Experimental Psychology Chapter 1 PDF

EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY Chapter 1: Experimental Psychology and Scientific Method ▪ The Need for Scientific Methodology The Characteristics of Modern Science ▪ The Objectives of Psychological Science ▪ The Tools of Psychological...

EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY Chapter 1: Experimental Psychology and Scientific Method ▪ The Need for Scientific Methodology The Characteristics of Modern Science ▪ The Objectives of Psychological Science ▪ The Tools of Psychological Science ▪ Scientific Explanation in Psychological Science ▪ The Organization of the Text Steps of Scientific Method The Need for Scientific Methodology Nonscientific Sources of Nonscientific Inference Data ❑ accurate predictions are increased with length of acquaintanceship ❑ conclusions drawn have limited ❑ can lead to overestimating behaviors accuracy and usefulness due to ❑ traits are more useful when biases predicting how someone will behave ❑ -sources are not always good for over the long term obtaining valid information about ❑ situations are better predictors of behavior even though it comes momentary behaviors from trusted sources like friends, ❑ -overconfidence bias: compounding family, etc; because it is offered inferential shortcomings; predictions by people we like it is accepted feel more correct than they actually without question are ❑ -more likely to accept information ❑ -these biases are brain’s way of from someone who is attractive, coping with mass amounts of popular, etc information Characteristics of Modern Science behavior must follow a natural order so that it can be predicted Scientific Mentality determinism: the belief that there are specifiable causes for the way people behave that can be discovered through research empirical data: data that are observable or experienced Gathering Empirical Data empirical data collected in a systematic way is ideal; still not guaranteed to be correct laws: principles that have the generality to apply to all situations Seeking General theories: advanced understanding but not enough information to be Principles declared a law collecting and interpreting data systematically and objectively with no Good Thinking personal biases or beliefs; includes being open to new ideas even when they contradict prior beliefs the more evidence that accumulates to support a particular explanation Self-Correction or theory, the more confidence we have that the theory is correct Publicizing Results the process of exchanging information vital to the scientific process repeat procedures multiple times to verify results; multiple researchers Replication should verify the experiment Objectives of Psychological Science Description Explanation initial step toward understanding; understanding what causes a systematic and unbiased something to occur account of the observed characteristics of behaviors; good descriptions allow greater knowledge of behaviors Prediction Control the capability of knowing in the application of what has been advance when certain behaviors learned about behavior; once the would be expected to occur knowledge about a behavior is because we have identified other learned, it is possible to use that conditions with which the knowledge to effect change or behaviors are linked improve behavior Tools of Psychological Science Observation systematic noting and recording of events Measurement assignment of numerical values to objects or events or their characteristics according to conventional rules; physical dimensions, intelligence tests, etc Experimentation process undertaken to test a prediction that particular behavioral events will occur reliably in certain, specifiable situations How does applied research differ from basic research? Applied research addresses real-world problems like how to improve student graduation rates. Basic research tests theories and explains psychological phenomena like helping behavior. How does an experiment establish cause and effect? An experiment attempts to establish a cause- and-effect relationship between the antecedent conditions (IV) and subject behavior (DV). Experiments establish a temporal relationship, because causes must precede effects. However, not all prior events are causes. Pseudosciences A pseudoscience is any field of study that gives the appearance of being scientific, but has no true scientific basis and has not been confirmed using the scientific method. Modern pseudosciences include past life regression, reparenting, and rebirthing.  END THANK YOU