PSY1011 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Pseudoscience, Confirmation Bias, Scientific Theory
15 May 2018
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PSY1011
INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY
PSYCHOLOGY 1A
LEARNING OUTCOMES :
•Define psychology
•Explain how science can safeguard against the major fallacies of human thinking
•Describe the features of psychological pseudoscience, and distinguish it from
psychological science.
•Describe the reasons why we are drawn to pseudoscience
•Identify the key features of scepticism
•Explain the basic principles of scientific thinking
KEY TERMS :
WORD
DEFINITION
PSYCHOLOGY
The scientific study of the mind, brain and behaviour
INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES
Refers to the extent and type of distinctions among individuals
on some of the significant psychological traits, personal
characteristics, cognitive and emotional components.
NAIVE REALISM
The idea that the senses provide us with direct awareness of
objects as they really are. (Common sense realism)
SCIENTIFIC THEORY
Well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural
world, based on a body of facts that have been repeated
confirmed through observation and experiments.
HYPOTHESIS
Testable prediction of the relationship between two or more
variables. The research hypothesis formulated for a specific
investigations essentially an educated or thoughtful guess
about what the result will be.
CONFIRMATION BIAS
The tendency to interrupt new evidence as confirmation of
one’s existing beliefs or theories.
- The tendency to seek out evidence that supports our
hypotheses, and neglect or distort evidence that contradicts.
BELIEF PERSERVERANCE
The tendency for people to hold their beliefs as true, even when
there is sufficient evidence to discredit the belief. When faced
with evidence that contradicts their belief, people may choose
to discredit the information.
METAPHYSICAL CLAIM
PSEUDOSCIENCE
Set of claims that seem scientific but are not.
SCIENTIFIC SKEPTICISM
Approach to evaluating all claims with an open mind but
insisting on persuasive evidence before accepting them.
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PSY1011
Depression can be examined at differing levels of explanation:
1. Molecular level:
-Variation in genes tha predispose to depression
2. Neurochemical level:
-Differences in levels of the brain’s chemical messengers that influence mood.
3. Neurological/physiological level:
-Differences in the size and functioning of brain structures related to mood
4. Mental Level :
-Depressed thoughts
-Sad feelings
-Ideas of suicide
5. Behavioural level
- Decreased in pleasurable activities
-Moving and talking slowly
-Withdrawing from others
6. Social level :
-Loss of important personal relationships
-lack of social support
•We are prone to naive realism (the belief that we see the world precisely as it is-“seeing
is believing”) :
•Often serves us well, but appearance can be deceiving and out intuitions often
wrong, especially when it comes to evaluating ourselves and others.
•Can lead us to draw incorrect conclusions about human nature
•In many cases, “believing is seeing” - our beliefs shape our perceptions of the
world (often in ways we don’t realise)
•To understand why often acts the way we do, most of us trust our common sense (our
gut instinct about how the social world works) :
•Sometimes correct, and can be a helpful guide for generating hypothesis that
can later be scientifically tested, but should not be relied upon solely.
CRITICAL THINKING
The objectives analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to
form a judgement.
Set of skills for evaluating all claims in an open-minded and
careful fashion.
VARIABLE
Not consistent or having a fixed pattern ; liable change
FALSIFIABLE /TESTABILITY
The capacity for some proposition, statement, theory or
hypothesis to be proven wrong.
REPLICABILITY
Can be increased by doing in-depth research on other similar
experiments and ruling out variables you may not have thought
of originally.
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
The scienti c study of the mind, brain and behaviour. Refers to the extent and type of distinctions among individuals on some of the signi cant psychological traits, personal characteristics, cognitive and emotional components. The idea that the senses provide us with direct awareness of objects as they really are. (common sense realism) Well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world, based on a body of facts that have been repeated con rmed through observation and experiments. Testable prediction of the relationship between two or more variables. The research hypothesis formulated for a speci c investigations essentially an educated or thoughtful guess about what the result will be. The tendency to interrupt new evidence as con rmation of one"s existing beliefs or theories. The tendency to seek out evidence that supports our hypotheses, and neglect or distort evidence that contradicts.
