LECTURE 1 Flashcards
(40 cards)
What is social psychology?
The study of behaviour in a social context.
What does social psychology aim to measure?
Feelings, thoughts, beliefs, attitudes, intentions, and goals.
What is the scientific method?
A formal process for testing hypotheses using valid, reliable measures.
What is a hypothesis?
A formal prediction about the nature of reality.
What makes a measure valid?
It tests what it claims to measure.
What makes a measure reliable?
It produces consistent results across time and settings.
Why is replication important in psychology?
It increases confidence in findings by confirming results across studies.
What is archival research?
Analysis of existing data, e.g., government records.
What is a case study?
An in-depth examination of a single individual or group.
What is qualitative research?
Research using words and interviews instead of numbers.
What is quantitative research?
Research using numerical data and statistical analysis.
What is the nature vs. nurture debate?
The discussion of whether behaviour is influenced by biology (nature) or environment (nurture).
What is a meta-theory?
A broad theoretical framework for understanding human behaviour.
What is behaviourism?
A meta-theory that focuses on observable behaviour rather than internal processes.
What is social cognition?
A meta-theory that studies how people categorise and interpret social information.
What is social neuroscience?
A meta-theory that links social behaviour to brain processes.
What is evolutionary psychology?
A meta-theory that explains behaviour as adaptations from ancestral environments.
What is personality theory?
A meta-theory that attributes behaviour to stable personality traits.
What is reductionism?
The critique that social psychology oversimplifies human behaviour.
What is positivism?
The belief that science is the only valid way to study reality.
What is deception in social psychology?
When researchers mislead participants to avoid influencing their behaviour.
What is informed consent?
Participants’ agreement to take part in a study with full knowledge of the procedures.
What is debriefing?
Informing participants about the true purpose of the study after it ends.
Who conducted the obedience study?
Stanley Milgram (1963).
