PSYC 1111 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Quackery, Pseudoscience, Psych
Document Summary
Empirical- evidence gathered by observation, experimentation or measurement. Psychology- the discipline concerned with behavior and mental processes and how they are affected by and organisms physical state, mental state and external environment. Psychobabble- pseudoscience and quackery covered by a veneer of psychological and scientific sounding language. Critical thinking- to make judgements on the basis of well supported reasons rather than emotion or anecdote. *critical thinking* (tells the difference between psychology and psychobabble. ) Define your terms by explaining what you mean. Bias- when an assumption or belief keeps us from considering evidence fairly, or cause us to ignore evidence. Occam"s razor- explanations with the most evidence and least assumptions. Phrenology- a theory (no longer used) that stated different brain areas counted for different character and personality traits that could be identified or read" through bumps on the skull. Structuralism- analysis of immediate experience like feelings, sensations and images into basic elements.
