Notes psychology
January 30th
Scientific method
Double check everything
Hypothesis must be testable
Operational definition – The procedure of the test
Replication – If something was wrong, we change it (most of the time different than
original)
Meta-analysis – gather studies & examine results
Case study: one at a time, in-depth, no groups so no generalization permitted
Descriptive method: Natural observation
Surveys -> sampling very important for representation (have a
representative survey)
Self report -> very subjective
February 2nd
Scienti fi c method (suite)
Descriptive methods – like taking a picture
Correlati on
Positive correlation: the two elements move in the same direction; may it be up or down (direct
relationship) > 0 +1.00
Ex: Someone who smokes a lot has a higher chance of having a mental illness, the opposite is
also true.
Negative correlation: one element increases as the other decreases (inverse relationship)
< 0 – 1.00
Ex: Number of hours spent playing video games and the grades of a person
,Correlation does not prove causation; it suggests a possible cause-effect relationship but does
not prove it
Experimentati on
Experimentation enables researchers to isolate the effect of one or more factors
Manipulates the factor of interest to determine its effect
Holds constant (controls) other factors
Groups
The experimental group receives treatment, or at least something different than usual
The control group does not receive treatment, it stays as usual
Ex: I want to know if cannabis causes grades to lower
Manipulation: cannabis
Group 1: cannabis every day \
----> Grades?
Group 2: no cannabis /
Random assignment equalizes the experimental and control groups (randomize the participants)
Placebo eff ect
Experimental results caused by expectations alone; any effect on behaviour caused by the
administration of an inert substance or condition, which the recipient assumes is an active agent
Variables
The independent variable (the variable being manipulated) in an experiment is
manipulated; its effect is being studied
The dependent variable (the variable being measured) is the outcome that is measured.
it may change when the independent variable is manipulated
A confounding variable is a factor that might influence a study’s result but isn’t the main
focus of the study
,Predicti ng Everyday Behavior
Experiments test theoretical principles
The resulting principle, rather than any specific findings, help explain everyday behaviours
Psychological science focuses less on interpreting specific behaviours than on revealing general
principles that help explain many behaviours
Psychology’s Research Ethics
Protecting Animal Research Participants
Why study animals?
To understand species differences and similarities and to investigate
treatment for human diseases
To use in psychological, biological, and medical research
Is it right to place the well-being of humans above that of other animals?
Protection guidelines
Protecting Human Research Participants
Ethics codes and guidelines
Obtain participants’ informed consent
Protect participants from greater-than-usual harm and discomfort; greater than in
day-to-day life, day-to-day life example: car accident footage
Keep information about individual participants confidential
Fully debrief people: Explain the research afterward, including any temporary
deception
Researcher’s Values
Influence topic choices
Color/Alter the facts of observations and interpretations
May be hidden or unconscious
***Conflict of interest
February 7th
Tool of discovery: Having our head examined (Module 4)
, New generation of neural mapmakers
o Selectively lesion and observe brain function
o Electrically, chemically, or magnetically stimulate brain parts and note the
effects
- Types of neural measures
EEG Measures electrical activity/action potential – Electroencephalogram
MEG Similar to EEG, but measures magnetic fields
PET Used in hospitals, similar to MRI, inject radioactive glucose, which is brought
to cells and blood goes to the more active cells, so in the scanner, we see
radioactive activity
MRI Like taking a picture, we do not see brain activity
fMRI Measuring an activity, f is for function as in “what parts of the brain are
active?”
February 9th
The nervous system (Module 3)
(CNS) Central nervous system: brain & spinal cord
- Decision maker
(PNS) Peripheral nervous system: all the rest
- Taking information back and forth
CNS
Brain
- Neural networks: Neuron work group clusters
Spinal cord (highway of the body)
- Two-way system of ascending and descending neural fibers
Terms to Learn
• Neuron • Cell body • Dendrite • Axon • Myelin sheath • Action potential (neural impulse)
Neuron: The whole cell
Cell body: life support center – making sure/keeping the cell stays alive
Dendrite: receives messages from the other cells (little hairs) (listen)
January 30th
Scientific method
Double check everything
Hypothesis must be testable
Operational definition – The procedure of the test
Replication – If something was wrong, we change it (most of the time different than
original)
Meta-analysis – gather studies & examine results
Case study: one at a time, in-depth, no groups so no generalization permitted
Descriptive method: Natural observation
Surveys -> sampling very important for representation (have a
representative survey)
Self report -> very subjective
February 2nd
Scienti fi c method (suite)
Descriptive methods – like taking a picture
Correlati on
Positive correlation: the two elements move in the same direction; may it be up or down (direct
relationship) > 0 +1.00
Ex: Someone who smokes a lot has a higher chance of having a mental illness, the opposite is
also true.
Negative correlation: one element increases as the other decreases (inverse relationship)
< 0 – 1.00
Ex: Number of hours spent playing video games and the grades of a person
,Correlation does not prove causation; it suggests a possible cause-effect relationship but does
not prove it
Experimentati on
Experimentation enables researchers to isolate the effect of one or more factors
Manipulates the factor of interest to determine its effect
Holds constant (controls) other factors
Groups
The experimental group receives treatment, or at least something different than usual
The control group does not receive treatment, it stays as usual
Ex: I want to know if cannabis causes grades to lower
Manipulation: cannabis
Group 1: cannabis every day \
----> Grades?
Group 2: no cannabis /
Random assignment equalizes the experimental and control groups (randomize the participants)
Placebo eff ect
Experimental results caused by expectations alone; any effect on behaviour caused by the
administration of an inert substance or condition, which the recipient assumes is an active agent
Variables
The independent variable (the variable being manipulated) in an experiment is
manipulated; its effect is being studied
The dependent variable (the variable being measured) is the outcome that is measured.
it may change when the independent variable is manipulated
A confounding variable is a factor that might influence a study’s result but isn’t the main
focus of the study
,Predicti ng Everyday Behavior
Experiments test theoretical principles
The resulting principle, rather than any specific findings, help explain everyday behaviours
Psychological science focuses less on interpreting specific behaviours than on revealing general
principles that help explain many behaviours
Psychology’s Research Ethics
Protecting Animal Research Participants
Why study animals?
To understand species differences and similarities and to investigate
treatment for human diseases
To use in psychological, biological, and medical research
Is it right to place the well-being of humans above that of other animals?
Protection guidelines
Protecting Human Research Participants
Ethics codes and guidelines
Obtain participants’ informed consent
Protect participants from greater-than-usual harm and discomfort; greater than in
day-to-day life, day-to-day life example: car accident footage
Keep information about individual participants confidential
Fully debrief people: Explain the research afterward, including any temporary
deception
Researcher’s Values
Influence topic choices
Color/Alter the facts of observations and interpretations
May be hidden or unconscious
***Conflict of interest
February 7th
Tool of discovery: Having our head examined (Module 4)
, New generation of neural mapmakers
o Selectively lesion and observe brain function
o Electrically, chemically, or magnetically stimulate brain parts and note the
effects
- Types of neural measures
EEG Measures electrical activity/action potential – Electroencephalogram
MEG Similar to EEG, but measures magnetic fields
PET Used in hospitals, similar to MRI, inject radioactive glucose, which is brought
to cells and blood goes to the more active cells, so in the scanner, we see
radioactive activity
MRI Like taking a picture, we do not see brain activity
fMRI Measuring an activity, f is for function as in “what parts of the brain are
active?”
February 9th
The nervous system (Module 3)
(CNS) Central nervous system: brain & spinal cord
- Decision maker
(PNS) Peripheral nervous system: all the rest
- Taking information back and forth
CNS
Brain
- Neural networks: Neuron work group clusters
Spinal cord (highway of the body)
- Two-way system of ascending and descending neural fibers
Terms to Learn
• Neuron • Cell body • Dendrite • Axon • Myelin sheath • Action potential (neural impulse)
Neuron: The whole cell
Cell body: life support center – making sure/keeping the cell stays alive
Dendrite: receives messages from the other cells (little hairs) (listen)
