PSY102: Psychology and Scientific Thinking

• Study guide applies to PSY102 taught by Dr. Sullivan.

Psychology and Scientific Thinking

• Psychology is defined using modern-day definitions.
• Psychology is learned from many sources in popular culture.
• Scientific studies are necessary, common sense is unreliable.
• Psychology has multiple levels of analysis, each representing different aspects.
• Psychology's challenges include actions being multiply determined and psychological influences rarely being independent.
• Actions are multiply determined (produced by many factors).
• Individual differences exist among people.
• Theory differs from a hypothesis.
• Confirmation bias needs understanding, examples should be reviewed.
• Psychological pseudoscience should be defined.
• Dangers of pseudoscience should be noted.
• The three warning signs of pseudoscience from assignment 1 are crucial.
• Scientific skepticism should be defined.
• The six principles of scientific thinking from assignment 1 should be reviewed.

Brief History of Psychology

• Major historical perspectives include Structuralism, Functionalism, Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Psychoanalysis, and Humanism.
• What the ancient Greeks thought about psychology should be noted.
• René Descartes' dualism involves the separation of mind vs. body.
• Naci, Owen, and colleagues (2014) provide a modern-day research example of the mind-body problem.
• Donders' decision-making experiment involved Simple RT and Choice RT conditions; note the results and calculation.
• Wundt established the first psychology lab.
• Introspection should be defined.
• Titchener's structuralism should be noted.
• Structuralism's issues should be noted.
• Structuralism had a lasting scientific influence.
• Ebbinghaus' early memory experiment is not part of structuralism.
• James' functionalism, influenced by Darwin, aimed to understand the function of psychological characteristics.
• Watson, Skinner, and behaviorism led to abandoning the study of the mind.
• Main ideas and lasting scientific influence of behaviorism should be noted.
• Tolman's experiment revealed a cognitive map.
• Cognitivism/Cognitive psychology is interested in studying cognition.
• Insights from the digital computer are relevant.
• Ways that thinking can affect behavior should be noted.
• Psychoanalysis, pioneered by Freud, should be noted.
• The main ideas of psychoanalysis should be noted.
• The role of symbolism is important.
• Psychoanalysis had a lasting scientific influence.
• Humanism, with Maslow, had the main idea of humanism.
• Types of psychologists exist, each with a main focus.
• Evolutionary psychology is controversial.

Research Methods

• Research methods are needed for specific reasons.
• Research methodology should be defined.
• Causal claims can be made under certain conditions.
• Generalizability, also known as external validity, should be defined.
• Representative samples are used in research.
• Random selection is used in research.
• Reliability should be defined.
• Test-retest and interrater reliability should be defined.
• Validity, also known as construct validity, should be defined.
• Examples of low or high validity should be noted.
• The difference between reliability and validity should be understood.

Types of Research Designs (field work)

• Naturalistic observation should be noted.
• Provine's Investigation of Laughter and Wansink/van Ittersum's Buffet Study are examples of field work.
• Case studies should be noted.
• H.M. and Prosopagnosia are examples of case studies.
• Self-report measures and surveys have specific measures.
• Challenges of survey design should be understood.
• Correlational designs involve three types of correlations.
• Correlation ≠ causation.
• Experimental designs are high on internal validity.
• Random assignment should be defined.
• An experimental group differs from a control group.
• The difference between a between-subjects design vs. a within-subject design.
• Independent and dependent variables should be defined.
• Confounding variable should be defined.
• Placebo effect should be defined.
• Experimenter expectancy effect should be defined.
• Demand Characteristics, Reactivity, and Social Desirability Bias/Positive Impression Management/Response sets should be defined.

Statistics in Psychology Research

• Central tendency should be noted.
• The three measures of central tendency, and how they are calculated/identified should be noted
• Normal distribution should be defined.
• Where variance is measured and how it is determined should be noted.

Research Ethics

• Ethical issues in research design should be noted.
• REB board should be defined.
• Informed consent form should be defined.
• Debriefing should be defined.

Biological Psychology

• Biological Psychology must be defined.
• Differences between the central and peripheral nervous systems must be understood.
• Differences between the somatic and autonomic nervous systems must be understood.
• The sympathetic vs. parasympathetic divisions within the autonomic nervous system should be compared.
• Phrenology should be defined.
• Problems with phrenology must be noted.
• Its major contribution should be considered.
• How neuropsychology finds information about cognitive functions must be understood.
• The Localization of Function must be defined.
• Examples of Broca's and Wernicke's Aphasia should be noted.
• Double dissociation should be understood.
• Electrical stimulation and the brain should be defined.
• Brain mapping methods measure measures brain function/brain activity or measures the structure of the brain.
• EEG should be defined.
• ERPs are based on EEG brain waves.
• CT scans should be defined.
• MRI scans should be defined.
• fMRI should be defined.
• MEG must be defined.
• Manipulating the Brain (Manipulates Function) should be defined.
• Neurons doctrine, and neuron should be defined.
• Main parts of the neuron (name and key function)
• Electrical signal and chemical signal must be defined.
• Synapse and synaptic cleft should be defined.
• Glial cells should be defined.
• Stages of the Action Potential should be understood.
• Resting potential, threshold of excitation, action potential must be defined.
• The order of sodium and potassium channels, and sodium-potassium pump should be noted.
• Definitions: all-or-none response, absolute refractory period, reuptake.
• Key neurotransmitters: functions and examples should be reviewed.
• The difference between three types of psychoactive drugs must be noted.
• Locations the four lobes must be noted.
• Functions each lobe should be noted. Corpus callosum, Grey Matter, and White Matter should be noted.
• Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI): Structural imaging technique of white matter tracts (axons) should be defined.
• Split brain surgery experiment and its implications must be noted.
• Review Phineas Gage injury - its insight into the function of the left prefrontal cortex should be noted.
• Unilateral neglect - Damage to the parietal lobe. Results in problems with spatial attention.
• Key functions of limbic system and brain stems should be reviewed.

Study guide for PSY102 with Dr. Sullivan. Covers the definition of psychology, the necessity of scientific studies, and multiple levels of analysis. Also addresses challenges like actions being multiply determined, individual differences, and the dangers of psychological pseudoscience.