Introduction to Psychology

Scientific Inquiry in Psychology

• Scientific inquiry in psychology aims to reveal the underlying reality of behavior and thoughts through scientific analysis.
• The basic assumption is that human beings are a system that can be understood through scientific experimentation and rational analysis.

Types of Research

• Basic Research: Establishes a reservoir of data, theoretical explanations, and concepts, with no immediate practical goals.
• Applied Research: Established concepts are further researched and applied to solve specific problems.

Research Variables

• A confounding variable is a variable that is empirically related to both the independent and dependent variable, causing problems in the study.
• Randomization is a technique used to control confounding variables, distributing their effects equally across groups.
• Phases of randomization include random selection of subjects, random assignment of subjects, and random assignment of treatment.

Experimental Design

• Experimental Design: The design of controlled conditions under which one might make empirical observations of actions, thoughts, or behavior, within the context of a testable hypothesis.
• Strategies: Laboratory Experiments and Field Experiments.

Laboratory Experiments

• Demand Characteristics: Cues that convey the purpose of the experiment to the participant, potentially affecting their behavior.
• Ethics: Experiments may involve deceiving participants to some extent, and obtaining informed consent is crucial.

Field Experiments

• Field Experiments: Conducted in a "real-world" situation, where participants are not aware they are participating in an experiment.
• High in ecological validity, but harder to control confounding variables.

Operational Definition

• Operational Definition: A statement of operations necessary to produce and measure a concept.
• It defines the concept in terms of how it is measured.
• Necessary for credible research, as it communicates effectively, replicates, and retains full meaning of the concept despite variability.

Hypothesis and Research Example

• Hypothesis: Students will learn better in on-campus classes compared to online classes.
• Example: The effect of modality of teaching on learning of students.

Learning and Modality

• Learning: The understanding of the concept, measured through a test.
• Modality: Defined as the contact with students, either on-campus or online.

Effect of Social Media on Emotional Intelligence

• Hypothesis: Use of social media will affect the emotional intelligence of adolescents.
• Operational Definitions: Social media usage measured by hours mentioned on a phone app, and emotional intelligence measured through a test.

Experimenter-Selected Independent Variables

• Experimenter-Selected IVs: Characteristics that cannot be controlled or manipulated, such as IQ, authoritarianism, gender, and personality types.
• Example: Impact of authoritarianism on learning.

Classification of Independent Variables

• Task Variables: IVs that are manipulated by the experimenter.
• Environmental Variables: IVs that are part of the environment.
• Subject Variables: IVs that are characteristics of the subjects.

Types of Experimental Designs

• Single-Group or Within-Subjects Experimental Designs: Subjects play the role of the control as well, going through all conditions/levels of IVs.
• Separate Group or Between-Subjects Experimental Designs: Different groups are made based on their characteristics or randomly assigned, with each subject going through one condition only.

Trial Position Effect under Massed and Distributed Practice

• Spacing Effect: The phenomenon where animals (including humans) more easily remember or learn items when they are studied a few times spaced/distributed over a long time span.
• Distributed Practice: Enhances performance, has a larger effect on performance than the first trial, and results in greater learning.