PSYC 1001 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Observer-Expectancy Effect, Standard Deviation, Central Tendency
26 Feb 2014
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Different types of questions call for different types of research methods. All psychologists and scientists share 3 sets of interrelated goals. First goal of psych is to develop measurement techniques that make it possible to describe behaviour clearly and precisely. Events can be understood if the reason(s) for its occurrence can be explained. A hypothesis is a cautious statement about the relationship between 2 or more variables. Variables are any events, conditions, characteristics or behaviours that can be measured and controlled or observed in a study. Psychologists hope that the info they gather will be useful. Once people understand a phenomenon they can exert more control over it. A theory is a system of interrelated ideas used to explain a set of observations. Permits psychologists to travel from the description of behaviour to understanding it. Guides future research by creating new predictions and lines of inquiry. Most theories are too complicated to be tested all at once.
