2. “Tell me and I'll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I'll understand.”
(Chinese Proverb)

3. The science of human behaviour
What is psychology?
The science of human behaviour

4. An Introduction to Psychology

5. Psychology is the science of the mind and behaviour
The human mind is the most complex machine on Earth.
It is the source of all thought and behaviour
The ultimate goal of Psychology is to benefit society
Research in Psychology is influential in social policies

6. Psychology in the real world
Describe
Explain
Predict
Control

7. Summer work
Task
Use this PowerPoint to complete pages 2-8 of the activity workbook to demonstrate your understanding of the topics
Plan and carry out your own research

8. Psychological Investigations
Psychologists are interested in explaining human behaviour and often conduct investigations to support their theories
Note: experiments are just one way of investigating human behaviour. Unless you are specifically talking about the use of experiments, the correct term is investigation.

9. Research Methods
Experimental
Non-experimental

10. Surveys/ Self report techniques
Research Methods
Non-experimental
Experimental
Case Studies
Observations
Laboratory experiments
Field experiments
Surveys/ Self report techniques
Natural experiments
Questionnaires
Interviews
Correlational analysis

11. What is an aim? A general statement of why the study is
being carried out.

12. Hypothesis A statement not a question A statement that can be tested.
It is a prediction of what the research will find.

13. Aim Hypothesis Experimental Hypothesis: All types of experiments Lab
Natural
Field
Quasi
Alternative Hypothesis
All types of non-experimental
research methods
Social surveys
Observations

14. Alternative Hypothesis
Aim
There are two types of hypothesis:
Directional/ one tailed
Non-directional/ two tailed
Hypothesis
Alternative Hypothesis
Experimental Hypothesis
Directional
Non-directional
Directional
Non-directional

15. Directional Hypothesis
States that there will be a difference between two conditions/ groups
States the kind of differences or relationship between two conditions or groups of participants
States which condition will do better or worse

16. Non-directional Hypothesis
States that there will be a difference between two conditions/ groups
It does not state what the difference will be.
It does not states which condition will do better or worse

17. Variables
Variables are anything that can change or vary, be measured or controlled.
Psychologists are interested in the relationship between variables

18. Examples of Variables Age Class Gender Ethnicity IQ scores
Reading scores
Arithmetic scores

19. CONTROL Variables Independent variables
(IV) are the variables whose cause
the change in dependant variables
Dependant variables (DV)
is dependant on the changes brought by
the independent variable
CONTROL

20. Variables Independent variables (IV) are the variables whose cause
the change in dependant variables
Dependant variables (DV)
is dependant on the changes brought by
the independent variable
Extraneous/ confounding variables:
These are the variables that the researcher has no control over & could ultimately effect the outcome of the experiment.

21. Psychological Investigations
How many humans are in the world? Can psychologist study the behaviour of all these people? Explain your answer

22. Participants Target population?
All the people who share characteristics which the researcher wishes to draw conclusions from

23. What is the problem with target populations?
Too large to be investigated
A sample of the target population is to be investigated instead

24. Sample of target population/ sample
Samples
Identify one problem with samples
Unrepresentative =
Target population
Sample of target population/ sample

25. If the sample used in an investigation is unrepresentative of the target population then it is likely that we can not generalise the findings of that investigation to people who were not investigated. The investigation will have low population validity.

26. Consent must be obtained from all participants