introduction Flashcards
What does the biological approach explain?
it explains behavior in terms of physical causes in our brains and bodies (genes)
What is the most likely biological sources for changes in behavior?
neurotransmitters such as serotonin which plays a major part in regulating our moods
What does the behaviorist approach explain?
that our behavior is influenced by experience (we learn behaviors)
What are the two different types of conditioning?
classical and operant
What is the cognitive approach?
that our behavior is effected by our feelings, beliefs, attitudes or expectations
What is a schema?
the basic building block of intelligent behavior (a way of organizing knowledge)
What is operational conditioning?
Learning that occurs through rewards and punishments for behavior
What is an example of operational conditioning?
B.F. Skinner- ‘skinners’ box
What are reinforcements in operational conditioning?
responses from the environment that increase the probability of a behavior
What is classic conditioning?
learning a new behavior through the process of association
What is a example of classic conditioning?
Van Pavlov’s experiment - dogs salivating when hearing a bell
What is a cognition?
the process by which knowledge is acquired
How do memories work?
encoding => storage => retrieval
What is the definition of independent variable?
the variable the experimenter manipulates which is assumed to have a effect on the dependent variable
What is the definition of dependent variable?
the variable which the experimenter measures
What is the definition of the extraneous variables?
all other variables which are not the independent variable which could effect the dependent variable
What is the definition of Quantitative data?
data gathered in numerical form which can be put into categories, ranked or measured
What is the definition of qualitative data?
data gathered which is not in the form of numbers
What are the advantages of qualitative data?
can suggest possible relationships, causes , effects and dynamic prosesses
What are the disadvantages of qualitative data?
large data sets are expensive and costly to collect , it is less easily replicated making less reliable, only a expert can interpret the answers
What are the advantages of quantitative data?
statistical analysis is allowed, can construct theories, less open to interpritation
What is a lab experiment?
A type of experiment which is conducted in a well controlled environment so as to get as accurate results as possible. Here a standardised procedure can be used and participants a randomly allocated to each independent variable group.
What are the strengths of Alan experiment?
It is easy to replicate, and there I presise control. I the unrepentant ad extanou variables slowing cause. And effect to be established
What are the weaknesses of lab experiments?
Many produce demand characteristics, low ecological validity
What is a example of a lab experiment?
Milgram’s experiment of obidience
What is a field experiment?
Experiments conducted in the everyday environment of the pparticapents, that still allows the experimenter to manipulate the independent variable
What are the strengths of field experiments?
High ecological validity, less probability of demand characteristics
What are the weaknesses of field experiments?
Less control over extraneous variables, harder to replicate
What is a example of a field experiment?
Holfing’s hospital study of obidience
What is are natural experiments ?
Experiments that are conducted in every day environments of the particapents and the experimenter does not have control over the independent variable as it naturally occurs
What are the strengths of natural experiments?
High ecological validity, less probability of demand characteristics, can be used in situations that it would be unethical change the independent variables
What are the weaknesses of natural experiments?
Expensive, time consuming, no control over extraneous variables, hard to replicate
What is a quasi experiment?
A experiment which uses naturally occurring independent variables such as age or gender and observe its effect on the dependent variable
What are the strengths of quasi experiments?
Useful when testing a unethical hypothesis, high ecological validity
What is a example of a natural experiment?
Hodge and Tizard’s attachment reasearch
What are the weaknesses of quasi experiments?
Less reliable, hard to repeat, no control over extraneous variables, time consuming, demand characteristics
What is naturalistic observation?
Studying the spontaneous behaviour of participants in natural surroundings
What are the strengths of natural observations?
High ecological validity, generate new hypothesis or explanations
What are the limitations of natural observations?
Lack of representation of the general population, less reliable due to the lack of control over extraneous variables, psychologists have to be trained to spot behaviour, cause and effect cannot be established
What is a controlled observation?
A observation of participants in a psychological laboratory, allowing all behaviour to be observed and categorised or measured
What are the strengths of controlled observation?
Easy to replicate, easy and quick to analyse data, quick and cheap
What are the weaknesses of controlled observations?
Low ecological validity, demand characteristics
What is an example of controlled observation?
Sleep labatories
