PSYC 260 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Leon Festinger, School Bullying, Naturalistic Observation
18 Nov 2013
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Document Summary
Understanding research methods: learn the terminology/jargon, insight/inferences from studies, helps you become an educated consumer of research. Outcomes can usually be reasoned either way ahead of time. Knew it all along effect = everything seems obvious in retrospect (hindsight 20/20) Predict behaviour before it occurs not explain it afterwards. Both endings of the story will make sense to conclude that one was able to predict. Most human behaviour can be scientifically studied. Not all folk wisdom/common knowledge is correct. Theory: an organized set of principles that can be used to explain observed phenomena. Hypothesis: a tentative explanation for a set of facts that can be tested with further investigation. Birds of a feather flock together (similar couples have longer relationships) A technique whereby a researcher observes people and systematically records their behaviour. School bullying, helpers: goal: describe and measure behaviour in a natural setting.
