**THURSDAY***Psychology’s RootsThe science of behavior (what we do) and mental processes (sensations, perceptions, dreams, thoughts, beliefs and feeling)Started as the study of the mind but it received backlashBehavior: there are different levels on which you can forge answers; explanations exist on different levelsPsychological: intuitions, beliefs, association; things that are explainable on the below levelsBiological: bigger systems; what areas of the brain preform different functionsChemical: neurotransmitters, neurochemistryAtomic: the most basic levelThere is a psychical basis for ALL PHENOMENON*Basic and applied researchbasic: research that addresses an important issue or problem but has no immediate practical consequence; science for the purpose of furthering knowledgebiological psychologypersonality psychologysocial psychologybehavior psychologythis does not mean that the discoveries do not help/pertain directly to the world, the discoveries are just not immediately for a purposeapplied: research designed to deal with an immediate, practice problem that needs a solutionindustrial/organizational psychologistsclinical psychologists*Modern Biology and Human Evolutionmodern psychology has its roots in biology and philosophyDarwin:Natural selection= ability to survive AND reproduce (fitness)Homology: bone structures between humans and animals are very similar=same originsPhenotype is not equivalent to morphologynatural selection does not only affect the evolution of bodies and physiology but its behavior also in order to survive and reproduce*Roots of psychologyPlato and Aristotle (400-300 BC)Edward Titchner- created the field of structuralismUsed introspection (looking in) to explore the elemental structure of the human mindDid not last in psychology because describing is entirely subjective and requires a high level of linguistic capabilitiesWilliam James- founded functionalism (the competing idea of psychology)Influenced by the work of Darwin and the theory of evolution roots of psychology as its seen todayGestalt Psychology: the whole is greater than the sum of its parts*Models of Psychology: how you can explain everythingNeuroscience or BiologicalPsychodynamicBehavioral: internal processes cannot be used to describe behavior; inner processes (feelings, sensations..) cannot be observed/recorded but behavior canHuman ModelCognitive Model:*Biopsychosocial approachBiological: being more biologically prone to something; genetic predispositionsPsychological: learning from experience; a single traumatic experience can influence the rest of your life’s behaviorSocial: social constructions, norms, conditions that affect behavior/thinkingFigure 1.1 in book*Nature v NurtureYour experience works on what evolutionary processes and your genetic biological components permit you to do; nature works on what nature allowsLanguage as an example: there is a biological reason why chimps cannot speak- dexterity of the tongue and lips, different facial and throat structure*Why do we need Psychology?We are wrong all the time; self delusionHumans try to pick out patterns/cause/significance in completely random/chance eventsHindsight bias: “peoples need to be right is stronger than their desire to be objective.” Believing you knew the answer AFTER THE FACTOverconfidence: we are strongly confident in our beliefs even when they are wrongWe need psychology to know what is actually true*Scientific method/research designTheory: an explanation using an integrated set of principles that organizes and predicts observationsHypothesis: a testable predictionResearch and observations: used to test the hypothesis and the results or outcomes*Research Principles and PracticesStandardization: you want to be consistence; apply every procedure in a consistent, precise mannerOperational definition: make your measures objective. Reduce ambiguity by defining variables in terms of specific measurement operations (ex. Define anxiety as a score on a specific anxiety scale)Generalization: Applying research findings to an entire population not just the sample in one study; the study is supposed to be indicative of the entire population. View with a skeptical eyeValidity: Ensuring than an experiment measures what it is supposed to measureReliability: Insuring that the results can be repeated in more than one experimentReplication: repeating the study to determine whether or not the same results can be achievedProgrammatic research: carrying out a logical sequence of related studies, moving toward a common goal of understanding*Comparing research methodsDescriptive: essentially you want to observe/record behavior in a manner that is true to what is actually happening (Ethology is going out in the wild and recording observations about wild animal behavior). Nothing is manipulated. Examples are case studies and surveysCorrelational: trying to detect naturally occurring relationsships; whether one thing is related with another; Nothing is manipulatedExperimental: to explore cause and effect. You manipulate factors, different independent variables, in a way that is random in respect to your subjects and you see the difference between “group A” and the “control group”.***correlation does not = causation ***example: Ice cream sales and number of assaults are highest in the summer months but lowest in the winter months- correlation[ more people are outdoor in the summer and indoors in the winter] but one does not cause the otherWeek 1 04/06/2012**THURSDAY***Psychology’s Roots-The science of behavior (what we do) and mental processes (sensations, perceptions, dreams, thoughts, beliefs and feeling)-Started as the study of the mind but it received backlash -Behavior: there are different levels on which you can forge answers;explanations exist on different levelsoPsychological: intuitions, beliefs, association; things that are explainable on the below levelsoBiological: bigger systems; what areas of the brain preform different functionsoChemical: neurotransmitters, neurochemistryoAtomic: the most basic levelThere is a psychical basis for ALL PHENOMENON*Basic and applied research-basic: research that addresses an important issue or problem but has no immediate practical consequence; science for the purpose offurthering knowledgeobiological psychologyopersonality psychologyosocial psychologyobehavior psychologythis does not mean that the discoveries do not help/pertain directly to the world,