1. Thinking Critically with Psychology

3. Theory An explanation that organizes facts to predict
E.g. Self image and depression
Black holes in space

4. Generally based on a theory
Hypothesis
A testable prediction
Generally based on a theory

5. What do you study? - Variables
Independent variable
Dependent variable

6. How are variables related? - Correlation
Positive and negative

7. Positive correlation Mortality rates increase as people age
Grades increase as study time increase

8. No (zero) Correlation

9. Negative correlation As income increases free time decreases
As one goes up, the other goes down

10. Illusory correlation Buying stocks that performed well last year
Adoption and conception

11. Confusing correlation with causation
“Correlation is not causation”
Large brains (or ice cream) & violence

12. How do you get people to study?
Population
All NSCC students
Representative Sample
Random sample
Ensures a representative sample
Random assignment

13. Random sampling

14. Research methods Survey Case study Naturalistic Observation
E.g. Stroke victim
Naturalistic Observation
Observing behavior in a singles bar
Experimentation

15. The experiment Groups Problems Experimental group Control group
Placebo effect
Placebo = Pill with no drug
The double blind procedure
Neither experimenter nor subject knows which pill is the drug or placebo.
Hawthorne effect
Subjects give the results they think the experimenter wants

16. Comparing research methods

17. Replication Repeating a study
Helps to confirm the results of an earlier study
E.g. Classroom learning vs. distance learning
Cold fusion

18. Problem Thinking Seeing order in random events Generalizing (Problems)
E.g. 10 heads in a row of coin toss
Generalizing (Problems)
Generalizing from unrepresentative samples
Generalizing from select cases
Most remedial reading students in Mrs. Brown’s class are boys
Therefore, boys have more trouble reading than girls
Hindsight bias
Explaining events in hindsight
Lee Harvey Oswald & Pres. Kennedy