Fulcher January 20 2011 Psychology Chapter 1 Continued Correlational Research Scientific study in which the researcher observes or measures does not manipulate two or more variables to find the relationships between them Example You discover a relationship between alcohol consumption and aggressive behavior Does NOT mean that alcohol causes aggression rather just shows a relationship between the two variables doesn t mean that two variables which are related cause an effect Two types or correlations o Positive the two variables go up and down together As one variable increases the other increases and vice versa o Negative the two variables go in opposite directions As one variable increases the other decreases Correlation coefficient r o Statistical calculation used to measure the degree of relation between two variables Always between 1 0 and 1 0 Strong Positive Correlation Ex r 0 92 Weak Positive Correlation Ex r 0 46 Strong Negative Correlation Ex r 0 92 Weak Negative Correlation Ex r 0 46 No correlation Ex r 0 0 Problems with Correlations o Does not imply causation Common mistake Fulcher January 20 2011 Experimental Research o Experimenter manipulate the variable of interest while holding all other factors constant o Can determine cause effect relationships o Manipulation of variables Operational definitions specified by the experiment Independent variables the one you change Dependent variables the ones you measure o Experimental vs Control Groups One group must do nothing o Internal validity vs External validity External how it is like it is in the real world o Placebo effects Truly believing a pill will stop your headache makes you think it works therefore it does work for you o Experimenter bias sometimes give it away bad poker face Automation of experiments Blind studies Where people don t know if they are in the experiment or control group o Ex each group taking the pill that may or may not be the painkiller when one group is really taking the painkiller o Participant bias Anonymous responding Deception o Ethnocentrism Fulcher January 20 2011 Chapter 2 Biopsychology Organization of the Nervous System o Two main divisions of nervous system Peripheral PNS Autonomic NS o Sympathetic NS o Parasympathetic NS Somatic NS o Voluntary NS o Includes nerves that go from the body to experience the 5 senses o Includes motor system Central CNS Brain o Forebrain Telencephalon Cerebral Cortex Basal Ganglia Hippocampus Amygdala o Midbrain Mesencephalon Tetum Tegmentum Metencephalon Pons cerebellum o Hindbrain Myelencephalon Medulla Spinal Cord Cells of the Nervous System o Neurons or nerve cells Function Detect information Transmit information Affect muscles and glands o Supporting Cells Functions Provide nutrients Buffer protect neurons and their signals Balance chemicals Immune responses
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