*Unit 1: Scientific Foundations of Psychology Flashcards
Why should we use the scientific method instead of using our gut?
- The science of psychology helps us to identify the difference between uniformed opinions and examined conclusions.
- The science of psychology helps us make these examined conclusions, which helps us understand how people feel, think, and act as they do.
What makes up the scientific attitude? What is it called in colloquial terms?
Curiosity, skepticism, and humility make up the scientific attitude, and it manifests as critical thinking in everyday language.
What is the scientific method?
The scientific method is a self-correcting process of asking questions and observing nature’s answers. It is the process of testing our ideas about the world by setting up situations to test those ideas, making careful, organized observations, and analyzing whether the data fits within our ideas. If the data doesn’t fit our ideas, then we modify our ideas, and test again.
What is an operational definition?
A statement of the procedures (operations) used to carefully define research variables so that anyone can replicate (repeat) the study.
What is the goal of research?
Description, correlation, prediction, causation, experimentation
What are the types of research methods?
Case Study, Survey, Naturalistic Observation, Experimentation
What is the false consensus effect?
The false consensus effect is the tendency to overestimate the extent to which others share our beliefs and behaviors.
What is the wording effect?
The wording effect is the tendency for the results of a survey to vary depending on the wording of a question. (ex. should cigarette ads and pornography be allowed on television vs. should cigarette ads and pornography be forbidden on television?)
What is a correlation coefficient?
Correlation Coefficient is a statistical measure of the relationship between two variables. It tells us how strongly two things relate.
Important note about correlation - correlation enables prediction, but does not prove causation.
How do we determine causation?
Experimentation
What are confounding variables?
Confounding variables are other variables that might have an effect on the dependent variable. For example, many other factors besides breast feeding could affect intelligence levels.
What is a single blind procedure?
Sometimes research participants, out of enthusiasm or personal beliefs, can affect the out come of an experiment. To control for such affects, researchers can use a single-blind procedure, in which participants are uninformed of what treatment, if any, they are receiving.
What is a double blind procedure?
Researchers can also use a double-blind procedure, in which both research participants and staff are ignorant (blind) about whether participants have received the treatment or placebo. This is a common technique used in drug-evaluation studies. It is effective at reducing experimenter bias and the placebo effect.
What is the placebo effect?
When experimental results are caused by expectations alone.
For example, when someone is given a placebo pill, the healing power of the belief that they are being treated is often enough to heal them.
What is standard deviation?
Standard Deviation is a computed measure of how much scores vary around the mean.
