Unit 1 Flashcards
Vocab and other
What is the primary focus of basic research?
To find out how and why people behave as they do
Basic research aims to enhance understanding of human behavior rather than directly addressing practical problems.
What do researchers in basic research compare?
Effectiveness of different treatments
This comparison helps in understanding the underlying mechanisms of behavior.
Who typically conducts basic research?
Institutional researchers
These researchers often work in academic or institutional settings.
What is the primary focus of Applied Psychology?
Use the knowledge gained from research to help people function more effectively or in healthier manner
Applied psychology emphasizes practical applications of psychological principles.
What areas do Clinical Psychologists specialize in?
Child mental health, adult mental health, learning disabilities, geriatrics, and General Health
Clinical psychologists address a wide range of psychological issues across different age groups.
What psychological problems do Clinical Psychologists help with?
Anxiety, depression, and psychological disorders such as schizophrenia
They provide therapeutic interventions for various mental health issues.
Where do Clinical Psychologists typically work?
Hospitals, university clinics, and private practices
These environments allow clinical psychologists to provide assessments and therapy.
True or False: Clinical Psychologists can work with psychiatrists.
True
Collaboration between clinical psychologists and psychiatrists can enhance patient care.
What is the primary role of Counseling Psychology?
Help people deal with personal adjustment issues
Counseling psychologists work in various settings including businesses, colleges, and testing centers.
In what settings do Counseling Psychologists typically work?
Businesses, colleges, and testing centers
Their work is similar to that of clinical psychologists.
What is the main focus of School Psychology?
Identify and help students with problems that interfere with their learning
They also address peer group, family issues, and learning disorders.
Where do School Psychologists primarily work?
School districts
They focus on students’ educational and psychological needs.
What is the focus of Educational Psychology?
Help students learn through course planning and instructional methods
They may also design standardized tests and evaluate test items.
Which organizations do Educational Psychologists work for?
State educational organizations and school districts
Their research centers on psychological factors affecting learning.
What psychological factors do Educational Psychologists research regarding learning?
Motivation, emotions, creativity, intelligence, cultural factors, instructional methods
These factors influence how learning occurs in the classroom.
True or False: Counseling Psychology and Clinical Psychology have very different practice strategies.
False
They are very similar in practice strategies.
What does Developmental Psychology specialize in?
Adolescents and changes throughout a person’s life span
Changes include physical, emotional, cognitive, and social aspects.
What are the main focuses of Developmental Psychology?
Sort the influences of heredity and environment on development
They study changes throughout the entire life span.
Where do Developmental Psychologists typically work?
Colleges, universities, and hospitals
Their work often involves studying various life stages.
What is the primary focus of Personality Psychology?
Identify human characteristics or traits
This helps in understanding individual differences.
What aspects do Personality Psychologists study?
Shyness, friendliness, anxiety, aggression, gender roles
They focus on how various parts of a person come together as a whole.
Where do Personality Psychologists usually work?
Universities, colleges, human resources, and corporations
Their work often involves understanding individual differences.
What is the main focus of Social Psychology?
Understanding behavior in social situations
It examines the impact of external factors on social behavior.
What topics do Social Psychologists study?
Conformity, group behavior, attraction, prejudice, discrimination, hostile and humane situations
They investigate how social contexts influence behavior.
Where do Social Psychologists typically work?
Colleges and universities
Their research often informs social policies.
What is the purpose of Experimental Psychology?
To prove or disprove a hypothesis through experimentation
This involves studying a wide range of behavioral topics.
What is the focus of experimental psychology?
A wide range of behavioral topics among humans and animals, including sensation, perception, attention, memory, cognition, and emotion.
Where do experimental psychologists typically work?
Colleges, universities, government agencies, research centers, and non-profits.
True or False: Only specialized psychologists can conduct experimental research.
False
Fill in the blank: Experimental psychology studies include _______ and emotion.
cognition
What is often done with the research conducted in experimental psychology?
It is often later applied by other psychologists.
List three topics studied in experimental psychology.
- Sensation
- Perception
- Memory
What is a theory?
An explanation for a phenomenon based on careful and precise observations.
Theories are often supported by a body of evidence and can be tested through research.
What is a hypothesis?
A predication about future behaviors that is based on observation/theories.
Hypotheses are typically formulated before research is conducted and can be tested through experimentation.
What is reliability in the context of research?
The degree to which a scale produces consistent results when repeated measurements are made.
High reliability indicates that the results of a study can be trusted to be consistent across different trials.
What are the steps psychologists follow to conduct research?
- Form research question
- Form a hypothesis
- Test the hypothesis
- Analyze the results
- Draw conclusions
Research leads to new research questions and findings should replicate.
Define hypothesis.
An educated guess about future behaviors based on observation or theories.
Hypothesis is often formulated after the research question.
What does validity imply in research?
The extent to which the research instrument measures what it is intended to measure.
Define reliability in the context of research.
The degree to which a scale produces consistent results when repeated measurements are made.
Why are experiments used in research?
To answer questions about cause and effect.
What is an independent variable?
The factor that the researcher manipulates to determine its effect.
What is a dependent variable?
The factor that is being measured that may or may not change when the independent variable is changed.
What is the difference between the experimental group and the control group?
Experimental group receives the treatment; control group does not receive the treatment.
What is a placebo?
A substance or treatment that has no effect apart from a person’s belief in its effect.
Define the placebo effect.
A change in a participant’s illness or behavior that results from a belief that the treatment will have an effect rather than the actual treatment.
What are single-blinded studies?
Studies where participants do not know if they are in the experimental group or the control group.
Why are double-blinded studies used?
To diminish the effects of researcher bias concerning the effectiveness of the treatment.
What is the main difference between correlation studies and experimental studies?
Correlation studies look for associations among naturally occurring variables, while experimental studies introduce a change and monitor its effects.
What is a survey in research methods?
A method where people are asked to respond directly to a series of questions about a particular subject.
What is a random sample?
The selection of survey participants randomly from the target population.
Define stratified sample.
A sample that ensures every subgroup in the population is represented proportionately.
What is a case study?
An in-depth research method involving an intensive investigation of one or more subjects.
What are observational methods?
Methods that involve observing the behavior of people or animals in their natural habitats or in a controlled setting.
What is descriptive statistics?
The listing and summarizing of data into a practical, efficient way such as through graphs and averages.
What does central tendency describe?
Something about the ‘average’ score of a distribution.
What is inferential statistics?
Statistics that help researchers determine whether their data supports their hypothesis or if results are due to chance.
What is the moral and ethical responsibility of a researcher?
To weigh the potential benefits of a study against the fair and humane treatment of participants.
What are some areas of focus in ethical research?
- Harm Avoidance
- Fairness and Deception
- Confidentiality
- Animal Research
The American Psychological Association emphasizes participants’ welfare over societal gain.
