Introduction and Research Methods Flashcards
Define contemporary psychology
Scientific study of
Define psychology
The scientific study of behavior and mental processes
What did Plato and Socrates believe?
They believed
- in the existence of “innate forms”
- we have inborn knowledge, we understand beauty, we are just naturally born with knowledge
What did Aristotle believe?
We learn things through experience
Who discovered the scientific method?
Newton in 1600s
Sir Francis Bacon believed what?
Knowledge is power
- he paid people to learn science
Descartes believed what?
I think, therefore I am.
What did John Locke believe?
Human nature allowed people to be selfish
“Tabula Rasa”
What is empiricism?
An idea by John Locke which states that the only source of knowledge comes through our senses (sight, sound etc.)
When was the birth year of psychology as a science?
1879
Who brought Wundt’s psychology to America?
G. Stanley Hall
How is the concept of “Nature vs Nurture” currently viewed?
They work together in shaping who we are
Summarize the scientific method
Observation
- observe something and ask a question
Hypothesis
- make an assumption about the cause and effect of the observation
Prediction
- predict the outcome if you were to enforce the cause
Experiment
- test out your hypothesis
Analysis
- was your prediction correct?
Repeat
- if not, try again
What is a theory?
A conceptual framework that explains existing observations and predicts new ones
To be scientific, theories and hypotheses must be ____________.
falsifiable
What is observer bias?
Consistent difference between the true state of universe and an observers perception.
- often unconscious and based upon assumptions.
What is confirmation bias?
People gather evidence that only supports their theory and they ignore/refuse evidence that refutes them.
Describe experiments
- conditions are carefully controlled to compare psychological variables (including behaviors, attitudes, conditions etc.)
Describe correlational studies
When relationships among psychological variables are established by observing (measuring) phenomena
- have less control than experiments, meaning cause and effect can’t be learnt from correlational studies
What is random sampling?
When participants are randomly selected from the population that you wish to generalize to
What is random assignment?
When everyone in the study has an equal change of being assigned to any group
What is an operational definition?
A definition of behavior or a quality in terms of the procedures used to measure or produce them
What are the 4 ways of collecting data?
Case study
Naturalistic observation
Surveys
Experiment
What does a case study do?
Offers great depth and rich data, but sample is small so generalization is limited.
