Science Inquiry Flashcards
What are the origins of psychology
physiology and philosophy
Explain Rene Descartes’s dualism
mind and body are independent
mind is an independent object of study
I think therefore I am
explain John Locke’s empiricism
all experiences are gained through senses
human being inherit neither knowledge nor instinct
basis for behaviorism
Explain Charles Darwin’s evolutionary theory
humans and animals have evolved over generations
survival of the fittest
basis for biological approach
What is thought to be the beginning of modern psychology
Wilhelm Wundt opened the Institute for experimental psychology at the university of Leipzig in Germany. first lab dedicated to psychology
Definition of behavior
any observable action made by a living person or animal
definition of mind
the experiences or mental processes that occur within an individual which cannot be directly observed.
Why is psychology difficult to study
- everyone already knows some psychology. We make generalizations because of our place within society. we need to let go of what we think we know in order to learn psychology formally
- the processes that underlie human behavior cannot be directly seen or measured. we cannot see in the mind; we can only infer what is happening in the mind of those we observe.
what is the biopsychosocial model
psychology uses this approach to frame an understanding of behavior- behavior is analyzed and described in terms of biological, psychological and sociocultural factors
Name some factors in the social part of the model
socioeconomic status
family background
education
social support
Name some factors in the psychological part of the model
attitudes
beliefs
self- esteem
emotions
coping and social skills
personality
behaviour
Name some factors in the biological part of the model
gender
physical health
genetic vulnerability
immune function
neurochemistry
disability
Name some factors in the biological social part of the model
substance abuse
Name some factors in the biological psychological part of the model
IQ
Name some factors in the social psychological part of the model
family relationships
trauma
when and who created the biopsychosocial model
George Engel, 1977
what are the steps of creating a psychological science investigation.
- identify the research topic
- form a hypothesis
- select the research method and design the study.
- collect the data
- analyze the data
- draw conclusions
- report on findings
what is a variable
a variable is anything that can change its characteristics over time. In psychological research they are factors that are measurable, observable, or can be controlled or manipulated in some way
what is an independent variable
the item that is changed or manipulated intentionally to measure its effect on the dependent variable.
what is the dependent variable
the item that is measured or observed to document changed based on the independent variable.
what is an operational definition
a short statement that describes exactly how we will measure or quantify our variable. e.g weight– kilograms
temperature— degrees Celsius
what is an extraneous variable
other things that may change and affect the result in an unwanted way e.g. experimenter variables, situational or environmental variable.
what is a confounding variable
an unmeasured third variable that influences both the supposed cause and the supposed effect.
Coffee drinkers may smoke more cigarettes than non-coffee drinkers, so smoking is a confounding variable in the study of the association between coffee drinking and heart disease. The increase in heart disease may be due to the smoking and not the coffee.
what is reliability
is defined as a measure’s stability or consistency over time. is the extent to which the measurement obtained is affected by error
what is validity
how accurately a method measures what it is intended to measure. If research has high validity, that means it produces results that correspond to real properties, characteristics, and variations in the physical or social world.
What are some data collection methods
direct observation
surveys
interviews
psychological tests
psychological recordings
examinations of historical records
what is direct observation
the participants behaviors are watched and recorded as objectively and precisely as possible. instruments such as a stopwatch or video recorder may be used.
what are surveys
participants are given a series of written questions designed to obtain information about their attitude’s opinions and or specific aspects of their behavior.
what are interviews
a face-to-face conversation is conducted to obtain information about specific aspects of participants attitudes opinions and behavior.
what are psychological tests
participants are administered a standardized test to obtain a sample of their behavior. tests are generally used to assess mental ability or personality traits e.g. IQ test.
what are psychological; recordings
an instrument is used to monitor and record a specific physiological process in a participant. e.g. measures of blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension and brain activity.
what is examination of historical records
the psychologist analyses existing institutional records (archives) such as census, economic, medical, legal, education, and business records.
what are the two types of data
quantitative data and qualitative data
what is quantitative data
data that is numerical, it can be put in categories (high or low), order (largest to smallest) or measured. this type of data increases the objectivity of a study.
what is qualitative data
data that is non-numerical. feelings, characteristics. usually considered less reliable but gives a more in-depth description of the situation.
what is census
data is collected from every member of the population
what is a sample
data is collected from some members of the population- a subgroup of participants
what is a biased sample
a sample that does not accurately represent the population
what is a representative sample
a sample that accurately reflects the important characteristics of the population.
what random sampling
each member of the population has an equal chance of being selected in the sample.
what are the three types of psychological research methods
experimental designs.
quantitative, observational designs,
qualitative designs
what are the characteristics of experiments
- participants should be allocated to the experimental conditions (the experimental group) and control group randomly
- an independent variable is manipulated by the researcher to produce a change in a dependent variable.
- all other variables which might influence the dependent variable are held constant of eliminated.
what are the characteristics of experimental designs
researcher decides on the variable being tested and deliberately varies it to see the effect it has on the dependent variable. participants are usually placed in groups with one group being placed under normal conditions as the control group
other variables are controlled as much as possible to ensure confidence in the results of the experiment.
what are the advantages and disadvantages of experimental research
advantages: one or more variables can be manipulated, and control of others means the researcher can infer causation. studies can be replicated.
disadvantages: the experiment may raise ethical concerns. findings may not be applicable to real life situations.
what are the characteristics of quantitative observational designs
researcher measures the effect of the independent variable by observing natural occurring behavior rather than deliberate manipulating of the variable. used predominately for practical and ethical reasons. situations are found in which people already differ in the desired variable and the behaviors are then observed or measured in some way.
what are advantages and disadvantages of quantitative observational research
advantages: it is possible to study variables that would be unethical impractical or impossible to manipulate.
disadvantages: there is a lack of control over variables. no random assignment of participants, means it is not possible to infer cause and effect.
what are the characteristics of qualitative designs
the behaviour of the subject is not observed or measured directly. subjects are asked to discuss or describe their behavior, thoughts, or feelings in certain circumstances. large sets of data can be collected in a fairly short period of time then analyzed to answer the research question. common methods include focus groups and the Delphi technique (responses to open-ended questions are answered then responses are followed up by the further issues raised.
advantages and disadvantages of qualitative research
advantages: allows study of complex real work issues. open ended questions may lead to important information that otherwise may not be revealed.
disadvantages: data may be distorted by the bias of the participants and or the observer.
what is a case study
a research method that involves the collection of detailed information usually of a highly personal nature and an individual, family, or small group
how is case study data collected
interviews, direct observation, examination of past records, psychological testing.
what is the longitudinal method in case studies
the same group of participants is studied repeatedly over a long period of time.
what is the flow chart for choosing the best design for your research
is the data qualitative?
yes–qualitative design
no– can the IV be randomly allocated?
yes– experimental design
no–quantitative observational design.
What are ethics
are moral principles and standards that guide individuals to distinguish between right and wrong, or good and bad.
what are ethical codes
are standard of conduct or rules of behaviour adopted by various professionals.
What are the ethical guidelines in psychology
informed consent, voluntary participation, deception, debriefing, withdrawal, confidentiality, possible harm, professional conduct
what is informed consent
Participants should not take part in any psychological research unless they give informed consent in writing. Participants must be made aware of the aim of the research and all procedures involved.
what is possible harm
participants should not be harmed in either a physical or psychological way. it is the responsibility of the researcher to protect the rights of each individual. it must be ensured that the participants will suffer no lasting physical or psychological harm.
What is voluntary participation and withdrawal
all participants must participate in the research willingly and not be forced in any way. they should be made aware that they have the right to withdraw from the research at any point for any reason.
What is debriefing and deception
Participants should not be deceived over the nature of the research, or any procedures involved in the research. after the research, the psychologist conducting the research must be prepared to explain and discuss all the procedures and results with the participants. the research must allow for an explanation of the outcomes to participants after it has been completed.
what is confidentiality
results of the research should remain confidential, and the participants’ identities should not be revealed. the results must avoid invading the participant’s privacy.
What is proffesional conduct
the Australian psychological society has published a guideline for conducting research that must be adhered to at all times. this is to ensure that a psychologist conducts their research in a manner that is professional, ethically acceptable and does not bring the profession of psychology into disrepute.
What are the SHE concepts
communication and collaboration
development and application
influence
