Midterm 1 Lectures 1-6 Flashcards
Is psychology visceral?
Yes, we feel emotional, take in sensations, and produce behaviours such as thoughts and actions
What is psychology?
The study of behaviour, thought and experience, and how they can be affected by physical, mental, social and environmental factors
What are the goals of psychology?
- to understand how different brain strucutre work together to produce our behaviour
- to understand how nature (genetics) and nurture (our upbringing and environment) interact to make us who we are
- to understand how previous experiences influence how we think and act
- to understand how groups- family, culture and crowds- affect the individual
- to understand how feeling of control can influence our happiness and health
- to understand how each of these factors can influence our well-being and could contribute to psychological disorders
What is the scientific method?
A person who carefully follows a system of observing, predicting, and testing is conducting science whether the subject matter is chemicals, physiology, human memory, or social interactions
The scienfitic method is a way of thinking/accpeting the universe how do they apporach it?
In a systematic way (methods guess, test etc)
What is the scientific method approach?
way of learning about the world through collecting obbservations, devloping theories to explain them, and using theories to make predictions (make hypothesis and contstuct tho
Why is a hypothesis useful?
Is a TESTABLE prediction about processes that can be observed and measured
What does a hypothesis need?
- Can be supported or rejected
- TESTABLE
- It cannot be proven becasue a future experiment can show that it is wrong or limited in some way
- Support or rejection occurs after those test it
- To be tested it must be falsifiable
What does falsifiable mean?
The hypothesis is precise enough that it can be proven false
What is pseudoscience?
An idea that is presented as science but does not utilize basic principles of scientific thinking or procedure
What is a theory?
An explanation for a broad range of observations that also generates a new hypothesis and integrates numerous findings into a coherant whole
What is a narrative that connects observations?
Theories
What are some common misconceptions of scientific theories?
- Theories are not the same as opinions or beliefs
A theory can help scientists develop testable hypotheses, opinions do not need to be testable or even logical
What is a characteristic of a good theory?
Can explain previous research and can lead to even more testable hypotheses
The quality of a theory is…
Not related to the number of people who beleive it to be true
What levels can occur with behaviour?
The activity of cells in different parts of the brain, thought processes such as language and memory, sociocultural processes that shape daily life for millions of people
What is the biopsychosical model?
means of explaining behaviour as a product of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors
What are examples of biological, psychological, and social factors in the biopsychosocial model?
Biological:
- Brain structures and chemicals
- Hormones
- External substances (drugs)
Psychological:
- Memories
- Emotions
- Personalities
- How the previous factors shape the way we think about and respond to different people and situations
Social:
- Family
- Peers
- Ethnicity
What is scientific literacy?
the ability to understand, analyze and apply scientific info
What does being scientific literate mean?
Means that you will be able to read and interpret new terminology, or know where to go to find out more
What makes one not scientifically literate?
Memorizing terms as you dont know where to go from there or how to apply
Why is generalization important?
Shows us that the studies conducted in universities and hospitals can provide insight into behaviours that extend far beyond the confines of the lab
What is critical thinking?
Involves excercising curiosity and skepticism when evaluating claims of others, and with our own assumptions and beliefs (critical to think and evaluate)
What does critical thinking mean?
Not being negative or critical, but means you intentionally examine knowledge, beliefs and the means by which conclusions were obtained