Psych Test Flashcards
The scientific method
- Describe
- Explain
- Predict
- Control or influence
Assumptions
- events are lawful
- assuming that events follow
- events are explainable
Empirical Evidence
objective observation, measurement, and experimentation
Step in scientific method
- perceive question
- formulate specific question that can be tested (hypothesis, testable prediction)
- design a study to collect relevant data/ test your hypothesis
- analyze the data to arrive at conclusions statistics
- report the finding
Theory
- an explanation of how facts fit together a framework
- it is tentative
- proposition that is subject to modification or rejection
Sample
a group of individuals representatives of a larger population
Representativeness
degree to which a sample actually possesses the characteristics of the larger population it represents
Random Selection
process in which subjects are selected randomly from a larger group such that every group member has an equal chance of being included in the study
Observation
- naturalistic observation
- structured observation
- surveys
- case studies
- archival research
Naturalistic Observation
- observe subjects in natural setting
- observation without intervention
advantages: real world settings
limitations: cannot control environment to ensure that behavior of interest occurs during observation, risk of observer bias
Observer Bias
tendency of researchers to interpret on going evens to fit their hypothesis
Participant Reactivity
tendency to study participants to somehow change their natural behavior because they know they are being observed
Structured Observation
- observation with intervention
- researcher sets up situations that may cause the target behavior to occur
advantages: more control than with naturalistic observation
limitations: participants may not react in same ways in labs that they do in real life, risk of observer bias
Surveys
- interviews and questionnaires
- self reports
advantages: can get a lot of data quickly, and larger sample of people
limitations: may not provide accurate responses and may not be truthful
Case Studies
- collect information about one person or group
- may use various measures
advantages: more in-depth, intensive investigation, doesn’t require a ton of people
limitations: results not generalized
Correlation Research
- examines relationships between variables
- correlation does not prove causation
- no manipulation of variables
Positive Correlation
Values the change of variables in the same direction, both increase or decrease together
Negative Correlation
values variable change in opposite direction, one increases while the other decreases
Correlation Coefficient
- a statistic
- direction and strength of the relationship between two variables
- represented as R
- +
positive correlation
- -
negative correlation
cross sectional research (assessment of developmental changes)
comparison of different aged groups at one point in time, COHORT: age group
longitudinal research
comparison of same participants at different points in time
advantages: more direct test of development
limitation: can be hard to keep participants in study overtime, which can affect results
Imperfect Memories
misinformation effect: a memory distortion phenomenon in which misleading post event information can cause a person to misremember
Elizabeth Loftus
renowned memory researcher
3 processes of memory
encoding
storage
retrieval
Encoding
transforming data so that it can be understood, visual imagery, self reference effect
Storage
retaining data for a later time
Retrieval
recovering stored data so er are consciously aware of it
Information processing model
- sensory memory
- short-term memory
- long-term memory
sensory memory
environmental data is registered
short term memory
active, temporarily holds data that you are currently thinking about or consciously aware of
15-30 secs, chucking
long term memory
long term storage of data, elaborative rehearsal
who studied sensory memory
George sperling
visual sensory memory
1/4 - 1/2 of a second
auditory sensory memory
3-4 seconds
maintenance Rehearsal
repeat information to maintain it beyond 30 seconds
chunking
group related items together increase capacity
elaborative rehearsal
helps transfer information into ltm
Explicit Memory
memory with awareness (declarative memory)
implicit memory
memory with awareness (non-declarative memory)
procedural memory
memory of hour to preform different skills operations, and actions
episodic memory
memory of specific events or episodes in your life
semantic memory
memory of general knowledge (facts)
retrieval
accessing information in ltm
retrieval cue
cue, prompt, or hint that helps trigger recall of stored memory
retrieval cue failure
missing retrieval cues, unable to recall
context effect
remember better when same setting for retrieval and first learning information
mood congruence
mood tends to evoke memories consistent with that mood
Serial Position Effect
more likely to remember first and lasts on a list
