Myers’ PSYCHOLOGY

(8th Ed)

Chapter 1 Thinking Critically with Psychological Science

AP Psychology

Thinking Critically with Psychological Science

Critical Thinking thinking that does not blindly

accept arguments and conclusionsexamines assumptionsdiscerns hidden valuesevaluates evidence

Modules p.20

Limits of Intuition and Common Sense

Hindsight Bias tendency to believe, after learning

an outcome, that one would have foreseen it

the “I-knew-it-all-along” phenomenon

Overconfidence we tend to think we know more than

we doModules p 17 & 18

Research Strategies

Theory an explanation using an integrated

set of principles that organizes and predicts observations

Hypothesis a testable prediction often implied by a theoryModule p 21

The Scientific Method

generate or refine

research and observations

lead to

hypothesis

theories

Research Strategies

Operational Definition a statement of procedures

(operations) used to define research variables

Example-intelligence may be operationally

defined as what an intelligence test measures

Module p 22

Research Strategies- see HandoutReplication

repeating the essence of a research study to see whether the basic finding generalizes to other subjects and circumstances

usually with different subjects in different situations module p 22

Case Study an observation technique in which one

person is studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal principles begin module 3 p 30

Research Strategies

Survey technique for ascertaining the self-

reported attitudes or behaviors of people usually by questioning a representative,

random sample of themFalse Consensus Effect

tendency to overestimate the extent to which others share our beliefs and behaviors

Research Strategies

Population all the cases in a group, from which

samples may be drawn for a studyRandom Sample

a sample that fairly represents a population because each member has an equal chance of inclusion

Research Strategies

If marbles of two colors are mixed well in the large jar, the fastest way to know their ratio is to blindly transfer a few into a smaller one and count them

Research Strategies

Naturalistic Observation observing and recording behavior in

naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation and like case studies and surveys, does not explain behavior, only describes it. P.29 Stop

Research StrategiesCorrelation Coefficient

a statistical measure of the extent to which two factors vary together and thus how well either factor predicts the other

Module p 33

Correlation coefficient

Indicates directionof relationship

(positive or negative)

Indicates strengthof relationship(0.00 to 1.00)

r = +.37

Research Strategies module 3 p 34

Perfect positivecorrelation (+1.00)

No relationship (0.00) Perfect negativecorrelation (-1.00)

Research Strategies

Scatterplot a graphed cluster of dots, each of which

represents the values of two variables the slope of the points suggests the

direction of the relationship the amount of scatter suggests the

strength of the correlationlittle scatter indicates high correlation

also called a scattergram or scatter diagram

Research StrategiesHeight and Temperament of 20 Men

123456789

10

11121314151617181920

80636179746962757760

64767166737063716870

75666090604242608139

48697257637530578439

SubjectHeight in

Inches Temperament SubjectHeight in

Inches Temperament

Research Strategies

Scatterplot of Height and Temperament

55 60 65 70 75 80 85

959085807570656055504540353025

Temperamentscores

Height in inches

Research StrategiesThree Possible Cause-Effect

Relationships(1)Low self-esteem

Depression

(2)Depression

Low self-esteem

Low self-esteem

Depression

(3)Distressing events

or biologicalpredisposition

could cause

could cause

could cause

or

or

and

Illusory Correlation

Illusory Correlation the

perception of a relationship where none exists

Module 3 p 36

Conceive Do not conceive

Adopt

Do notadopt

disconfirming evidence

confirming evidence

disconfirming evidence

confirming evidence

Random Sequences

Your chances of being dealt either of these hands is precisely the same: 1 in 2,598,960.

STOP!

Vocabulary Quiz Unit 1 Pro/C1

Prologue- psychology, functionalism, nature- nurture, psychiatry, applied research, clinical research.

Chapter 1- theory, operational def, case study, random sample, correlation, experiment, double blind, experimental condition, control condition, random assignment, i.v., d.v., mean, standard deviation.

This is a gift, will not happen again…

Research Strategies- see Handout

Comparing Research MethodsResearch Method Basic Purpose How Conducted What is

Manipulated

Descriptive To observe and Case studies, surveys, Nothing record behavior and naturalistic

observations

Correlational To detect naturally Computing statistical Nothing occuring relationships; association, sometimes to assess how well among survey one variable predicts responses

Experimental To explore cause Manipulating one or Independent and effect more factors and using variable(s)

random assignmentto eliminate preexistingdifferences among subjects

Research Strategies

Experiment the investigator manipulates one or more

factors (independent variables) to observe their effect on some behavior or mental process (the dependent variable) while controlling other relevant factors by random assignment of subjects

by random assignment of participants the experiment controls other relevant factors

Module 3 p 38

Research Strategies

Double-blind Procedure both the subject and the research staff are

ignorant (blind) about whether the subject has received the treatment or a placebo

commonly used in drug-evaluation studiesPlacebo

an inert substance or condition that may be administered instead of a presumed active agent, such as a drug, to see if it triggers the effects believed to characterize the active agent

Research Strategies

Experimental Condition the condition of an experiment that

exposes subjects to the treatment, that is, to one version of the independent variable

Control Condition the condition of an experiment that

contrasts with the experimental treatment serves as a comparison for evaluating the

effect of the treatment

Research Strategies

Random Assignment assigning subjects to experimental and control conditions by chance

minimizes pre-existing differences between those assigned to the different groups

Research Strategies

Independent Variable the experimental factor that is

manipulated the variable whose effect is being studied

Dependent Variable the experimental factor that may change

in response to manipulations of the independent variable

in psychology it is usually a behavior or mental process

Statistical ReasoningMode

the most frequently occurring score in a distribution

Mean the arithmetic average of a distribution obtained by adding the scores and then

dividing by the number of scoresMedian

the middle score in a distribution half the scores are above it and half are

below it

Statistical Reasoning

Our Brand Brand BrandBrand X Y Z

100%

99

98

97

96

95

Percentagestill functioningafter 10 years

Brand of truck

Statistical Reasoning

Our Brand Brand Brand Brand X Y Z

100%

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

Percentagestill functioningafter 10 years

Brand of truck

Statistical ReasoningA Skewed Distribution

15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 90 475 710

70

Mode Median Mean

One Family Income per family in thousands of dollars

Statistical ReasoningRange

the difference between the highest and lowest scores in a distribution

Standard Deviation a computed measure of how much scores

vary around the meanStatistical Significance

a statistical statement of how likely it is that an obtained result occurred by chance

Does Behavior Depend on One’s Culture?

Culture the enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, and traditions shared by a large group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next