Psych Chapter 1

the scientific study of behavior and mental processes

--> thoughts and behaviors

Description: name the topic

Explanation: detailed description 

Prediction: hypothesize; educated guess

Change: Change your focus or what research already says; or change your future plans

• biological standpoints are nature
• how you're raised is nurture

--> ongoing dispute over the relative contributions of nature (heredity) and nurture (environment)

Interactionist approach: people who believe both play a role

neuropsychology and physiological psych

--> brain; chemicals; nervous system; hormones; neurotransmitters

thoughts; memory; dreams; problem solving; decision-making

look at everything across the entire lifespan

how environment affects learning (learning environment)

students-> learning disabilities--> plan

work with crimes and criminal justice professionals; analyze crimes

influence; how do groups and persons influence others; peer pressure; love, racism, attraction, etc

• first psychological lab in Leipzig, Germany in 1879 and trained the first generation
• "Principles of Physiological Psychology"
• Conscious experiences

Introspection

looking inward and tapping into all of the senses

focuses on unconscious processes and unresolved past conflicts

developed by Freud

believed that peoples motives were caused by sexual/ aggressive drives

unconscious--> outside awareness/ early childhood experiences

Pyschotherapy called psychanalysis

• all people are born good
• all people have a unique perception of the world
• all people strive to reach their fullest potential

from bottom to top:

• physiological
• safety
• love 
• esteem
• self-actualization

conscious: Wundt- introspection/ Titchener: structuralism/ James- functionalism 

Unconscious: Freud and behaviorists-> Watson, Pavlov, BF Skinner

Cognitive: thought, perception, info processing

Physiological: genetics and other biological processes in the brain/ nervous system

Evolutionary: natural selection, adaptation, and evolution of behavior and mental processes

Socio-cultural perspective: social interaction and cultural determinants

biopsychosocial model: unifying themes of modern psychology that considers biological, psychological, and social processes

Step 1: identify questions of interest and review lit to ensure nobody has done it yet

Step 2: Hypothesize

Step 3: Select a research method and collect the data

Step 4: Analyze Data and Accept/ Reject hypothesis

Step 5: Publish, replicate, adn seek scientific review

Step 6: Build a theory--and then the cycle continues

a precise description of how the variables in a study will be observed and measured; specifically define

ex: I'm studying the impact of watching violent TV on aggressive behavior in children. I need to define what is considered violent TV and what is considered aggressive behavior

• informed consent
• voluntary participation
• restricted use of deception (they can lie to you to an extent)
• debriefing (let them know what the deception was)
• confidentiality
• alternative activities in regards to college requirements

• 1) harm to self
• 2) harm to others
• 3) abuse
• 4) to protect client in court
• 5) if you're being sued

a carefully controlled scientific procedure that involves manipulation of variables to determine cause and effect

Key Features: independent variable, dependent variable, control group, experimental group

measured vs. manipulated

does not receive independent variable vs. receives the independent variable

fake pill/ sugar pill

participants and experimenter have no idea which group they're in`

Adv: only method that allows one to say cause and effect

Dis: experimental bias/ confirmation bias; sample bias; participant bias

info: watching people/ animals in their natural environment

adv: you're seeing the real deal; no lab needed

dis: can't control certain variables; people act differently when being watched; you must stay hidden

info: in-depth study of a single research participant (or a group); topic usually biological in nature

adv: gives it precedent; gives an opportunity to develop precedence over a particular issue

dis: rare/ potential bias

info: polls/ questions a large sample of people of assess their behaviors and attitudes

adv: cost effective; tons of info; short amount of time

dis: framing effect: questions worded weirdly or in the word order; not truthful (at times); need the right population

• info: positive correlation: move in same direction
• negative correlation: mvoe in different direction
• strength: relationship between two variables

dis: you cannot say cause and effect

a number indicates the degree and direction of the relationship between two variables (r value)

both move in the same direction

move in opposite directions

if r=0, there is no relationship; not linked

If r= 1, there is a perfect relationship; will never be seen

• There is a range:
• r=0.7-0.9 (strong relationship)
• r= 0.4-0.6 (moderate relationship)
• r= 0.1-0.3 (weak relationship)

• double blind study
• placebo effect

cross-cultural sampling

• random sample
• representative sampling
• random assignment

anonymity/ privacy

deception

research methods that observe and record behavior without producing causal explanations; there is no manipulation of variables

Types: naturalistic observations, surveys, case studies