Lecture 1: Introduction to experimental psychology Flashcards
(30 cards)
psychological science
science based on empirical research
empirical research
-conclusions drawn from systematic, direct, formal observations
Producer
- designs experiments
- collects and analyzes data
- communicates what is learned
- -> future lab work, graduate school, career in research
Consumer
- read about studies in scientific journals and popular press
- lots of information out there
- must determine what reserch is good and what is bad
- –> future courses, lab work, graduate school
- –> many careers and everyday life
facilitated communication
- IFC
- therapist helps client with autism communicate by guiding hands as they type
how to systematically test a claim
- use controlled research
- maybe a double blind test
how to test facillitated communication
-show different pictures to client and facilitator
Four Scientific Cycles
- theory data cycle
- Basic Applied Research Cycle
- Peer Review Cycle
- Journal to Journalism Cycle
theory
-statement/set of statments that describe geeral principles about how variables relate to one another
theory data cycle
-sets up specific research questions
-leads to an appropriate research desig-n
sets up specific hypothesis (predictions)
-test predictions by collecting data
hypotheses
-statement about epected outcome if theory is accurate
data
set of observations
(plural = datum)
-collected and used to develop, support, or challenge a theory
if the data is consistent with the theory’s predictions—->
theory is supported (not proven)
if the data is inconsistent witht the theory’s predictions—->
the theory is not supported (not disproven)
-must now revise theory or improve research design
theory data cycle underlies the ________ method
-empirical
Cupboard theory
- mother is a source of food
- food provides pleasure
- association forms
contact comfort theory (Harlow 1958)
- mother is source of comfort
- comfort provides pleasure
- association forms
- ***attatchement occurs through comfort and cozy touch, not food
Question: if monkeys raised with two separate mothers (food mother and comfort mother) which mother will the monkey prefer?
hypothesis: the monkey will spend more time with the comfort mother
data: 17-18 hours/day on comfort mother and less than 1 hour /day on food mother
THE THEORY IS SUPPORTED
Question: to which mother would the baby run if it were scared?
design: introduce a diabolical creature to cage and observe to which mother monkey runs
hypothesis: baby monkey will run to comfort mother
data: consistent with theory
What makes a good theory?
- supported by data
- falsifiable
- parsimonious (simplest solution is best, Occam’s razor)
Basic Research
- goal is to enhance general knowledge
- not necessarily address specific real world problems
examples of basic research
- what is the frequency of clinical depression in the general population?
- how is information lost from memory?
- what types of social situations cause anxiety?
applied research
-goal is to directly apply fidings to real world setting
examples of applied research
- what is the best treatment for depression?
- how can the reliability of eyewitness memory be improved?
- how can anxiety in social situation be reduced?
