Green Chapter title Yellow Unknown info Purple Study more Introduction to Psychology Chapter 1 Be familiar with the goals of Psychology and 3 levels of analysis Goals of Psychology 1 To describe behavior 2 To understand causes of behavior 3 To predict behavior under certain conditions 4 To influence behavior 5 To apply knowledge to enhance welfare Three Levels of Analysis Biological In terms of brain functioning and hormones genetic factors Psychological Cognitive perspective analyze how thought memory and planning influence behavior Environmental How physical social environment shape our behavior Be familiar with different psychological perspectives and specialty areas within psychology Cognitive Psychology Mental processes Evolutionary Psychology Adaptiveness of behavior Subconscious Psychodynamic Perspective searches for the causes of behavior within the inner workings of our personality emphasizing the role of unconscious psychological forces Environment Behavioral Perspective Focuses on the role of the external environment governing our actions Skinner John B Watson SLUT Behaviorists Humanistic Perspective emphasized free will personal growth and the attempt to find meaning in one s existence Biological Perspective examines how brain processes and other bodily functions regulate behavior Science and Psychology Chapter 2 How long has psychology been around as a scientific discipline What is the difference between rationalism and empiricism Rationalism Take a true statement and use logic to derive ideas used in mathematics Empiricism Ideas tested against our own experiences with the world Why do we generate theories Curiosity skepticism and open mindedness are driving forces behind scientific inquiry What is a hypothesis and what is its significance A specific prediction about some phenomenon that often takes the form of an If Then statement Significance What are the processes involved in Scientific Method Step 1 Identify question Step 2 Gather information and form hypothesis Step 3 Test hypothesis by conducting research Step 4 Analyze data draw conclusions report Step5 Build a body of knowledge Theory a set of formal statements that explain how and why certain events are related Broader than a hypothesis What is an independent variable What is a dependent variable Independent Variable The factor that is manipulated or controlled by the experimenter Dependent Variable Factor that is measured or influenced by the dependent variable What are the potential biases that could discredit an experiment Placebo effect experimenter expectancy effect confounding extraneous variables Confounding Variable Definition means that two variables are intertwined in such a way that we cannot determine which one has influenced a dependent variable Other ways of referring to these for example nuisance variable extraneous variable third variable effect Problems they present could discredit an experiment cause false correlation between two variables Internal validity represents the degree to which an experiment supports clear casual conclusions Examples Independent Variable Type of music Dependent Variable Feelings of relaxation Confounding Variable Music volume Ways of controlling them in an experiment Randomization Randomization random group of test subjects Correlational Research Correlational vs experimental Correlational measures relationship between two variables Experimental designed to solve a specific problem cause and effect Advantages and disadvantages Correlational Advantages establish real world associations between two variables Can be conducted before experiments to discover relationships that can be tested Allows making predictions Disadvantages third variable problem no cause and effect relationship Experimental Advantages stronger than correlational research establish cause and effect no problem with nuisance variable Disadvantages takes longer When correlational research is necessary establishing prediction Naturalistic observation Behavior is observed in the setting in which it naturally occurs Positive and negative correlation Both variables increase Positive Correlation One variable increases one variable decreases Negative Correlation Correlation coefficient Between 1 00 and 1 00 negative and positive only depicts direction of correlation absolute value tells strength Going beyond the data Do not go beyond data no cause and effect relationship can be made with correlational research Correlation vs causation Other related terminology from Chapter 2 Case study a research methodology common in social science It is based on an in depth investigation of a single individual group or event Case studies may be descriptive or explanatory Survey research obtained by administering a questionnaire gather information that studies cannot gather personal info habits thoughts feelings etc Sample subset of individuals drawn from the population Representative reflects the important characteristics of the population Random every member of a population has an equal probability of being chosen Scatterplots graphs that show the correlation between two variables Counterbalancing procedure in which the order of conditions is varied so that no condition has an overall advantage Placebo effect people receiving a treatment show a change in behavior because of their expectations and not the treatment itself Experimenter expectancy effects refers to the subtle and unintentional ways researchers influence their participants to respond in a manner consistent with their hypothesis Reduplication repeating of a study to determine whether the original findings can be duplicated External validity the degree to which the results of a study can be generalized to other populations settings and conditions Brain and behavior Chapter 4 Neuron and its function Neuron building block of the nervous system linked in circuits 1 Neurons generate electricity 2 Neurons release chemicals Structure of a neuron dendrite soma axon hillock axon myelin sheath axon terminal terminal buttons synapse Resting potential internal difference of neuron of around 70 millivolts Stable negative charge Action potential when neuron s axon is stimulated with a mild electrical stimulus interior voltage shifted from 70millivolts to 40 millivolts Selective permeability only let s certain ions in Depolarization process 1 Neuron is at rest resting potential 2 Stimulated and depolarized charge is reversed and the cell membrane becomes permeable 3
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