Topic 1 Flashcards
Describe what Rules are
Principles of good design setting up for data collection
Describe what Tools are
Summarising and describing collected data
Describe what Theory is
Math behind tools and rules
Under what framework was psychology initially studied and why.
- Philosophy
- Because it was about ‘questions of the mind’, which in that time was associated with the soul therefore deeming it a nonscientific area of study
What two psychologists advocated for Psych to be studied as a scientific topic?
Wilhelm Wundt
William James
Describe the theory of structuralism and who theorised this
- Wilhelm Wundt
2. That mental events can be broken down into their components
What are the four Goals of Science?
- Description (what happened)
- Explanation (why it happened)
- Prediction (what will happen next)
- Control (how to make it happen)
Describe the four goals of science from a psychological perspective
- Description - describing behaviour and the conditions under which it occurred
- Explanation - finding out the causes of behaviour
- Prediction - the ability to predict will only be as good as our ability to EXPLAIN
- Control - if EXPLANATION correct, then manipulating the causes will show changes in behaviour
Finish the sentence:
The ability to predict will only be as good as
Our ability to EXPLAIN
What does understanding require?
Obtaining more knowledge
Describe the four approaches to Understanding
- Authority Approach
- Analogy Approach
- Rule Approach
- Empirical Approach
Describe the Authority approach, its advantage and disadvantage
Obtaining knowledge from sources seen as reliable and valid
A = allows us to assimilate existing knowledge D = requires critical evaluation
e.g. seeing the mechanic and asking which car model is better
Describe the Analogy approach and its disadvantage
Making an analogy between a new event and a familiar understandable event
D = open to various interpretations as is a personal perspective
e.g. you’ve had the old model, drawing conclusions about the new version based on this
Describe the Rule approach, its advantage and disadvantage
Establishing laws/rules covering observations
A = saves time and effort D = can minimise advancement of understanding
e.g. Friday night means the cafe will be busy therefore you don’t go down to check
Describe the Empirical approach
Testing ideas against actual events by observing behaviour and drawing conclusions