experimental psych - exam 1

Introduction to Psychology

• Prior to 1879, mental illnesses were attributed to evil spirits and demons.
• Treatments involved trepanation and exorcism.
• Insane asylums were places where people with mental illness were confined and often subjected to inhumane treatment.
• People were sometimes put on display in "freak shows."

Early Psychology

• 1879: Wilhelm Wundt established the first psychology laboratory at Leipzig University, Germany.
• Early research focused on identifying mental illnesses and developing treatments.
• Treatments included medications for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, PTSD, and anxiety.
• Also developed therapies for various mental issues and the study of obedience.

Scientific Methods in Psychology

• Research is fundamental to understanding the causes of disorders.
• Intuition, deduction, authority, and observation are key to knowledge generation.
• Scientific methods, encompassing empiricism, observation, and determinism, provide the most accurate understanding.
• Simple explanations are preferred if they are as accurate as possible.
• Data and confirmation of bias with verifiable findings are crucial in research.

Research Questions and Literature Reviews

• Developing a research question is the first step in the research process.
• Research questions can be descriptive (e.g. percentage of vegetarians) or causal (e.g. vegetarian diet health impacts).
• It is important to conduct a literature review before creating a research question to ensure it adds to existing knowledge.
• Literature reviews increase research accuracy and avoid replication.

Research Article Structure

• Research articles follow a structured format to ensure clear communication of research.

Ethical Considerations in Psychological Research

• Ethical guidelines are critical in protecting participants' rights and well-being.
• The Nuremberg Code was created as a response to Nazi medical experiments, which highlighted the importance of ethical considerations in research.
• Informed consent, avoiding harm, and ensuring benefits outweigh risks are key ethical principles.
• Ethical practices for both human and animal participants are crucial in psychological research.
• Institutional review boards (IRBs) ensure research adheres to ethical guidelines.

Reporting Psychological Research

• Researchers must follow ethical guidelines when reporting their results.
• Accurate reporting is imperative in the process, and researchers must properly cite their sources.
• Avoiding plagiarism is crucial.

Reviewing Research Literature

• Literature reviews summarize existing research on a specific topic.
• Reviews play a crucial role in supporting hypotheses by confirming existing knowledge.

Basic and Applied Research

• Basic research aims to advance understanding in a field of study.
• Applied research seeks to solve practical problems.

Using Data in Research

• Demonstrating that a study is important is part of scientific research, especially in the aspect of psychology.
• Gathering and displaying data is important to support study conclusion.