PSYC 1001 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Operational Definition, Observer-Expectancy Effect
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PSYC 1001 Full Course Notes
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Psychologists are a type of scientist, and there are many branches of careers/domains that psychologists operate in. Psychology uses a systematic method for collecting information to avoid personal bias. Scientific approach: a systematic method of gathering information that reduces bias and error in measurement. *behavior is a key piece, so is mental processes in psychology/the interest of psychologists. Psychology"s 4 goals: description, explanation, theory: general explanation of a set of observations or facts, prediction, control. *some psychological studies do not involve forming and testing a formal hypothesis. Naturalistic observation: watching animals behave in their normal environment. Disadvantages: vulnerability to the observer effect, vulnerability to observer bias example: Wrinkles didn"t misbehave when the specialist came to watch her. *each naturalistic setting in unique and observations may not hold elsewhere. Laboratory observation: watching humans and animals behave in lab setting. Quantitative surveys: involves researchers asking a structured series of sections about the topic under study.
