1. The Science of Psychology Lecture notes for Module 2

2. The Scientific Method Hallmark of scientific psychology Hallmark of scientific psychology The Scientific Method involves: The Scientific Method involves: –Theory—explains, organizes, predicts –Hypotheses—testable predictions from theory –Careful study

3. Independent and Dependent Variables Independent variable (X): What you change/manipulate between different groups. You think it affects the dependent variable. Independent variable (X): What you change/manipulate between different groups. You think it affects the dependent variable. Dependent variable (Y): What you measure from all groups. You think it is affected by the independent variable Dependent variable (Y): What you measure from all groups. You think it is affected by the independent variable

4. Independent and Dependent Variables X affects Y: The independent variable is believed to affect the dependent variable. X affects Y: The independent variable is believed to affect the dependent variable. In other words, the value of the dependent variable is thought to DEPEND ON the independent variable. In other words, the value of the dependent variable is thought to DEPEND ON the independent variable.

5. Real-Life Practice Alcohol affects driving ability Alcohol affects driving ability What variable “depends on” the other? What variable “depends on” the other? This is the dependent variable. This is the dependent variable. What variable affects the other variable? What variable affects the other variable? This is the independent variable. This is the independent variable.

6. Real-Life Practice Answers Alcohol affects driving ability Alcohol affects driving ability What variable “depends on” the other? What variable “depends on” the other? –Driving ability depends on the amount of alcohol consumed. Driving ability is the dependent variable. Driving ability is the dependent variable. What variable affects the other variable? What variable affects the other variable? –The amount of alcohol consumed affects driving ability. Alcohol is the independent variable. Alcohol is the independent variable.

7. More Practice An experimenter designs a study to assess whether teams wearing dark colors receive more penalties than teams wearing light colors. An experimenter designs a study to assess whether teams wearing dark colors receive more penalties than teams wearing light colors. Hypothesis? Hypothesis? Dependent variable? Dependent variable? Independent variable? Independent variable?

8. More practice--Answers An experimenter designs a study to assess whether teams wearing dark colors receive more penalties than teams wearing light colors. An experimenter designs a study to assess whether teams wearing dark colors receive more penalties than teams wearing light colors. Hypothesis? Hypothesis? Dependent variable? Dependent variable? Independent variable? Independent variable?