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Intro to Psych > Intro+ Methods > Flashcards

Intro+ Methods Flashcards

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1
Q

define psychology

A

study of mind [bridge between brain and world]

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2
Q

two kinds of psychology

A

experimental, clinical

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3
Q

experimental psychology (+ subtypes of experimental)

A 
figuring out how it works/learning about the norm
Cognitive
Developmental
Personality
Social psychology
Abnormal psychology
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4
Q

Cognitive psych

A

direct study of relationship between brain and world

Look for the recipes that translate between brain, mind and world

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5
Q

developmental psych

A

what changes between infancy and adulthood

How do our genes and experiences interact to produce adults

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6
Q

Personality

A

Interested in the differences between people–most psychologists are interested in how people are the same but these interested by differences

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7
Q

Social psychology

A

wider social society and how it impacts what we think and do

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8
Q

Abnormal psychology

A

interested in deviations and using it to answer questions about the mind rather than treating it

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9
Q

Clinical psychology

A

deviations from the norm/figuring out how to treat deviations

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10
Q

5 foundations of psychological science

A 
Evolution
Materialism
Idealism
Modularity
Empiricism
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11
Q

1st foundation: evolution

A

genes make brains

Result of natural selection; 4.6mil years (small) between humans and chimps; brains similar to primates in a lot of ways

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12
Q

2nd foundation: materialism

A

brains make minds

Every feeling, experience is from brain

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13
Q

3rd foundation: idealism (+ why does it matter?)

A

minds make reality
Ideas create ways in which we see world
We view world as impinging on us–we experience something thats already there but it’s created by our mind–we see black bc our brain sees black
This matters bc sometimes our brains and the world don’t match up–visual illusions etc

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14
Q

4th foundation: modularity

A

the mind is collection of parts

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15
Q

module

A

diff parts of mind

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16
Q

5th foundation: empiricism

A

believe only what you can count–the scientific method (tools to figure out world)

Not anecdotes, intuitions–not good basis for building theories about the world
Some intuitions are right, some are not

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17
Q

Methods of “knowing things”

A

dogmatikos=belief

empirikos=experience

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18
Q

Empiricists:

A

belief that accurate knowledge of the world requires observation

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19
Q

history of knowledge methods

A

Greeks preferred empiricists, but fall of Rome killed their legacy
For much of European history dogmatism ruled
Until the renaissance

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20
Q

Method

A

set of rules and techniques for observation that allows us to avoid illusions/mistakes/etc that observation produces

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21
Q

Problems for psychological science

A

Sometimes just looking at the world doesn’t give us enough info (e.g. geocentric theory)
So this is hard with psychology bc our perspective is not necessarily reliable
Complexity
Variability
Reactivity

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22
Q

variability problem

A

we’re all super different

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23
Q

reactivity problem

A

–humans react to things around them so ppl might react in non standard ways to attempts to understand them/we change our behavior when we’re being watched

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24
Q

Abstract concept

A

unmeasurable concept u try to measure (ex: aggression)

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25
Q

how to measure abstract concept

A

Come up with operational definition for the concept

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26
Q

operational definition

A

observable conditions that define the concept that MAKE SENSE TO USE (construct validity) (Scientific conclusions depend on how property was OD and measured)

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27
Q

Construct validity–

A

tendency for clear conceptual relation to exist btwn abstract property and operational definition (facial expression for aggression makes sense; clothing doesnt)

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28
Q

Convergent validity–

A

Operational Definition’s ability to predict other things that it should be able to
Tendency for operational definitions to be related to other ODs
So we check if two ODs give same results (again, Decisions researcher makes has effect on results of the study)

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29
Q

Reliability:

A

tendency for measure to produce same result when it is used to measure same thing

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30
Q

Discriminant validity:

A

Also want to make sure converse is true: different results for different things

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31
Q

Good definition has what qualities

A

has construct and convergent validity

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32
Q

good measure has what qualities

A

Good measure has reliability and discriminant validity

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33
Q

theory

A

hypothetical account of how and why phenomenon occurs (eg e=mc^2)
No direct way to test theory
Use it for hypothesis

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34
Q

Hypothesis

A

testable prediction made by a theory

35
Q

Population–

A

complete collection of people whose properties we want to k

36
Q

Sample–

A

people whose properties we act measure

37
Q

weird problem-

A

most samples are western educated industrial rich democratic

prob not accurate picture of populations that include outside of these groups

38
Q

Bell curve/normal distribution–

A

individuals vary considerably around the mean
normal distribution–tend to get results near the mean but if u draw from ND its unlikely to get someone super diff from avg or u were wrong about distribution
distributions are capable of overlapping a lot (and if so people in groups will prob not be that different)

39
Q

what are statistical conclusions based on

A

a) mean differences b)estimates of variability (analysis of variance)

40
Q

bias

A

Bias–any factor distorting measurement

observer or subject

41
Q

Subject bias–

A

research subject might be motivated by something else, like helping or hurting experimenter
We want to know how someone actually behaves when no one is observing

42
Q

Avoid subject bias by:

A

Ensuring anonymity
Measure involuntary or nonobv behavior (a tell when someones lying)
Keep subject blind to hypothesis

43
Q

observer bias

A

(unconscious) push on part of observer to have results come out a certain way–> has impact on results

44
Q

avoid observer bias by:

A

Double blind technique–researcher delegates blind observer and code it so researchers will know but not observer

45
Q

complexity problem

A

human brain most complex thing in world

46
Q

strange loops

A

We can sit here and think about mind but im thinking about the mind thinking about the mind thinking about the mind…i am a strange loop we are studying what is doing the studying…

47
Q

Why is psychology so popular now?

A

Advances in technology

48
Q

Elements of observation

A

Measurement
Samples
Bias

49
Q

When is generality a good assumption?

A

If something is being presented as universal truth of human nature, u need to check sample and see if it’s accurate representation of population
Sometimes generality may be a good assumption based on circumstances
Generality can be investigated (compare rural chinese to american undergrad for example)
This is all around concept of variability
(ex: different education might mean bad assumption, same genes might mean good assumption)

50
Q

two parts of a claim

A

observation and explanation

51
Q

elements of explanation

A

correlation and causation

52
Q

Correlation

A

two variables are correlated when variation in the value of one is synchronized with variation in the variable of the other
Correlation enables prediction
correlation is evidence in the direction of causation but it’s not concrete proof for causation

53
Q

variable

A

properties that can change

54
Q

line of best fit

A

Use r=correlation–line of best fit

Correlation can be anywhere from -1 to 1

55
Q

perfect correlation line of best fit

A

r=1 is perfect correlation
(looks like y=x)
(perfect=variables perfectly predict each other)
r=-1 negative perfect correlation
(looks like y=-x)
perfect correlations dont rlly exist irl–we’ll see positive slope but it’s not perfect

56
Q

no correlation line of best fit

A

Correlation of flat line is =0, no correlation

57
Q

3 ways we might think correlation equals causation when it doesn’t:

A

1) reversed causation (firefighters –> size of fire)
2) Confounding variable
3) unrelated

58
Q

Does correlation establish causation? Does causation establish correlation?

A

Correlation DOES NOT establish causation.

Causation does establish correlation.

59
Q

Goal of research experiments

A

a) establish internal validity which allows us to b) establish causation

60
Q

holding constant

A

making the proposed third variable the same in all tests to check for notwithstanding causation

61
Q

Third variable problem

A

means that correlation can never completely establish causation because there might always be a third (confounding) variable we are unaware of

62
Q

how to experiment in spite of third variable problem

A

Experiment: technique for establishing causal relationships btwn variables
Manipulate one variable and see effect on other variables
If it changes it implies causation
Look for change in a way that gets around the third variable

63
Q

confounding variable

A

third variable/some other thing causing relationship to exist (3rd variable problem)

64
Q

Key ingredients of experiment:

A

manipulation
control
measurement
- Effectively manipulate IV
- Randomly assign subjects to groups that manipulation created
- Measure DV w valid, powerful reliable device while avoiding bias

65
Q

Random assignment

A

assigning members to each sample group randomly so as to avoid skewed results

66
Q

How does random assignment help experiment?

A

Little things that could be third variable will most likely get mixed up in both groups–w/ sufficiently large sample avg composition of both groups will be equivalent along all confounding variables!!

67
Q

Tools for control:

A

Holding constant

Random assignment

68
Q

independent variable

A

variable you change

69
Q

dependent variable

A

variable you measure

70
Q

Internal validity

A

characteristic of experiment that allows one to draw accurate inferences about causal relationships between independent and dependent variable

71
Q

Replication crisis

A

realization over the history of psych (and other sciences) not everyone was running perfectly designed experiments leading to errors
Researchers take famous study and try to rerun and they find different results
So experiments are not replicating

72
Q

most common error–replication crisis

A

Most common error here is false positives

73
Q

Goal of replication/proving causation

A

if there is real effect→ conclude real effect

If there is not→ conclude not

74
Q

Type I error

A

False positive–Type I error: testing effect that doesnt exist but by chance you find a result that seems like it exists
If there is not real effect→ conclude there is

75
Q

Type II error

A

False negative–Type II error: testing effect that does exist but by chance you find a result that seems like it doesn’t exist
there is real effect→ conclude not real effect

76
Q

Confirmatory testing

A

when u have a hypothesis and you test it and the answer confirms OG hypothesis

77
Q

Exploratory testing

A

You don’t have clear hypotheses so you do a bunch of tests to see if u find something
It can lead to real things but u can’t draw strong conclusions for something u weren’t directly testing; likely that one result will happen by chance

78
Q

Solving replication crisis

A

Solving replication crisis:
Distinguish exploratory from confirmatory
Preregister central tests prior to data collection
Replicate promising results (a lot) from exploratory analysis w preregistered followup

79
Q

why do we preregister central tests prior to data collection

A

Proves confirmatory bc u intended to from beginning

If u do different experiment than preregister ppl will know

80
Q

How did humans become the dominant species?

A

50k years ago Started in savannahs of Eastern africa, moved to middle East + Europe and wiped out competing species in few thousands years
Then spread to asia, pacific rim, americas, in tens of thousands of years
Little to no other organisms in places like south pole and space–we mastered globe and beyond
We’ve taken over animals, domestication

81
Q

Humanity doesn’t have special abilities–venom, flying, etc–why are we dominant?

A

Human brain is special ability!

82
Q

Human brain components as special ability

basic info

A

100 billion neuron cells
each have 1k synapses connected to 1 each=100 trillion connections
We are only animals to use tools, improve on them and pass them on
Complex language system
Math
Teaching (other species imitate, but this is explicit)
Engage in arts
Brain uses 20% of bodily resources
2-3lbs

83
Q

Brain doesn’t directly influence world like special abilities usually do! How does brain count as special ability?

A

What mediates between brain and environment? how brain influences world? through the mind! Central problem in psychology!

Mind--allows brain interact w world
Mind similar to computer
Mental algorithm
Cognitive processes
Mind is software
Brain is hardware
84
Q

Demand characteristics

A

those aspects of observational setting that cause ppl to behave as they think observer wants/expects them to

Intro to Psych (10 decks)

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