COGS 100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Gestalt Psychology, Reality Principle, Operant Conditioning
Document Summary
Psychology: the study of the mind and behaviour using scientific experimental methods to gain knowledge and validate theories. Accept/ reject: an experiment has parameters that are manipulated by the researcher = Independent variable: the observable measures are called dependant variables, groups, control group, experimental group. Theory: interruption during memorization affects recall performance- broad and very general. Hypothesis: listening to music during memorization reduces retention- specific. Experiment: 30 words to memorize with/without music. Analyzing experiments: scores on the dependent variable for the two groups compared. If the test scores in the control group are significantly higher, then the hypothesis is supported. Voluntarism: elements of the mind form higher order elements voluntarily by the power of will. (introspection) Structuralism: structure of mind can be understood from its elements which combine based on a chemical law. (introspection) Functionalism: explains what the mind does, mental activity, rather than elements.