Psychology 100 Notes
Why psychology? know yourself figure other ppl out manipulate others
Psychology – scientific study of behavior and mental processes
Science that studies behavior and the physiological and cognitive processes that underlie it, and the profession that applies the accumulated knowledge of this science to practical problems
Key ideas
-science
-behavior and internal processes
-application
-level of analysis
Great debates in psychology * free will determinism
To what extent do we choose behaviors or are they determined by factors beyond our control or awareness?
Mind-body
Chemical reactions in the brain (monism) or a soul that determines behavior (dualism)?
Nature-nurture
Both, but to what extent are there differences among people because of genes versus how they were raised?
Or a combination?
Gene-Environment Interactions
Artificial breeding of rats
Breed maze bright with maze brights, and maze dull and maze dulls
But environment influenced genes were expressed
Dull rats still made more errors than bright rats in normal environment
Restricted environment – both made same number of errors
Enriched environment – dull rats made slightly more errors
Environment & people affect who one becomes * * Confirmation bias
Tendency to seek out evidence that supports our hypothesis
And tendency to negate or alter evidence that fails to support our hypothesis
We like to be right
Often not aware we’re doing it
Can lead us astray from the truth
Scientific humility – ok to be wrong
Belief perserverance
Tendency to stick to initial beliefs even when evidence disconfirms them
Psychology is a science, can’t rely on intuition
Scientific method sets the standard for what is considered evidence
Goal to avoid biases that are common in human thinking
Best Definition of Science
An approach to evidence
Toolbox of skills and methods to prevent us from fooling ourselves
Communalism – willingness to share findings
Psychology – scientific study of behavior and mental processes
Science that studies behavior and the physiological and cognitive processes that underlie it, and the profession that applies the accumulated knowledge of this science to practical problems
Key ideas
-science
-behavior and internal processes
-application
-level of analysis
Great debates in psychology * free will determinism
To what extent do we choose behaviors or are they determined by factors beyond our control or awareness?
Mind-body
Chemical reactions in the brain (monism) or a soul that determines behavior (dualism)?
Nature-nurture
Both, but to what extent are there differences among people because of genes versus how they were raised?
Or a combination?
Gene-Environment Interactions
Artificial breeding of rats
Breed maze bright with maze brights, and maze dull and maze dulls
But environment influenced genes were expressed
Dull rats still made more errors than bright rats in normal environment
Restricted environment – both made same number of errors
Enriched environment – dull rats made slightly more errors
Environment & people affect who one becomes * * Confirmation bias
Tendency to seek out evidence that supports our hypothesis
And tendency to negate or alter evidence that fails to support our hypothesis
We like to be right
Often not aware we’re doing it
Can lead us astray from the truth
Scientific humility – ok to be wrong
Belief perserverance
Tendency to stick to initial beliefs even when evidence disconfirms them
Psychology is a science, can’t rely on intuition
Scientific method sets the standard for what is considered evidence
Goal to avoid biases that are common in human thinking
Best Definition of Science
An approach to evidence
Toolbox of skills and methods to prevent us from fooling ourselves
Communalism – willingness to share findings