Chapter 1 Flashcards
(42 cards)
Psychology
The scientific study of behavior and mental processes
5 enduring issues
- Person-Situation
- Nature-Nurture
- Stability-Change
- Diversity-Universally
- Mind-Body
Person-Situation
to what extent is behavior caused by internal processes as thought, emotions, values, personality, and genes (Person)? To what extent is behavior caused by external processes such as environmental cues and the presence of other people (Situation)?
Nature-Nurture
to what extent are we a product of innate, inborn tendencies (Nature), and to what extent are we a reflection of experiences and upbringing (Nurture)?
Stability-Change
are the characteristics we develop in childhood more or less permanent and fixed (Stability), or do we change significantly over the course of our lives (Change)?
Mind-Body
How are mind and body connected? Relationship between what we experience (such as thoughts and feelings; Mind), and what we are biological processes are (such as activity in the nervous system; Body).
Definition of science and its essense
Science, in its essence, is a way of coming to know the universe around us. An approach to acquire Psychology ing knowledge. It is a way of asking and answering questions “A way of systematically interrogating the universe” (Carl Sagan)
Empiricism
Knowledge is acquired through experience; though the use of our senses; through making observations of the world around us. The foundation of science— systematic empiricism
Nativism
knowledge, or some, is innate/inborn, independent of experience—”born knowing”
Rationalism
knowledge is acquired through the use of reason/logic. Lecture example of a deductive syllogism with its major and minor premises (in-class example of birds and flying)
Science
a combination of both empiricism and rationalism
goals of psychology
(describe, explain, predict, control), including the distinction between basic and applied research and relationship between the two
Basic research
carried out just to know–acquire knowledge for sake of knowing. Also known as basic science or pure science
Applied research
Carried out to solve real world, practical problems
Science is committed to
accuracy, objectivity, open-mindedness and healthy skepticism, acceptance of the tentative nature of knowledge, acceptance of uncertainty
Steps to the scientific method
- Observe
- Question
- Research
- Hypothesize
- Experiment
- Test hypothesis
- Draw conclusions
- Report
Descriptive methods
Answer the question “what?” (describes)
but cannot answer the question of “why” (cannot explain)
Experimental methods
Can answer the question of “Why?” Establish cause/effect casualty.
Naturalistic observation
Research method involving the systematic study of behavior in natural settings rather than in the laboratory setting
Case studies
intensive description and analysis of a single individual (case) or just a few individuals’
Surveys
Research technique in which questionnaires or interviews are administered to a selected group of people to learn more about whatever is of interest to the researcher
Correlation studies
Research technique to determine if there is a relationship between two or more variables. Correlated but NOT causally related, with correlational evidence, one can’t determine causality, establish cause and effect
IV & DV
Independent Variable - variable that’s manipulated by the researcher or it’s varied.
DV: Dependent variable - variable that’s measured by the researcher, the outcome from IV
Control variables
variables other than IV that can influence the DV and thus, need to control for (prevent) their possible influence
