PSC 41 Study Guide - Winter 2018, Comprehensive Midterm Notes - Dependent And Independent Variables, Null Hypothesis, External Validity
PSC 41
MIDTERM EXAM
STUDY GUIDE
Fall 2018
• Humans constantly gather/organize info about the world
o We generate theories about how the world works
• Scientific theory vs opinion
o Scientific theory is supported w/ data and evidence
o Opinion is more subjective
Ways to Acquire Knowledge
• Intuitive Knowledge (I feel that it’s so)
• Authority (A respected source says that it’s so)
• Empiricism (Believe it when I see it)
• Rationalism (Logically it follows that…)
o Empiricism + rationalism = scientific knowledge
Scientific Knowledge
• Describes relationships between variables
o Variables = any characteristics that vary
• Is objective
o Strives to overcome subjective bias
• Makes predictions and tests them
• Based on rationalism and empiricism (Theory-Data Cycle)
o Rationalism = logical reasoning, deduction
o Empiricism = knowledge collected through the senses (observation,
experience)
Theory-Data Cycle
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Assumptions of Science
• A true physical universe exists
• While there may be randomness and unpredictability the universe is an organized
system
• We can discover the principles of this system through scientific discovery
• Our knowledge of the universe is incomplete
o New discoveries alter current ideas and theories
o All knowledge and theories are tentative
Theories
• Trephining = practice of drilling/chiseling holes in the skull
o Some animals experience seizures (Brief episodes of uncontrolled
movement/loss of awareness)
o Seizures may be caused by evil spirits trapped in the skull
o Cave paintings from Neolithic times indicate that people believed trephining
would cure epileptic people
o Belief/practice continued through the Middle Ages into the Renaissance
• Phrenology
o Brain is perhaps the primary control center for the body and personality
o Perhaps different abilities and functions are localized in different areas of the
brain
o Perhaps brain is like a muscle (parts that are used will increase in size)
o This would allow me to tell what kind of person you are by looking at the
volume of your brain areas
o Very popular belief in 1800s
• Autism
o Many children don’t show obvious signs until around 18 months
o Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine is given around 18 months
o Perhaps autism is caused by the MMR vaccine
▪ However, there are countries where the MMR vaccine is given and
autism prevalence isn’t increasing
▪ Claim disproved
Goals of Research in Psychology
• Describe behavior (frequency claims)
o Identify regularly occurring sequences of events
o Classify behaviors
• Predict behavior (association claims)
o Identify the relationships between variables
o Strength of relationship leads to degree of confidence in prediction
• Explain behavior (causal claims)
o Understand the cause and effect relationships
o Develop theories about why things occur the way they do
o Test the theories
Scientific Method (Merton’s Norms)
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PSC 41 Full Course Notes
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