Chapter 1-Intro to applied social psychology

Question 1

Applied scientists-What are they focusing on and which two principles do you use when choosing which problem to study?

Answer 1

Focusing on social problems which would have the most impact in improving the relevant problems.
You look at which variables and which interventions

Question 2

Social psychology definition

Answer 2

Scientific field that seeks to understand the nature and causes of individual behavior and though in social situations.

Question 3

What is a construct?

Answer 3

Clearly defined individual characteristic. Examples: Attitudes, values or social norms (what you can find out from questionnaires for example)

Question 4

What is a principle?

Answer 4

A statement of how a psychological process works. Example: Foot-in-the-door techinique, cognitive dissonance, the availability heuristic

Question 5

What is a theory?

Answer 5

An integrated set of principles that describe, explains and predicts observed events.

Question 6

What is loss aversion?

Answer 6

A loss of the same size as a gain is worse.

Question 7

What is basic social psychology?

Answer 7

• Developing and testing theories
• Deductive approach
• You begin with a theory and examine how it will be useful

Question 8

What is applied social psychology?

Answer 8

• Understanding and resolving practical problems
• Inductive approach
• You start with a problem and then finding a theory that suits.

Question 9

What does science in social psychology refer to?

Answer 9

1. Reliance on scientific methods

2. Guidance by the core values of science

Question 10

What are scientific methods?

Answer 10

Depend on emperical tests. It should be possible to replicate.

Question 11

Four core values of an scientific study

Answer 11

1. Accuracy: Error free
2. Objectivety: Avoiding bias
3. Sceptisicm: Rule out that the study occured by chance
4. Open-mindness

Question 12

Four ethical principles to follow

Answer 12

1. Deception
2. Informed consent
3. Invasion of privacy
4. Debreifing

Question 13

What are the four goals of science?

Answer 13

1. Description: Identifying and specifying details
2. Prediction: Understanding a phenomena
3. Causality: Find if there is a relationship
4. Explaination: Establish why a relationship occur

Question 14

In which does basic and applied social psychology differ?

Answer 14

Basic social psychology uses a deductive approach, trying to develop and test theories.
Applied social psychology used an inductive approach, trying to understand and resolve a practical problem.

Question 15

Which are the most important features of applied social psychology?

Answer 15

…

Question 16

What is a deductive approach?

Answer 16

Starting with a particular theory, and examining to what extent the theory is helpful in understanding various types of social behaviour. (To what extent will it be helpful?)

Question 17

What is an inductive approach?

Answer 17

Starting with a specific social problem, and examining to what extent various theories help to understand specific problems, and which theories provide the best explanation of the particular behaviour causing the problem. (Which theory explain the problem?)