ARCH 131 Final: PSYC 201W textbook notes final exam
19 Feb 2017
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PSYC 201W 12/6/2012 12:05:00 AM
Chapter 1:
Scientific understanding of a behavior
Methods of acquiring knowledge:
Rather than just relying on scientific knowledge, people also use intuition
and authority.
- intuition: when you accept unquestioningly what your personal judgment
or a single story about what one person’s experience tells you about the
world.
This approaches takes on many forms:
- involves finding an explanation for our behaviors or for the behaviors of
others. Ex. Having conflicts with co-worker→ other person wants my job”
- what you use to also explain intriguing events ex. No longer looking for
long term love increases the chances of finding it.
LOGIC??
What is wrong with it?
- cognitive and motivational biases
Cognitive bias:
- illusory correlation: when we focus on two events that stand out and occur
together.
Ex. when a decision to stop looking is closely followed by finding a long term
mate, our attention is drawn to the situation, but when a decision to stop
looking is not closely followed by finding a long term mate, we don’t notice
this long event.( when an event that occurs right after another)
→ biased to conclude there must be a correlation.
Illusory correlation are likely to occur when we are highly motivated to
believe in the casual relationship.
Authority: a convincing and influential source
The scientific approach rejects the notion that one can accept on faith the
statements of any authority. Ex. Confucius sayings, media, news.
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Scientific skepticism: ideas must be evaluated on the basis of careful logic
and results from the scientific investigations.
Empiricism( fundamental characteristic of the scientific method): knowledge
is based on structure, systematic observations.
Hypothesis: an tentative statement that states the relationship between two
variables. Not directional.
Prediction: states an expected outcome, directional.
The process of scientific inquiry:
1) Making systematic observations that are accurately reports to the public ;
;Replications: help to ensure the effects of the research are not just a false
positive and detect confounding variables.
2) search for observations to make accurate discoveries and develop
theories, conduct research, revise theory.
3) falsifiable ideas: an idea that can be either supported or refuted using
empirical data. ( can be tested)
4) peer review
pseudoscience: uses scientific terms to substantiate claims without using
scientific data.
Ex. facilitated communication for kids with autism: scientists showed that
the facilitator controls the typing.
Characteristics of pseudoscience:
- hypotheses are not testable
- supportive evidence is anecdotal/ rely on authorities.
- Ignore conflicting evidence
- Claims are vague, rationalize strongly held beliefs.
Why can you do?
- research the claim
- be highly skeptical
Goals of scientific research in psychology:
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1) to describe behavior: text message experiment ( the new
unconventional way of communicating leads to poor spelling among boys
but not girls -→ does new writing skills interfere with formal skills/ use
new language only among people they think are “ in-group” members.
2) to predict behavior: once it has been observed with some regularity
that two events are systematically related to one another ( ex. More
credible speaker, greater attitude change among listeners), it becomes
possible to make predictions and therefore anticipate events. Ex.
Elections, children eating marshmallow predicts academic success.
3) to determine the causes of behavior : although we might accurately
predict the occurrence of a behavior we might not have correctly
identified its cause. Ex. Aptitude test scores do not cause university
grades. To know how to change behavior, we need to know the causes of
behavior.
→ in order to conclude causation:
- when the cause is present, effect present. When cause not present,
effect not present. ( covariation of cause and effect) ex. Children who
watch aggressive shows turn aggressive and whether children who do not
watch aggressive shows do not show violent behavior.
- temporal order of events in which the cause precedes the effect. (
temporal precedence) ex. Whether viewing a violent show occurred first
and acts of aggression followed.
- Elimination of alternative explanation: nothing other than a causal
variable could be responsible for the observed effect. Ex. Children who
watch a lot of tv violence are left alone more than children who don’t view
television violence→ lack of parental supervision as an alternative
explanation?
4) to understand or explain behavior: explain why the events and
behaviors occur ex. Aggressive show and behavior→ any
imitation/modeling?
Basic research: attempts to answer fundamental questions about the
nature of behavior.
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find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Rather than just relying on scientific knowledge, people also use intuition and authority. Intuition: when you accept unquestioningly what your personal judgment or a single story about what one person"s experience tells you about the world. Involves finding an explanation for our behaviors or for the behaviors of others. Having conflicts with co-worker other person wants my job . What you use to also explain intriguing events ex. No longer looking for long term love increases the chances of finding it. Illusory correlation: when we focus on two events that stand out and occur together. Biased to conclude there must be a correlation. Illusory correlation are likely to occur when we are highly motivated to believe in the casual relationship. The scientific approach rejects the notion that one can accept on faith the statements of any authority. Scientific skepticism: ideas must be evaluated on the basis of careful logic and results from the scientific investigations.
