Psychology Experiment: Math Games and Rewards

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Questions and Answers

What is the main focus of a behavioral analysis of social life?

The social stimuli, responses made, responses received, and how they sustain or disrupt interactions.

Give an example of how stimuli can influence behavior related to obesity.

Some people may overeat only in the presence of specific stimuli, such as watching television.

What influences the likelihood of children expressing aggressive responses according to the text?

Children are more likely to express aggressive responses when those responses are rewarded rather than punished.

What did the strict behavioral approach historically not consider at all?

The individual's mental processes. Signup and view all the answers

How do psychologists draw inferences about mental activity in individuals?

By recording verbal self-reports and analyzing subjective data. Signup and view all the answers

What do psychologists other than strict behaviorists often record to understand mental processes?

Verbal self-reports. Signup and view all the answers

What did the experiment conducted by Greene, Sternberg, & Lepper (1976) reveal about the effect of rewards on children's intrinsic interest in activities?

The experiment revealed that rewards sometimes backfire and undermine kids' intrinsic interest in activities like reading and math. Signup and view all the answers

Explain the impact of external rewards on children's behavior based on the experiment discussed in the text.

External rewards can cause children to discount internal factors like their own enjoyment of an activity. Signup and view all the answers

What happened to the children's interest in math games when the rewards were discontinued?

Children who had received rewards suddenly lost interest, while those who were never rewarded continued to play regularly. Signup and view all the answers

How does the experiment by Greene, Sternberg, & Lepper (1976) illustrate the concept of the law of effect?

The rewards in the experiment increased the amount of time kids played the math games, demonstrating the law of effect. Signup and view all the answers

Explain the relationship between external rewards and intrinsic motivation in the context of the experiment with children and math games.

External rewards can undermine intrinsic motivation, leading to a decrease in interest when rewards are removed. Signup and view all the answers

What psychological concept is exemplified by the behavior of children in the experiment after the rewards were discontinued?

The behavior of the children illustrates the fundamental attribution error. Signup and view all the answers

What is the limitation of only examining the effect of one independent variable on one dependent variable in experiments?

It is too restrictive for some problems. Signup and view all the answers

In a study manipulating both the amount of money offered and the difficulty level of math problems, how many groups of participants would there be?

Six groups Signup and view all the answers

Define Hypothesis in the context of experimental research.

A statement about cause and effect that can be tested. Signup and view all the answers

What is an Experiment in the context of experimental research?

A well-controlled test of a hypothesis about cause and effect. Signup and view all the answers

Explain the concept of Variable in experimental research.

Something that can occur with different values and can be measured. Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of a situation where the fundamental attribution error might occur?

When explaining someone else's behavior based on internal factors rather than situational ones. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Focuses on understanding how people's behavior is influenced by their environment and social interactions.

Stimuli and Obesity

Stimuli, such as the sight or smell of food, can trigger cravings and lead to overeating, contributing to obesity.

Factors Influencing Aggressive Responses in Children

The likelihood of children expressing aggressive responses is influenced by factors like witnessing aggression, exposure to violent media, and experiencing frustration.

Historical Limitations of Strict Behavioral Approach

Historically, the strict behavioral approach disregarded the role of internal mental processes, such as thoughts, feelings, and motivations, in influencing behavior.

Inferring Mental Activity

Psychologists draw inferences about mental activity by observing behavior, analyzing verbal reports, and using neuroimaging techniques.

Recording Mental Processes

Psychologists beyond strict behaviorists record various measures, including physiological responses, brain activity, and self-reports, to understand mental processes.

Rewards and Intrinsic Interest

The experiment by Greene, Sternberg, & Lepper (1976) revealed that offering external rewards (like prizes) for engaging in an enjoyable activity (like playing math games) can decrease children's intrinsic interest in that activity.

External Rewards and Behavior

The experiment showed that children initially spent more time playing math games when rewarded, but this effect was temporary.

Discontinuation of Rewards

When the rewards were discontinued, children's interest in playing math games significantly decreased, suggesting that the rewards had undermined their intrinsic motivation.

Law of Effect

The experiment illustrates the law of effect, which states that behaviors followed by rewarding consequences are more likely to be repeated.

Rewards and Intrinsic Motivation

The experiment highlights the potential negative impact of external rewards on intrinsic motivation, showing that rewards can sometimes undermine an individual's natural interest in an activity.

Psychological Concept: Overjustification Effect

The decrease in children's interest in math games after the rewards were discontinued exemplifies the overjustification effect, which occurs when external rewards reduce intrinsic motivation.

Limitations of Single-Variable Experiments

Examining only one independent variable's effect on one dependent variable in experiments can limit understanding the complex interplay of multiple factors in real-world situations.

Number of Participant Groups

In a study manipulating both the amount of money offered and the difficulty level of math problems, there would be four groups of participants:
- Low money, easy problems
- Low money, hard problems
- High money, easy problems
- High money, hard problems

Hypothesis

A hypothesis is a testable prediction about the relationship between variables in an experiment.

Experiment

An experiment is a research method that systematically manipulates independent variables to observe their effects on dependent variables while controlling for extraneous factors.

Variable

A variable is any factor that can change or vary in an experiment. There are independent variables (manipulated by the researcher) and dependent variables (measured by the researcher).

Fundamental Attribution Error

The fundamental attribution error would occur in a situation where someone attributes another person's behavior to their personality traits rather than considering potential situational factors. For example, if someone cuts you off in traffic, you might immediately assume they are a bad driver, without considering the possibility that they are rushing to the hospital due to an emergency.

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Description

Explore the classic experiment where teachers introduced new math games to students and observed their playtime, with some classrooms receiving rewards. Learn about psychological research methods and hypothesis generation in this study.