Topic 2 - Cognitive Psychology

Question 1

What are the classic and contemporary studies for Cognitive Psychology?

Answer 1

Classic: Baddeley (1966b)

Contemporary: Schmolck et al. (2002)

Question 2

Define ‘validity’.

Answer 2

The ‘reality’ of results and whether what is claimed to be measured has actually been measured

Question 3

Define ‘ecological validity’.

Answer 3

The extent the environment of the study reflects real-life/an everyday environment

Question 4

Define ‘task validity’.

Answer 4

The extent the materials used in the study are contrived/manufactured/artificial

Question 5

Define ‘internal validity’.

Answer 5

The extent to which the outcome of the study is the direct result of the manipulated independent variable

Question 6

Define ‘reliability’.

Answer 6

The consistency of the findings or results of a psychology research study

Question 7

Give 2 ways to increase the reliability of a study.

Answer 7

Test-retest - doing the same, empirical, objective, and replicable procedure to see if the results are the same

Inter-rater reliability - the extent to which two or more raters (or observers) agree

Question 8

Define the “nomothetic” and “idiographic” approaches. (4 points)

Answer 8

Nomothetic:
- Based on the study of large groups of people
- Use of statistical (quantitative) techniques to analyse data

Idiographic:
- Focus on the individual
- Emphasise the unique personal experience of human nature