Exploring Psychology: Methods and Basic Principles

1. How is Psychology Conducted?

2. The Need For Psychological Science • Common Sense and Intuition • What is common sense? • How does it effect intuition? • Can we trust our intuition?

3. The Need For Psychological Science • Hindsight Bias • I-Knew-It-All–Along Phenomenon • Happens when one learns a fact and it immediately sounds like common sense • In your notes, write down an example of a time when hindsight bias happened to you. (school appropriate) • Can psychology overturn common sense ideas?

4. The Need For Psychological Science • Overconfidence • Unscramble these words • rvocnodefceeni= • rmaacei= • arnbi= • How does overconfidence relate to hindsight bias? • How can we avoid overconfidence? Is it avoidable?

5. Attitude is everything • The scientific attitude: • Requires types of attitude • Curiosity • Why is curiosity important? • Skepticism • What do you mean? How do you know? • Humility • Why is humility important? • A1+A2+A3= • Critical Thinking

6. The Scientific Method • A self-correcting method process for asking questions and observing nature answer • Steps: • Ask a question • Research the question • Refine your question • Develop a hypothesis (theory) • Choose a method • Test the hypothesis • Analyzes the results • Communicate your results

7. Good Science • Theories Hypotheses  Research and Observations Refine and Generate Theory • What is a Theory? • An explanation using an integrated set of principles that organizes and predicts observations • Good Theories Consist of: • Organizing and linking observed facts • Implying hypotheses that offer testable predictions and, sometimes, practical applications.

8. Good Science • In your notes, • Develop and original theory • Develop a hypothesis • A testable prediction

9. Methods • Qualitative .VS. Quantitative • Qualitative: data gathered by statements, experiences, impressions. • Think Words • Quantitative: Data gathered and translated into numbers • Think Numbers • Hybrid Studies: combine quantitative and qualitative data

10. Methods • The Case Study • One of the oldest forms of psychological research • In depth studies of people in the hope of revealing universal principles • What are some case studies you are aware of? • What are the strengths and weaknesses of this type of study? • Example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfOlPK2P_G8

11. Methods • The survey • A technique used to gather self-reported attitudes and behaviors • Used in descriptive and correlational studies

12. Methods • Steps to constructing a survey • Develop a Question • Select a population • Choose a sample type • Construct the survey • Send it to population

13. Methods • Asking the right questions • Ask Neutral Questions • Neutral questions allow respondents to express their opinion, without bias • Wording Effects: • The words you use can change the outcome of the question • Ex: 27% of people disapprove of “government censorship” of sex and violence. However, 66% approve of more restrictions

14. Methods • Sampling • Key is a survey is randomization • False Consensus: The tendency to overestimate the extent to which other share our beliefs and behaviors • Population: Every one in a particular group • Random Sample: a sample that represents the population. • Everyone in the target population has the same chance to be surveyed

15. Methods • Naturalistic Observation: • Observing and recording behavior in a naturally occurring situations without trying to control or manipulate the situation • Does not explain behavior, it describes it