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Applications of Psychology > Week 1: Introduction to Applied Psychology (Chapter 1 + 2) > Flashcards

Week 1: Introduction to Applied Psychology (Chapter 1 + 2) Flashcards

1
Q

Applied Psychology

A
  • A branch of psychology (often social psychology) that focuses on using psychological theory and research to solve practical, real world problems.
  • Is a SCIENCE
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2
Q

Five Goals of Scientific Understanding

A
  • Description
  • Prediction
  • Determining Causality
  • Explanation
  • CONTROL
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3
Q

Values of Applied Psychology

A
  • Accuracy
  • Objectivity
  • Skepticism
  • Open-Mindedness
  • Ethics
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4
Q

The Overarching Goal of Applied Psychology

A

To bring about POSITIVE CHANGE to improve the function of people, teams, and organization.

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5
Q

Basic Psychology VS. Applied Psychology

A

Basic:

  • Concerned with understanding the fundamentals of a phenomenon.
  • Focuses on developing + testing theories.
  • Ex. studying the biological basis of depression.

Applied

  • Primarily concerned with taking basic research and theories and using them to IMPROVE an aspect of the world.
  • Across many domains.
  • Ex. Studying whether artificial outdoor light can boost mood for shift workers.
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6
Q

Goals of Applied Psychology

A
  • Understand social and practical problems.
  • Develop intervention strategies to effect positive change.
  • Focuses on the control goal of scientific understanding.
  • Sometimes (but not always) includes conducting research to understand the nature and causes of phenomena.
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7
Q

Types of Problems Addressed by Applied Psychology

A
  • Social Problems
  • Practical Problems
  • Personal Problems/Uses
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8
Q

Social Problems

A

Issues concerning how well we relate to one another in many different dimensions.

Issues related to people’s attitudes, beliefs, and behaviours.

  • ex. masking during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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9
Q

Practical Problems

A

Issued faced by people in their work and lives.

  • ex. improving communication within teams to increase performance.
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10
Q

Personal Problems

A

Issues related to everyday life, health, productivity, and well being.

  • ex. applying research on learning to optimize study strategies and perform well in school.
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11
Q

Approaches to Applied Psychology

A
  • Social Cognition Approach
  • Engaged Research Approach
  • Critical Approach
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12
Q

Social Cognition Approach

A
  • Influenced strongly by POSITIVISM.
  • Most traditional type of approach.
  • Researchers are detached from participants (they observe + report generalizable phenomena).
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13
Q

Engaged Research Approach

A
  • Influenced by the paradigm of advocacy/participatory worldview.
  • Researches are concerned with the ability for research to bring about positive social/political change.
  • Used un activism/advocacy for improving the lives of marginalized groups.
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14
Q

Critical Approach

A
  • Founded on paradigm critical theory.
  • Emphasis is freedom from oppression.
  • Aims for the production of a more egalitarian society.
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15
Q

Theory in Applied Psychology Research

A
  • Organizes observations and shows links between them.
  • Provides direction on where to focus research efforts.
  • Guides intervention.
  • Leaves room for adaptation and evolution.
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16
Q

Characteristics of Theories

A
  • Scope
  • Range
  • Testability
  • Parsimony
17
Q

Scope

A

A characteristic of theory.

How many behaviours does the theory explain?

There are three types…

  • Perspectives
  • Mid-Level Theories
  • Mini Theories
18
Q

Perspectives

A
  • A broad type of scope.
  • Explains many behaviours across contexts.
  • Typically made up of smaller theories.
19
Q

Mid-Level Theories

A
  • The most abundant type of scope.
  • Explains one type of thinking or behaving across multiple situations.
20
Q

Mini-Theories

A
  • A type of scope.
  • Explains a single behaviour in a single context.
21
Q

Range

A

A characteristic of theory.

How many types of people are captured by this theory?

  • Does it attempt to explain behaviours about one cultural group? One gender? One nationality?
22
Q

Testability

A
  • A characteristic of theory.
  • A good theory can be supported or refuted in the face of evidence.
23
Q

Parsimony

A
  • A characteristic of theory.
  • Theory relies on relatively FEWER assumptions to be true.
  • Used when trying to explain behaviour.
24
Q

Theory of Planned Behaviour

A

How attitudes and beliefs interact in formatting intentions of actions and behaviours.

Actions are driven by behavioural intentions that are determined by…

  • Subjective Norms
  • Perceived Behavioural Control
  • Individual Attitudes Towards the Behaviour

This theory…

  • ORGANIZES observations and shows links between them.
  • Provides DIRECTION on where to focus research efforts.
  • GUIDES intervention.

Applications of Psychology (5 decks)

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