Unit 1/2 Revision Flashcards
Empirical evidence
Information acquired by observation and experimentation.
Forer Barnum Effect
The Forer Barnum Effect enables the various pseudo-sciences to remain popular with so many people. They tell people what they want to hear.
Electromagnetic energy
Light energy (electromagnetic energy) is converted by the rods and cones into electrochemical nerve impulses. Energy released into space by stars. Light energy.
Electrochemical energy
Light energy (electromagnetic energy) is converted by the rods and cones into electrochemical nerve impulses.
Quantitative data
Measurements (numerical information) about the variables being studied
Qualitative data
Descriptions of the characteristics of what is being studied.
Maturation
A predetermined biological sequence of behaviours which occur at certain ages.
Habituation
When a person (usually an infant) stops looking at a stimulus due to loss of interest.
Preferential looking
A technique used to determine if infants could distinguish one stimulus from another by the length of time they looked at it.
Attitude
A learnt, stable and relatively enduring elevation of a person, object, even or idea that can affect an individual’s behaviour.
Prejudice
An unfavourable attitude towards a group of people.
Racism
Prejudice and discrimination against people on the basis of their race.
Discrimination
Prejudice expressed through behaviour.
Cognitive dissonance
The theory that emphasises that a person will feel uncomfortable and try to maintain an internal consistency and agreement between his/her beliefs and behaviours by altering beliefs to match behaviours.
central route
The personal relevance to the topic for the audience: the more relevant the topic. The more likely it is that the central route will be taken. People who want to think about an issue will take the central route. To get people to take the central route, the message must catch and hold their attention. This is often done when their emotions are aroused.
Peripheral route
The ability to pay attention: people who are distracted will take the peripheral route.
Sample
The members of the population that have been chosen to take part in the research. E.g. 20 students
Population
The group of people about which we wish to draw conclusions. E.g. Adult drivers in Melbourne
Single blind experiment
Allocating participants to groups in such a way they do not know whether they are the E-group of the C-group.
Double blind experiment
In the experimental process the method of allocating participants to groups so that neither the experimenter nor the participants are aware of whether they are in the E-group or the C-group.
Flynn effect
The tendency for people’s IQ score to improve (by approximately 3 points per 10 years) from one generation to the next.
Cultural bias
There is cultural and linguistic bias – people that do not live or involve themselves in a particular culture may struggle to answer questions based on that society.
Linguistic bias
There is cultural and linguistic bias – people that do not live or involve themselves in a particular culture may struggle to answer questions based on that society.
Experimental group
The group of research participants which is exposed to the independent variable.
Control group
The group of research participants which is not exposed to variations in the independent variable.
Developmental norms
Used to indicate the average age at which individuals reach certain milestones.
Mere exposure effect
When repeated exposure to an object, concept or person results in greater attraction to it or the person.
Blind spot
Is where the optic nerve leaves the brain. There are no rods and cones in that area.
Perceptual set
is a predisposition to perceive stimuli in a specific way, that is, interpreting what we see according to certain preconceptions
Previous experience
can affect visual perception, especially if the experience holds significant personal meaning. The same stimulus can be interpreted differently by different people.
Context
refers to the environment in which a perceived stimulus is observed. Context sometimes has an immediate effect on our expectations.
Motivation
very often we see what we want to see. On a long drive, running low on petrol, a sign reading ‘FOOD AHEAD’ could be interpreted as ‘FUEL AHEAD’.
Emotion
We could interpret someone’s facial expression as showing laughing or crying, depending on how we are feeling ourselves.
Biological approach
An approach in psychology that explains a person’s functioning in terms of bodily structures, biochemical processes and genetics.
Socio-cultural approach
Researches the relationship between psychological-mental processes and behaviour in terms of: social norms and cultural influences.
Behavioural approach
From examining the mind or unconsciousness to studying observable behavioural responses. There is classical and operant conditioning.
Cognitive approach
focus on understanding the workings of the mind. It investigates thinking processes such as perception, learning, memory, reasoning and understanding.
Conclusion
is the final decision about what the results mean. It must be stated in terms of the original hypothesis. A conclusion would be that the hypothesis is rejected or supported.
Generalisation
is a judgement about the extent to which the research findings can be applied to the population represented by the sample. The ability to generalise from a sample relies on all the following conditions of interest:
• The sample must represent the population of interest.
• The results must reach statistical significance
• The effects of all potentially confounding variables must have been controlled.
Operant conditioning
Learning in which a voluntary response comes to be controlled by its consequences.
Direct experience
Direct encounters with a person, object or idea can influence the formation of an attitude. Direct experiences that are negative or unpleasant can result in strong attitudes.
Mere exposure effect
Repeated exposure to an attitude object may result in a positive or negative attitude towards it.
Classical conditioning
whereby an animal or other organism can passively learn to show a naturally occurring reflex action, such as salivation, in response to any stimulus – learning through association.
Observational learning
is where children form their attitudes by observing those expressed by other people who are important to them, such as parents and teachers, and by the consequences for these people when they express their attitudes.
Group
Two or more people who interact over a period of time, have influence on each other and share a common goal.
Hostile aggression
behaviour intended to hurt another person, even if it results in damage to personal relationships or property. Usually a response to pain, perceived danger or threats, or an uncomfortable environment, such as extreme temperature.
Instrumental aggression
behaviour that is the result of deliberate planning where the aggressor has no personal feeling toward the person or people they are hurting.
Aggression
behaviour, directed towards another person or people, which intended to cause harm.
ID
Contains the primitive ‘animal’ urges. It is instinctive, unconscious and acts according to what Freud called the pleasure principle, driving a person to act impulsively to achieve instant gratification of these desires for food, drink, sex, comfort and aggression.
Ego
it makes decisions and operates according to what Freud called the reality principle. Obviously there are many occasions when it is impossible or illegal to instantly gratify the basic interests, or there would be negative social consequences; so the ego aims to delay until it is safe and socially acceptable to satisfy the urges.
Superego
is the moral component of personality. The superego involves considering what is right and wrong in terms of social customs and benefits to others and to society.
