Chapter 1 - Thinking Critically with Psychological Science

Question 1

Why study psychology?

Answer 1

Many people believe that intuition and common sense are enough to bring forth answers regarding human nature

Question 2

Why do we need psychology?

Answer 2

• Limits of intuition (ex. job interviewers)
• Hindsight bias (predicting 911)
• Overconfidence
• Confirmation Bias

Question 3

What is the scientific attitude and method?

Answer 3

• Curiousity (passion for exploring)
• Skepticism (doubting and questioning)
• Humility (ability to accept responsibility when wrong)
• Critical thinking (open minded, non bias, seek facts, logical, analyze all evidence)

Question 4

Methods of research?

Answer 4

• Case study
• Survey
• Natural observation

Question 5

What is a theory?

Answer 5

An explanation that integrates principles, organizes and predicts behavior or events, developed after the research has been conducted

Question 6

What is correlation?

Answer 6

When one trait or behavior accompanies another (correlation coefficent, r value indicates positive or negative and the strength of the relationship)

Question 7

What is illusory correlation?

Answer 7

The perception of a relationship where no relationship actually exists. This happens because we hear about these situations more.

ex. you will increase your chances of getting sick if you get rained on

Question 8

What are double-blind procedure and random assignment?

Answer 8

• Random assignment of control, random assignment of people

ex. drug therapy, random patients, unaware of who has placebo

Question 9

Independent and dependent variables?

Answer 9

Independent is when a factor is manipulated by the experimenter, and dependent is a factor that may change in response to an independent variable. (usually a behavior or a mental process)

Question 10

What are the measures of central tendency?

Answer 10

• Mode: most frequently occuring score
• Mean: arithmetic average
• Median: exact middle

Question 11

Whar are the measures of variation?

Answer 11

• Range: difference between highest and lowest scores
• Standard deviation: computed measure of how much scores vary around the mean
• Normal curve: a symmetrical, bell-shaped curve that describes the distribution. Most scores fall near the mean

Question 12

What is statistical significance?

Answer 12

When sample averages of reliable and the difference between them is relatively large, not due to chance

ex. comparing depression in men and women