Midterm 1 Psyc 277 Flashcards
Illusory correlation
A cognitive bus that occurs when we focus on two events that stand out and occur together then make a conclusion after that.
Ex: conclusion that when you’re not looking for bf you get a bf
Authority
We place our trust in someone who we think knows more than we do.
Ex: we always believe what doctors or profs say
Scientific skepticism
Recognizing that our own ideas are just as likely to be as wrong as someone else’s and questioning other people’s opinions on what is true, regardless of their prestige or authority.
Empiricism
Fundamental characteristic of the scientific method. Knowledge is based on structured systematic observations
What are the 4 norms that characterize scientific inquiry
1- universalism
2- communality - methods and results are to be shared openly so study can be replicated. Meta-analysis studies that combine results from many studies
3-disinterestedness - see if other theories or experiments prove their hypothesis wrong
4- organized skepticism - peer review
Falsifiable
If an idea is falsifiable it can either be supported or refuted using empirical data. And you can conduct studies to test it.
Pseudoscience
Using scientific terms to make a claim look compelling but without using actual scientific data
4 goals of scientific research in psychology:
- To describe behaviour
- To predict behaviour
- To determine causes of behaviour
- To understand or explain behaviour
Describing behaviour
Involves careful observation and measurement
Predicting behaviour
Predictions based on observation from prior behaviour or studies.
Determining causes of behaviour
Making causal claims.
Criteria for causal claims (cause and effect) (determining causes of behaviour):
- Covariation of cause and effect: when the cause is present the effect occurs, when it’s not the effect doesn’t occur
- Temporal precedence: cause precedes effect
- Elimination of alternative explanations: nothing other than the causal variable could be responsible for the observed effect.
•There shouldn’t be alternative explanations for
the relationship
Explaining behaviour
Why events and behaviour occur.
Why there may be a correlation between variables.
Basic research
Attempts to answer fundamental questions about the nature of behaviour.
Studies often designed to develop and test aspects of theories about certain phenomena such as cognition, emotion, motivation, learning, personality, psychobiology and social behaviour.
Applied research
Conducted to address practical problems and possible solutions.
Some offer insight into problems or solutions
Some offer specific tools to address those problems in specific settings
Major area of applied research is Program Evaluation:- Which tests their efficacy of social reforms and innovations that occur in governments, education, criminal justice systems, industry, health care institutions.
- used to determine how effective these programs are.
How are applied research and basic research integrated?
Finishing a obtained in applied research often suggest modifications of existing theories and so lead to more basic research.
How are common assumptions important?
Testing common assumptions by using scientific research can lead to valuable findings.
How is the “Observation of the world around us” a source of research ideas?
Observation of personal and social events can lead is to develop intuitions about the world. We can then push these intuitions to file research.
Practical Problems
The purpose of applied research is to address practical problems directly.
Ex: how do we get people to stop smoking? -> development of graphic warming labels on cigarette boxes by applied research seemed to decrease smoking.
Theory
A system of logical ideas that are used to explain a particular phenomenon and it’s relationship to other phenomena.
- theories organize and explain a variety of specific facts or descriptions of behaviour. It also helps explain actual data from prior research
- theories generate new knowledge by focusing our thinking so that we notice new aspects of behaviour. Therefore they bring upon new hypotheses that can be tested to further support or reject the theory or modify theory.
If multiple theories are equally successful at explaining the same phenomenon, how do we determine which one is the best one?
the scientific principle of Parsimony: dictates the least complex theory is most desirable, because it’s easiest to falsify.
The theory with the least variables is best.
How can past research be one of the best ways of generating new ideas for research?
- you can find inconsistencies in the results of past research, which may lead you to conduct ur own research.
- you may propose a new theory that can also explain their existing results
What are the 6 major sections of a research article?
- abstract
- introduction
- methods
- results
- discussion
- references
Abstract
Summary of the research report.
120 word or more.
Includes hypothesis, info about procedure, and info about results