PSY100: Quiz 1

participants have equal chances of being selected for the experimental and the control group

a formal trial undertaken to confirm or disconfirm a hypothesis about the causes of behavior

• The scientific study of behavior and mental processes. 
• -behaviour
• -mind
• -conscious experience
• (see pg 26-)

the group of participants exposed to the independent variable

group of participants exposed to all the conditions except the independent variable

Independent- controlled by the experimenter, suspected causes for differences in behavior.

Dependent- measures the results of the test, reveal the effects, are often measured by performance (i.e. test scores)

Extraneous- conditions that a researcher wishes to prevent from affecting the outcome of the experiment (room temp, amount of sleep, etc)

the tendency to believe positive or flattering descriptions of yourself

we remember or notice things that confirm our expectations and forget the rest (ex. horoscopes)

tendency to consider personal descriptions accurate if they are stated in general terms (PT Barnum: "Always have a little something for everybody.")

in-depth focus on a single subject

investigating causes of behavior through controlled experimentation

• easy to find cause and effect
• under the control of the experimenter

A nonexperimental study designed to measure the degree of relationship (if any) between two of more events, measures or variables.

two observations or events that are correlated (linked together in an orderly way).

the active observation of behavior in a natural setting

Limitations: observer bias. observer effect.

-1.00 to +1.00

Structuralism- Wilhelm Wundt, father of psychology. (stimulus+introspection=reaction)

Functionalism- William James, how the mind functions to help us adapt to the environment. (stream of consciousness)

Behaviorism- (Watson, Pavlov, etc) conditioning, nothing intangible exists

Psychoanalytic- (Freud) Id, Ego, Superego. Unconsciousness and Dream Interpretation

Humanistic- interested in human potentials ideals, and problems. 

Eclectic psychology- the mixing pot of psychological waves (Biopsychosocial)

changes in behavior caused by the belief that one has taken a drug

changes in behavior caused by the unintended influence of a researcher

measuring the bumps on the head and mapping how it is correlated to personality

• Description-  naming and classifying based on detailed records of scientific observation
• Understanding-  ability to state the underlying causes of behavior
• Prediction- ability to forecast behavior accurately
• Control- altering conditions that affect behavior (getting someone over their fear of spiders.)

Information gained from direct observation and the basis of scientific observation

• 1. Making observations
• 2. Defining a problem
• 3. Proposing a hypothesis 
• 4. Gathering evidence/testing the hypothesis
• 5. Building a theory
• 6. Publishing results

An empirical investigation structured to answer questions about the world in a systematic and inter-subjective fashion (observations can be reliably confirmed by multiple observers.)

a systematic process for answering scientific questions

an ability to reflect on, evaluate, compare, analyze, critique, and synthesize information

any unfounded system that resembles psychology

changes in participants' behavior caused by the influence of their expectations