PSYCH 3F03 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Homo Sapiens, Scientific Method, Cell Theory
Document Summary
Major sources: experimental observations, archeological records, hunter-gatherer societies, self-report. Other sources: life history data, human produces, experimental observations. Allows us to systematically quantify a specific experimental prediction. Controlling other variables we want to remain constant: this way we can see differences are mostly due to the iv. Weaknesses: lack of natural setting, lab artifacts, archeological records. Strengths: provides snapshots of life through time, allows us to infer evolutionary change and diversification. Weaknesses: soft tissues (and behaviours) are not preserved, no way we can infer a behaviour to a fine degree from a fossil, captures only a fraction of life, hunter-gatherer societiies. Allows us to gain insight on human socities that live more congruently to most of our ancestors. Strengths: captures human behaviour in a natural setting. Wekness: lack of control: self report. Strength: info coming straight from the source. Weakness: not always a reliable measure: ex: personal biases create untruthful and inaccurate responses, life history data.
