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Saint Louis University, Course Learning Packets

• Saint Louis University provides course learning packets, following the FM-STL-013 document code
• Updated on June 7, 2021.

PSYCH 221 Experimental Psychology course

• Is a combined lab and lecture class which strengthens an understanding of psychology as a science.
• It enables students to not only "think" about science but also "do" science.
• The course includes basic concepts for learning experimental psychology and the "Course Guide" which details the schedule and intended learning results for each subject.
• The course is 5 units and the lecture part is 3 units
• It covers general behavior and principles in experimental psychology.
• The 2-unit laboratory component offers chances for firsthand experience in experimental study of behavioral phenomena.

Course Learning Results:

Upon completion of the course, students should be able to:

• Explain the principles of the methodologies of science and experimental psychology in relation to other fields of psychology.
• Show proficiency in the steps involves in using the experimental method
• Interperet experimental results with trends and practics.
• Critically and correctly defend experimental results.
• Prepare experimental reports in accordance with established format and procedures.
• Use effective communication to reflect good organization and valid synthesis of findings.
• Apply research results at the local, national, and international levels to analyze experimental findings.
• Evaluate results and recommendations in relation to Filipino personality and culture.
• Show respect for the uniqueness of each human being in the administration, interpretation, and delivery of experimental results.
• Use intrapersonal and interpersonal skills needed to improve competence and creativity.
• Demonstrate sensitivity to ethical guidelines when conducting research.
• Exhibit professionalism through teamwork, cooperation, and constructive feedback.

Overview of Course Modules

• Module 1 will introduce experimental psychology as a method subject in the field, and psychology as the study of behavior using the scientific method.
  • Topic Learning Outcomes:
    • Understand experimental psychology in the field of study
    • Differentiate ways of understanding behavior, contrasting science from non-science sources.
• Module 2 explains the elements in experimental design and describes how these are presented in a research report.
  • Topic Learning Outcomes:
    • Demonstrate understanding of the relationship between experimental design elements and research concepts.
    • Critically evaluate research papers based on the basic elements of experimental design.
    • Develop skills to formulate research problems.
• Module 3 introduces psychophysics, which studies the relationship between physical attributes of stimulus and attributes of sensation as well as highlighting related methods and concepts.
• Topic Learning Outcomes:
  • Demonstrate knowledge of basic psychophysics concepts.
• Module 4 will delve into the concept of perceptual thresholds and exploration of related psychological processes.
  • Topic Learning Outcomes:
    • Critically evaluate methods in scientific study of perception.
    • Conduct short experimental research and produce a research report.
    • Demonstrate critical thought through scientific writing.
• Module 5 expands on the understanding of perception as determined by reaction time and personality variables.
  • Unit 1 deals with factors affecting reaction time, while Unit 2 focuses on experiments describing how personality variables affect perception.
  • Topic Learning Outcomes:
    • Critically evaluate methods used in scientific study on reaction time and personality factors affecting perception
    • Conduct short experimental research and produce a research report.
    • Demonstrate critical thought through scientific writing
• Module 6 reviews basic concepts in learning, previously discussed in General Psychology.
• The module includes depicting the learning process through learning curves, and explores processes and transfer of learning through experimentation.
  • Topic Learning Outcomes:
    • Differentiate learning curves and appraise conditions of effective learning
    • Analyze the learning processes of tasks explored in Psychology research.
• Module 7 reviews basic concepts in memory and forgetting, as previously addressed in General Psychology, and studies how memory processes are experimentally studied.
  • Topic Learning Outcomes:
    • Contrast systems and processes of memory and forgetting.
    • Distinguish the memory processes associated with accessing different types of information.
    • Conduct short experimental research and produce a research report.
    • Demonstrate critical thought through scientific writing.
• Module 8 focuses on cognitive processes underlying capabilities such as reasoning, judgment, and decision-making as well as highlighting some specific areas.
  • Topic Learning Outcomes:
    • Demonstrate understanding of concepts and processes involved in decision-making.
    • Integrate concepts and processes of decision-making as applied in real life
• Module 9 addresses the concept of emotions by understanding it as conscious feelings and a response, as well as reviews theories of emotion from researches analyzing emotional experiences.
  • Topic Learning Outcomes:
    • Differentiate aspects, concepts, and theories relative to emotion.
    • Design or adopt experimental research and produce a research report.
    • Organize results into a presentation that show effective communication
    • Demonstrate critical thought through effective scientific writing and oral presentation.

Module 1: Science and Scientific Method

• Experimental Psychology is more of a "method" subject that spreads through the field subjects of Psychology.
  • Field subjects concentrate on principles, content, and theories, while method subjects are tools that help investigate the field of discipline.
• Goal of Experimental Psychology: to understand the fundamental causes of behavior.
• It deals with principles of Psychology applicable to humans/organisms in general, while focusing on the basic elements of behavior and mental processes.
• Psychology takes the scientific approach to understand behavior basing an understanding of human behavior on scientific evidence accumulated through research.
  • Relying on scientific methods entails specifying conditions for observations and accepting/rejecting alternative explanations of behaviors.
• Authority involves believing something because a trusted source states it is true, but this can be prone to error.
• Logic involves inferring on the relationships of previous premises or statements, with the catch being that logical conclusions may still be untrue due to assumptions/premises that are not true.
• Intuition refers to spontaneous perception or judgment based on factors that contribute to "sizing up" a situation/person.
  • Common sense relies on everyday, informal data which shape expectations/beliefs, where judgments align with the shared attitudes, experiences, and standards of a group. - Standards differ with time, place and culture.
  • Mysticism references direct insight associated with an altered state of consciousness apart from ordinary experience with difficulty describing the experience in a convincing way
• Non-scientific data sources are constrained by accuracy and inferential strategies.
  • There is concern on the accuracy of the information due to inherently subject conclusions, not being fully aware influences and the use of personal experiences to come up with common assumptions.
  • There is a concern on inferential strategies imperfect, or misleading explanations and predictions, where inferential biases are shortcuts to cope with volume of information but are not always accurate.
  • Confirmation Bias involves overlooking instances that might disconfirm beliefs and seeking instead confirmatory instances of behavior.
  • Halo/Horn Effect references snap judgments or cognitive biases based on initial impressions
  • With others behavior, there is bias to overlook situational data for data that substantiate trait explantations (bias for trait attributions)
  • Problems on stereotyping may occur
  • Under or Overestimating the probabilties of events may occur
    • Gambling fallacy believing the self as lucky while overlooking probabilities
  • We tend to feel accurate with predictions/explanations (overconfidence bias) Method of Tenacity involves rigidly clinging to a belief despite contrary evidence.
  • Pierce also described Method of Authority and the "A Priori Method," which relies on believing in something without prior examination.

Module 2: Science and the Scientific Need

• "Scientia" (knowledge) involves two definitions:
  • Content refers to the accumulation integrated knowledge, describing events under specific conditions, leading to explaining and predicting behavior.
  • Process denotes the systematic ways of gathering data, noting relationships, and offering explanations, while focusing on the scientific method of data collection, analysis, and evaluation.
• The fundamental science is behaviour that must have a natural order to it, in which it can be predicted.
• The objective of science is to formulate laws or develop theories that will provide explanation possible.
  • A theory is a set of related statements that explain occurrences.
    • A powerful theory occurs when has the more accurrences, and few statements it has
    • Some events may not be explained
  • Functions of a theory:
    • Organize Data: providing framework for systematic and data orderly
    • Generate prediction Etiology (knowledge branch dealing with causes) tries to explain how a phenomenon works, leading to prediction (prognosis).
  • The consequence and the best evidence of the adequacy of explanation is prediction
    • Predicition needs correlation only.
  • Explanation needs direction in a cause and effect explanation The scientific method (science process definition) involves:
  • Collecting observation and measurement
  • Analysis with thinking
  • Evaluation with need for replication
• Psychological science tools include:
  • Observation: noting and recording events in a systematic way and that the systematic noting and recording of events.