PSY 304 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1-7: Central Nervous System, Umami, Dementia
Chapter 1: introduction and research methods5/14/2018 2:55:00 AM
Psychology: scientific study of behavior and mental processes.
Psychology as a science: Psychology uses empirical evidence that can be
objectively tested and evaluated.
Structuralism: first framework for studying psychology; uses introspection to
understand sensation and perception.
Psychology’s past: psychology is a result of physiology and
Wilhelm Wundt: 1879, Leipzig, Germany. ‘Father of psychology’, established
first psychology lab.
Edward Titchener: student of Wundt’s, spread structuralism’s goal of
identifying the basic building blocks of mental life.
Mislabel: we sometimes mislabel our emotions because of the social norms,
For example: we replace our emotion of fear with our emotion of anger.
Structuralism: died out because not useful for studying animals, children and
disorders.
Functionalism: how the mind functions and allows animals/humans to adapt
to environment.
William James: established first psychology lab in united states, expanded
psychology research to include emotions and observable behavior, began
psychological testing. He believed that psychology was all about human
behavior.
Psychoanalytic perspective: the unconscious part of the mind has thoughts,
memories, desires that lie outside personal awareness but have strong
influence.
Sigmund Freud: Austria, late 1800-early 1900.
Mary Calkins: completed requirements for PhD under William James at
Harvard but was denied her degree because of her gender. Became
prominent memory researcher, served as first female president of APA in
1905.
Margaret Floy Washburn: first female to receive PhD in psychology.
Francis Cecil Sumner: first African American to earn PhD in psychology in
1920.
Kenneth B. Clark: student of Sumner’s, became first black president of APA;
researched harmful effects of prejudice.
Psychodynamic: unconscious dynamics, motives, conflicts, and past
experiences.
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Behavioral: objective, observable, environmental influences on overt
behavior; stimulus response relationships and consequences for behavior.
Humanistic: free will, self-actualization, and human nature as naturally
positive and growth seeking.
Cognitive: thinking, perceiving, problem solving, memory, language, and
information processing.
Biological: genetic and biological processes in the brain and other parts of
the nervous system.
Evolutionary: natural selection, adaptation, and evolution of behavior and
mental processes.
Sociocultural: social interactions and the cultural determinants of behavior
and mental processes.
Bio Psycho Social model: no one perspective on psychology can completely
explain the complex human condition.
Culture: focus on the individual does not provide full information about
emotions and motivation. Must consider the individual in the context of the
group. Individual vs. collectivist cultures.
Types of research:
1. Basic research: focuses on fundamental principles and the theories to
advance core scientific knowledge.
2. Applied research: designed to solve practical, real-world problems.
The scientific method: hypothesis must be testable prediction, variables
must be operationally defined, psychological theories are evidence-based,
rigorously tested, and self-correcting.
Psychology’s 4 main goals:
1. Description: what occurred
2. Explanation: why something occurred
3. Prediction: under what conditions is the phenomenon likely to occur
again?
4. Control: how do we increase desired outcomes and decrease negative
outcomes?
Research methods:
1. Descriptive research: systematic observation and description
Naturalistic observations: observe and record behavior in natural
setting, without interference.
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Survey/interview: ask people to report behaviors, opinions and
attitudes.
Case studies: in-depth study of small number of participants.
Archival research: using previous recorded data.
2. Correlational research: when two variables are related, a change in one is
accompanied by a change in the other.
Correlation coefficient: is statistical number showing direction and
strength of relationship between two variables,” correlation does not
mean causation”.
Positive correlation: more maternal smoking, more fetal defects.
Negative correlation: more class absences, less exam scores.
Zero correlation: no correlation at all.
3. Experimental research: required to determine causation
Independent variable: manipulated
Dependent variable: observed and measured
Experimental group: the group that receives the treatment
Control group: the group that does not receive the treatment
Random assignment: ensures that change in DV is due to IV, not some
characteristic of the group
Controlling bias:
Sample bias: research participants don’t reflect larger population
Experimenter bias: researcher influences outcome in expected direction
Participation bias: experimental condition influences participant’s
behavior
Social desirability: participant provides dishonest answers to personal,
risky, or embarrassing questions.
Ethical guidelines: informed consent, voluntary participation, restricted use
of deception with debriefing, confidentiality.
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Document Summary
Chapter 1: introduction and research methods5/14/2018 2:55:00 am. Psychology: scientific study of behavior and mental processes. Psychology as a science: psychology uses empirical evidence that can be objectively tested and evaluated. Structuralism: first framework for studying psychology; uses introspection to understand sensation and perception. Psychology"s past: psychology is a result of physiology and. Edward titchener: student of wundt"s, spread structuralism"s goal of identifying the basic building blocks of mental life. Mislabel: we sometimes mislabel our emotions because of the social norms, For example: we replace our emotion of fear with our emotion of anger. Structuralism: died out because not useful for studying animals, children and disorders. Functionalism: how the mind functions and allows animals/humans to adapt to environment. William james: established first psychology lab in united states, expanded psychology research to include emotions and observable behavior, began psychological testing. He believed that psychology was all about human behavior.
