Exam One Study Guide Flashcards
(136 cards)
psychology is a scientific study of __________ and ___________
human behaviors; mental processes
why is the producer role important
coursework
working in a research lab
grad school
why is the consumer role important
when reading printed or online news stories based on research
four your future career
evidence-based approach
research to see effective method for your subject
helps parental/school approval
why are critical thinking skills crucial in the world of AI
AI is not always correct, don’t know source of info
cannot always rely on AI
AI doesn’t write like scientists (brievity and clarity)
Empiricism
the use of verifiable evidence as the basis for conclusions; collecting data systematically and using to develop/challenge a theory
theory
explanation of human mind
hypothesis vs. theory
h - yet to be tested, predictions about specific study
t - revised due to info, a cycle
basic research
goal = expand understanding
enhance general body knowledge, lab setting
not meant to solve a problem in specific
ex) what parts of the brain are stimulated by mediation
translational research
real world problem solved in a lab
ex) in lab study, how can meditation improve college scores?
applied research
real-world setting
ex) how has meditation helped kids focus on math
how do scientists share the results of their research with the scientific community?
submit to a scientific journal
what are two general problems with basing beliefs on our own experience?
could be biased information
don’t have comparison group
example of need for comparison group
radical mastectomies thought to be the only way to get rid of breast cancer
confounds
alternative explanations for a result other than the targeted independent variable
identify potential confounds and potential comparison group for the following:
my dog doesn’t get as upset by fireworks when she wears the “thunder blanket”
confound - comfort/compression
group - try a different blanket or cover dogs eyes so they aren’t comforted by owner
behavioral research is probabilistic, which means …
its findings are not expected to explain all the cases all the time (i.e. there are exceptions)
ways that intuition is biased
being swayed by a good story
availability heuristic
present/present bias
confirmation bias
bias blind spot
availability heuristic
being persuaded by what comes easily to mind
ex) may think there are more shark attacks after reading a story about a shark attack
present/present bias
failing to think about what we cannot see/forgetting to seek info that isn’t there and only info that is
ex) “everytime you bring umbrella = rain” but forgetting all the times you brought an umbrella and it didn’t rain or times where it rained and you didn’t have an umbrella
confirmation bias
focusing on the evidence we like best
bias blind spot
biased about being biased
think biases don’t apply to you, failing to notice your own cognitive biases as humans all fall to them
what to ask when encountering a news item in the popular media
could this be disinformation?
can I cross-check this story on other legitimate sites?
what is the context of this story?
is the journalist politically biased?
what are two major reasons that experience is a faulty source of evidence for our beliefs? (two answers)
a. experience has confounds
b. experiences are from only one person
c. experience has no comparison group
d. experience has no hypotheses
A + C