1. Need for Psychological Science
Many people believe that intuition and common sense are enough to bring forth answers regarding human nature.
Intuition and common sense may aid queries, but they are not free of error.
Obj: Why are the answers that flow from the scientific approach more reliable than those based on intuition and common sense? 1st: Should humans trust their intuition, or should we be skeptical of our gut feelings?
Activity to demonstrate : On a sheet of paper, write your name. Then, write the score (percentage) you think you will receive on the next test- for this unit. Than, on a scale of 1-10, rate how confident you are that your prediction will be correct (10 being really confident).
Although intuition is important, we often underestimate the perils of it
- Many psychological findings seem like common sense; however, there are many examples of “common sense” ideas that have been overturned by the research (such as the myth that we only use 10% of our brains)

2. After Amy Winehouse died my brother said he always knew she was going to die young. Did he really?
“I knew it all along” phenomenon
Monday Morning Quarterbacking

4. Examples Overconfidence
“There is no reason for anyone to have a computer in their home.” - Olson, 1977
“Man will never reach the moon, regardless of all future scientific advances.” – 1957
“Ronald Reagan doesn’t have the presidential look.” – 1964 director.
“A severe depression like that of is outside the range of possibility.” – 1929
Predictions on your quizzes/test?

5. Critical
Thinking
Thinking that does not blindly accept arguments and conclusions.
Examines assumptions assesses the sources, discerns hidden values, evaluates evidence, and assess conclusion
Skepticism- Monty Python, Salem Witch Trials
Little girl asked to leave KFC due to facial scars
Kentucky Fried Hoax
The Barnum Effect

6. Scientific Method
Observe some aspect of the universe. Formulate a question.
Invent a theory (hypothesis) that is consistent with what you have observed.
Use the theory to make predictions.
Test those predictions by experiments or further observations.
Results
Draw conclusions
Replication

7. Theory and Hypothesis
Theories –explains behaviors or events by offering ideas that organize what we have observed
Good theories give direction to research by generating testable predictions… hypotheses
Ex: “Imagine that we observe over and over that people w/good sleep habits tend to answer questions correctly in class, and they do well at test time. We might therefore theorize that sleep improves memory.”
Hypotheses- testable predictions; often implied by a theory
Expresses a relationship between two variables.
Must be testable, verifiable, and refutable
Example: Participating in class leads to better grades than not participating.

8. Must Operationalize the Hypothesis!
Who is smiling?
Must Operationalize the Hypothesis!
Psychology 7e in Modules

9. Example of operational definitions
What makes a smile???
operational definition of a Smile , and that in order to accurately test the hypothesis, Smile needs to be operationally defined.

10. Operational Definitions
Precise description of how the variable in a study will be manipulated & measured
Specify the procedures used to define and measure research variables
Explain what you mean in your hypothesis.
How will the variables be measured in “real life” terms.
To help people REPLICATE studies researchers report them using precise operational definitions
Let’s say your hypothesis is that chocolate causes violent behavior.
What do you mean by chocolate?
What do you mean by violent behavior?

11. Ways to “prove” research
Replication – repetition of a test or modifying an existing method to further prove research data.