4 th Edition Copyright 2004 Prentice Hall1-1 Psychology Stephen F. Davis Emporia State University Joseph J. Palladino University of Southern Indiana PowerPoint Presentation by H. Lynn Bradman Metropolitan Community College-Omaha

4 th Edition Copyright 2004 Prentice Hall1-2 Psychology, Research, and You Chapter 1

Copyright 2004 Prentice Hall1-3 Becoming a Psychological Detective The events of our daily lives pose questions that psychologists can answer. In answering these questions, psychology can help us develop the skills needed to evaluate claims critically.

Copyright 2004 Prentice Hall1-4 Becoming a Psychological Detective The case of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and the photographs of alleged fairies teaches us the importance of asking good questions. The case demonstrates the importance of being aware of how bias can influence the questions we ask and the conclusions we draw.

Copyright 2004 Prentice Hall1-5 Becoming a Psychological Detective When there are two (or more) competing explanations for an event or claim, the law of parsimony indicates we should select the one requiring the fewest assumptions.

Copyright 2004 Prentice Hall1-6 Becoming a Psychological Detective By asking good questions, collecting useful data, and arriving at defensible conclusions, we can become good consumers of psychological research.

Copyright 2004 Prentice Hall1-7 Becoming a Psychological Detective In evaluating causal or research claims, we need to know exactly what the claim is and who is making it. Authority figures often have great credibility, but their experience does not transfer from one field to another and their pronouncements should not be accepted uncritically.

Copyright 2004 Prentice Hall1-8 Becoming a Psychological Detective Determining whether claims are based on scientific observations is also important Even though science does not guarantee the researcher will find truth, conclusions based on systematic and empirical (objectively quantifiable) observations of large samples are stronger than those based on a few personal testimonials.

Copyright 2004 Prentice Hall1-9 Becoming a Psychological Detective Understanding and using statistics is a great aid in evaluating claims. Psychologists usually report the likelihood that their findings might have resulted from chance alone.

Copyright 2004 Prentice Hall1-10 Becoming a Psychological Detective We need to realize that a relation between two events does not prove that one of the events caused the other. We should consider alternative explanations that might account for a particular event or claim.

Copyright 2004 Prentice Hall1-11 Research Methods in Psychology The goals of psychology are to describe, predict and control behavior. These goals are accomplished by using the scientific method, which is systematic and empirical (based on observable events).

Copyright 2004 Prentice Hall1-12 Research Methods in Psychology A case study is an in-depth analysis of a single person or event. Although the findings of a case study may apply only to the person who was studied, they may provide direction for further study using other methods.

Copyright 2004 Prentice Hall1-13 Research Methods in Psychology To study behavior in real-life settings, psychologists often use naturalistic observation. This technique also may suggest research projects using more controlled approaches. In using naturalistic observation, the onlooker must be unobtrusive and avoid influencing the behavior being studied.

Copyright 2004 Prentice Hall1-14 Research Methods in Psychology Correlational research tells whether the values of two variables are related.

Copyright 2004 Prentice Hall1-15 Research Methods in Psychology Although correlational methods do not inform us about causality, they can provide useful insights and help us to make predictions.

Copyright 2004 Prentice Hall1-16 Research Methods in Psychology By asking questions of a representative sample, researchers using the survey method can provide useful information about a much larger population. The wording of the questions can influence participants' responses.

Copyright 2004 Prentice Hall1-17 Research Methods in Psychology Because it can generate cause-and-effect statements, many psychologists believe that the experimental method is the most powerful research approach. By manipulating an independent variable (the cause), the researcher determines whether it influences the dependent variable (the effect).

Copyright 2004 Prentice Hall1-18 Research Methods in Psychology By manipulating an independent variable (the cause), the researcher determines whether it influences the dependent variable (the effect).

Copyright 2004 Prentice Hall1-19 Research Methods in Psychology Despite the strengths of the experimental method, the results and interpretation of a scientific experiment can be influenced by; –the specific way the research is conducted, –the culture in which the research is conducted, –and the experimenter's personal biases.

Copyright 2004 Prentice Hall1-20 Research Methods in Psychology Statistics involves the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data. Descriptive statistics summarize data. Inferential statistics are used to determine whether or not the results of an experiment are significant.

Copyright 2004 Prentice Hall1-21 Research Methods in Psychology Measures of central tendency provide information about the typical score in a set of numbers. Measures of variance provide information about the variability or spread in a set of data.

Copyright 2004 Prentice Hall1-22 Research Methods in Psychology The American Psychological Association has established ethical guidelines for making decisions about research with both human and animal participants.

Copyright 2004 Prentice Hall1-23 The Origins of Modern Psychology Wilhelm Wundt established the first psychology laboratory at the University of Leipzig in Germany in The goal of Wundt’s school of psychology, known as structuralism was to identify the elements of conscious experience by using the method of introspection.

Copyright 2004 Prentice Hall1-24 The Origins of Modern Psychology Another perspective, which came to be known as functionalism focused on the purposes of consciousness and was especially concerned with the applications of psychology. Gestalt psychology is concerned primarily with our perception of our environment. Cognitive psychology studies higher mental processes such as thinking, knowing, and deciding.

Copyright 2004 Prentice Hall1-25 The Origins of Modern Psychology Gestalt psychology is concerned primarily with our perception of our environment.

Copyright 2004 Prentice Hall1-26 The Origins of Modern Psychology Cognitive psychology studies higher mental processes such as thinking, knowing, and deciding.

Copyright 2004 Prentice Hall1-27 The Origins of Modern Psychology Influenced by the Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov, John B. Watson was interested in how the environment affects behavior. Because consciousness cannot be observed directly, Watson defined psychology as the study of observable behavior. The behavioral perspective was continued by B. F. Skinner, probably the best known and most influential psychologist of our time.

Copyright 2004 Prentice Hall1-28 The Origins of Modern Psychology Sigmund Freud's psychodynamic perspective focused on unconscious determinants of behavior. Freud also developed a treatment approach known as psychoanalysis.

Copyright 2004 Prentice Hall1-29 The Origins of Modern Psychology Dissatisfaction with both the behavioral and the psychodynamic perspectives led psychologists Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers to develop the humanistic perspective Humanists believe that other perspectives pay too little attention to uniquely human characteristics such as free will and individual control.

Copyright 2004 Prentice Hall1-30 The Origins of Modern Psychology The psychological perspective focuses on the underlying biological bases of all forms of behavior.

Copyright 2004 Prentice Hall1-31 The Origins of Modern Psychology The evolutionary perspective focuses on why a particular behavior or physical structure developed and how that behavior or structure aids in adaptation to the environment.

Copyright 2004 Prentice Hall1-32 The Origins of Modern Psychology The field of psychology has begun to recognize the contributions made by women and ethnic minorities, and additional contributions from these groups can be expected in the future. The cultural and diversity perspective focuses on such research contributions.

Copyright 2004 Prentice Hall1-33 Psychological Specialties Most psychologists have earned a doctoral degree (Ph.D. or Psy-D.). Although many psychologists teach and engage in research, a growing number provide direct services to clients.