationship
antecedent conditions
independent variable
subject behavior
dependent variable
An experiment must satisfy _ requirements: we must have procedures for manipulating the setting, and we must be able to observe the predicted outcome. After administering the treatments, we measure and compare subject performance across conditions to test the experimental hypothesis.
two requirement
An experiment must satisfy two requirements: we must have _ for manipulating the setting, and we must be able to observe the predicted outcome. After administering the treatments, we measure and compare subject performance across conditions to test the experimental hypothesis.
procedure for manipulating the setting
An experiment must satisfy two requirements: we must have procedures for manipulating the setting, and we must be able to _ the predicted outcome. After administering the treatments, we measure and compare subject performance across conditions to test the experimental hypothesis.
observe the predicted outcome
In an experiment after administering the treatments, we measure and compare subject performance across conditions to test the experimental _.
experimental hypothesis
WHAT IS MANIPULATED?
independent variable
EFFECT OR RESULT
dependent variable
any field of study that appears scientific but has no true scientific basis and has not been confirmed using the scientific method.
Pseudoscience
is still very much. alive today and all of which claim to be able to assess your personality.
Modern pseudoscientific psychology
astrology, palmistry, fortune telling, and numerology
Modern pseudoscientific psychology
