research in psychology

*Research in Psychology

*What is psychology?

*Astronomer's?*Psychics?*Elders?*Cultural?

*Folk Psychology vs. Scientific Psychology

*folk psychology*Common sense psychology

*Scientific Psychology*Relies on statistical evidence

*How Would You Define

Psychology?

*The scientific study of…..*Human behavior* Aggression* sleep

* Interations of biological components?*Hormones*Genes* environment

*Mental process*Memory, emotion attitude

*Pop Psychology and Psychobabble

*Psychobabble is not based upon research!*http://www.spring.org.uk

/2008/06/30-psychobabble-phrases-which-do-you.php

*Psychology is Diverse

*Biological* Experiment * Brain scans* Chemical assessment

*Sociological* Experiment* Observation* Interviews

*Anthropological*Group interaction* Sex/gender

*Be a thinker

1. Consider two advantages of being a multidisciplinary science

2. List three topics that you think could be investigated using information and understanding from different areas of knowledge and explain why?

*History of Psychology

*Spirits, Gods, Voodoo &Demons *Hippocrates explains:*Female hysteria in terms of a wondering uterus

*Women were burned as witches across Europe.*1879, Wilhelm Wundt*First scientifically experimental study of

psychology*Sigmund Freud*Psychodynamic theories of the unconscious mind

and the conflict on human behavior.

*Wilhelm Wundt

*The Father of Psychology: http://www.simplypsychology.org/wundt.html

*Sigmund Freud

*Freud was the originator of psychoanalysis

*John Watson

*Behaviorist*The study of peoples actions with the ability

to predict and control those reactions.*Noted for a very famous & controversial

study, “Little Albert”.

*BF Skinner

*Behaviorist*How does the history of behavior

reinforcement affect an individual within a conditioned environment?*“Skinner was an advocate of behavioral

engineering and he thought that people should be controlled through the systematic allocation of external rewards.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B._F._Skinner

*Psychology

*Psych – the mind or soul*Logos – reason

*Epistemology

*“The Theory of Knowledge”……*Ways of knowing:*Perception*Memory*Language*Sensation*Reason

*Ethics

*Good Research needs to be ethical.*Guidelines for research involving people*Approval is gained from the institution the researcher is working

for.* Informed consent is obtained from all those who will participate*Deception is to be avoided unless it is justified by the potential

significant contribution that that research will make.*Debriefing must take place.*Participants rights include the right to confidentiality and the right

to withdraw.*Fabrication of data is unacceptable.

*Ethics cont.,

*Guidelines for researching animals*There must be clear scientific purpose that will

increase the knowledge of processes relating to* evolution* development* maintenance*alteration * control or biological significance of behavior.*Research should benefit welfare of humans or

other animals.

*Theoretical vs. Empirical Studies

*Theory: An explanation for a psychological phenomenon. *Explains an observation*Can be used to make predictions*Theories are built on concepts* Constructs that can be tested * Bandura’s concept of Self Efficacy

*Empirical Study: Evidence must be gathered using the scientific method. Requires accurate analysis of data using statistical measured.

*“Theoretical explanations are probable rather that certain, and therefore they are always open to some degree of doubt.”*One theory cannot always explain all

aspects of psychological phenomena

*Empirical Research

*Personal space invasion example (Middlemist et al., 1976)

*Psychological Theory in Practice

*Professor Carol Dweck, Stanford University:

“Mindset”Fixed mindset vs. growth mindset

*Psychological Theory in Practice

cont.,

People who attribute their failures to lack of ability become discouraged even in areas where they are capable. Those who think they simply hae not tried hard enough are encouraged to try harder when they experience setbacks

1. Does this theory correspond to real life?2. To what extent does this theory offer insight

into possible differences in terms of what people achieve in education, sports , or the arts?

*Critical Thinking

*Read pg 15: Research and psychology*Discuss the findings of these studies.

Would you buy a pill promising you a better memory? Give reasons for your answer.*What would you look for to conclude a

study was valid?