Psychology Paper

2. What are some examples of ways in which observational learning has benefited you in your life? Are there instances in which observational learning has worked to your disadvantage?
I actually do this a lot and never knew there was actually a name for it. I don’t like to admit when I don’t know anything or ask for help on something I feel I should already know. I work with heavy equipment for a living and started running equipment when I was 18 fresh out of high school. For somebody never being around heavy equipment before, I was way over my head. Before I started work I watched quite a few YouTube video’s on how to start up and check on equipment so I didn’t look like such a moron my first day of work. The first year I ran equipment I learned at least 80% of what I was doing by watching other operators and how they worked the dirt and rock around them. I accustomed myself very quickly with what I do just by watching how more experienced people preformed the tasks at hand. Another great example is when I first built my computer, I would say that about 30% of it came from listening to my buddies who have built their gaming systems and the other 70% was watching a buddy of mine who owns a local computer shop put together computers. I didn’t ask any questions because Tyler figured I had built my rig and I didn’t want to tell him I actually paid someone to build my first computer. When I was ready to upgrade my system though I built it myself and learned it all just by watching him put things together numerous times. It was been at a disadvantage for me a couple of times because watching people do something wrong when you have no idea how to do it so you only learn from them. Then I’ll go to do the same task later down the road and get in trouble for doing it wrong or poorly; that’s always a fun discussion when you are trying to explain why you did it wrong in the first place when you said you knew how to do something.

5. Label the two major systems of long-term memory (LTM) on the figure below.

Duration and Capacity

1. During problem solving, do you use primarily algorithms or heuristics? What are the advantages of each?
I would say I use the heuristics method of problem solving. The advantages for algorithm problem solving because it’s simpler to follow step by step instructions on how to solve something. When followed correctly you can invariably arrive at the correct solution. The advantages of heuristic are it’s a general problem solving method with no list of instructions to help address anything. Instead you figure out the steps needed by solving the problem yourself.

6. If Gardner’s and Sternberg’s theories of multiple intelligences are correct, what are the implications for intelligence testing and for education?
I guess the implications would be the IQ tests.
Unless you are looking for Standardization which states that every tests must have average scores which is developed by giving the test to a representative sample of people. And the test must be standardized which means people taking the test must all be giving the same instructions, questions, and time limits. Then it talks about Reliability which states a test must be consistent or reliable. This is determined by retesting subjects to see whether their test scores change significantly. They compare the test results and use a method called the split half method.
Also it talked about Validity which the most important type of this test is criterion related validity. But if two variables or highly correlated then on variable can be used to predict the other. If the test is valid it’s scores will be useful in predicting people’s behavior in some other specified situation. For example using the IQ test to predict grades.