Psychology

LO 1 Define psychology. “The study of behavior & mental process”
LO 2 Describe the scope of psychology and its subfields. “The psychology is a broad field that includes many perspectives and SUBFIELDS. APA the American Psychological Association and the APS The Association for Psychological Science. Psychologists conduct two major types of research Basic research which is “often done in universities” and focuses on collecting data to support (or refute) theories and gathers knowledge for the sake of knowledge. Applied research focuses on changing behaviors and outcomes and Often leads to real-world applications.” This type of research has generated behavioral interventions for children with autism, its goal are more pragmatic or practical.
LO 3 Summarize the goals of the discipline of psychology. “These goals made a foundation for the scientific approach used in psychology and the experiments designed to carry out research.” Goals vary by subfield
Common goals
Describe: Describe or report what is observed
Explain: Organize and understand observations of behaviors
Predict: Predict behaviors or outcomes
Control: Use research findings to shape, modify, and control behavior
LO 4 Identify influential people in the formation of psychology as a discipline. Plato (427-347 BCE): Truth and knowledge exist in the soul before birth; humans are born with some degree of innate nature contributes to human capacity for cognition Aristotle (384-322 BCE): Knowledge is result of experiences; nurture plays role in knowledge acquisition. Descartes (1596-1650): Body and mind interact as separate entities; dualism. Fechner (1801-1887): Mind and body connection understood by studying sensation; one of founders of physiological psychology. Wundt (1832-1920) Founded first psychology lab and first psychology journal founded in Germany Measured “psychological processes through introspection” and used objective reports. Titchener (1867-1927)--Structuralism
Set up lab at Cornell and conducted introspection experiments aimed at determining most basic elements of mind and Trained participants to provide detailed reports of subjective experience James (1842-1910)—Functionalism
Offered first psychology classes in U.S. and Focused on study of purpose of thought processes, feelings, and behaviors. Mary Whiton Calkins (1863-1930)--Denied PhD graduation from Harvard, but established own lab at Wellesley College and Became first female president of APA.
Margaret Floy Washburn (1871-1939)--First female PhD in psychology
Mamie Phipps Clark (1917-1983)--First Black female PhD; denied faculty position because of gender and Explored impact race relation impact on self-esteem. LO 5 List and summarize the major perspectives in psychology. Psychoanalytic “Freud focused on “abnormal” functioning of mind
Believed behavior and personality influenced by conflict between inner desires and societal expectations.” Behavioral “Pavlov Conducted classical conditioning experiments” Examines human behavior as learned primarily through associations, reinforcers, and observation.
“Watson Established behaviorism which viewed psychology as scientific study of behavior that could be seen and/or measured”
“Skinner Focused on operant conditioning which is learning that occurs when behaviors are rewarded or punished” Humanistic Rogers and Maslow Founded humanistic psychology which suggested that human nature is essentially positive and Posited that people are naturally inclined to grow and change for the better. Cognitive psychology Miller Researched memory which provided catalyst for cognitive revolution and Examines mental processes that directs behavior, focusing on concepts such as thinking, memory, and language.
Cognitive neuroscience Explores physiological explanations for mental processes and connections between behavior and the human nervous system. Evolutionary Darwin based his theory of evolution and principles of natural selection. That human behavior is passed on genetically across generations. Biological Uses knowledge about underlying physiology to explain behavior and mental processes and Explores how biological & physiological factors, such as hormones, genes, and the brain, are in behavior and cognition. Sociocultural Vygotsky Proposed social and cultural features influence that impact behavior while Clark Studied impact of prejudice, segregation, and discrimination
Theorized the importance of sociocultural factors as related to development of self Biopsychological Examines biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors, including behavior and Suggests these factors are interactive. LO 6 Evaluate pseudopsychology and its relationship to critical thinking. Pseudo psychology Approach to explaining and predicting behavior and events that appears to be psychology but is not supported by empirical, objective evidence. Critical thinking Process of weighing various pieces of evidence, synthesizing them (putting them together), and determining how each contributes to the bigger picture. LO 7 Describe how psychologists use the scientific method. Scientific method The Process scientists use to conduct research, which includes a continuing cycle of exploration, critical thinking, and systematic observation. Experiment Controlled procedure that involves careful examination through scientific observation and/or manipulation of variables.
LO 8 Summarize the importance of a random sample. Subset of the population chosen through a procedure that ensures all members of the population have an equally likely chance of being selected to participate in the study.
LO 9 Recognize the forms of descriptive research. Research methods that describe and explore behaviors of all the findings cannot definitely state cause-and-effect relationships. NATURALISTIC RESEARCH Important features
Environment not disturbed
Variables operationally defined
Pitfalls
Unwanted variables in natural environment
Replication of research more difficult
Observer bias
Errors due to researcher’s value system, expectations, attitudes reduced with comparison from multiple observers CASE STUDIES
Important features
Involves detailed examination of individual or small group
Includes large amount of data on one particular person or group
Is especially useful investigating unique cases
Pitfalls
Cannot be used to support or refute hypothesis

SURVEY METHODS
Advantages
Fast way to collect descriptive data
Can be used
Disadvantages
Wording and honesty
Skimming the surface
Representative sample and survey
CORRELATIONAL METHOD
Advantages
Examines relationships among variables
Assists in making predictions
Weaknesses
Does not prove causation

Statistical measure (symbolized as r) indicates the strength and direction of the relationship between two variables Closer r is to 11.00 or to 21.00, the stronger the relationship
Closer r is to .00, the weaker the relationship LO 10 Explain how the experimental method relates to cause and effect. The experimental method that manipulates a variable of interest (independent variable) to uncover cause and effect relationships. It aims to ensure that every variable except those being manipulated by the researcher is held constant, or controlled.
LO 11 Demonstrate an understanding of research ethics.