Lecture 1 September 3rd 2013 Lecture 1 Learning ...
PSYB01 – Lecture 1 September 3rd 2013 Lecture 1 Learning Objectives Limitations of non-scientific approaches Limitations of scientific method Why we use scientific method General principles of the approach How does Psychology differ from Philosophy, the Humanities?
Through scientific method, systematically collecting (research/ objective variable) and observing data. Science makes things into measurable data. Others have limitations and bias. Rely on experience and authority in the construction of our beliefs. o With science it is possible to remove emotion and insert objective. Psychology (Science) focuses on the population. What we discover and research is through the population.
Why Use the Scientific Method in Psychology
Others have limitations Tend to rely on personal experience, intuition, and opinions of authority figures. Tend to rely on heuristic and beliefs. o Heuristic refers to experience-based techniques for problem solving, learning, and discovery that give a solution which is not guaranteed to be optimal. o Critical Thinking: Open to everything, questions perspective.
7 Limitations of Personal Experiences 1. Confirmation Bias and Discounting Problem a. Seek information that is similar to our expectations and ignore information that does not meet our expectations. i. e.g. When someone comes with a reputation, we find the things they do wrong. As a result, they get nervous and screw up. b. The way a question is worded affects the outcome. (Need to review.) c. Confirmation Bias is dangerous i. Consequence of prejudice. ii. We tend to pay attention to things that conform to our beliefs. iii. It is the biggest bias. d. Research tries to falsify what is true.
i. We should try to question what we talk about, ask good questions. 2. Inferences may be based on very little data a. A powerful experience can influence all. i. e.g. We receive a traffic ticket from a grumpy officer and therefore assume that they are always grumpy however it could have had a bad day. Influences We only see the grumpy officer and not the influences to his upset behavior.
ii. iii.
Behavior is not concrete but influenced by many factors. a. Extraverts are not always outgoing while introverts are always shy. Limited information can lead to incorrect results
3. Influence of Expectations a. “Untitled”, Jose Sicilia What we expect can affect what we see/ the results.
4. Baserates/ Comparisons often absent a. If we don’t know what they looked like in the beginning, we don’t know what made them better in the end. A control group is important to see how they were in the beginning and to control change. i. e.g. Weather, placebo, herb medicine or etc. 5. Pleasant truths a. Tend to believe things that make us feel good. b. “That only happens to old people…” Need to believe both pleasant and unpleasant truths 6. Overreliance on Intuition
a. Sometimes we feel things to be true with no reason as to why. b. Assumptions that intuitively correct ideas are valid 7. Authority figures a. Aristotle: Prestigious, trustworthy and reliable speakers more persuasive. b. Even authority figures can be incorrect. c. Psychology tries to develop questions from theories and attempts to falsify them. d. Claim to be based on ‘scientific evidence’ i. Check credibility 1) Peer-reviewed, adds a layer of credibility but not always true 2) Reputable institution 3) Sponsored by ‘drug company’ or ‘corporation’
Through scientific method, systematically collecting (research/ objective variable) and observing data. Science makes things into measurable data. Others have limitations and bias. Rely on experience and authority in the construction of our beliefs. o With science it is possible to remove emotion and insert objective. Psychology (Science) focuses on the population. What we discover and research is through the population.
Why Use the Scientific Method in Psychology
Others have limitations Tend to rely on personal experience, intuition, and opinions of authority figures. Tend to rely on heuristic and beliefs. o Heuristic refers to experience-based techniques for problem solving, learning, and discovery that give a solution which is not guaranteed to be optimal. o Critical Thinking: Open to everything, questions perspective.
7 Limitations of Personal Experiences 1. Confirmation Bias and Discounting Problem a. Seek information that is similar to our expectations and ignore information that does not meet our expectations. i. e.g. When someone comes with a reputation, we find the things they do wrong. As a result, they get nervous and screw up. b. The way a question is worded affects the outcome. (Need to review.) c. Confirmation Bias is dangerous i. Consequence of prejudice. ii. We tend to pay attention to things that conform to our beliefs. iii. It is the biggest bias. d. Research tries to falsify what is true.
i. We should try to question what we talk about, ask good questions. 2. Inferences may be based on very little data a. A powerful experience can influence all. i. e.g. We receive a traffic ticket from a grumpy officer and therefore assume that they are always grumpy however it could have had a bad day. Influences We only see the grumpy officer and not the influences to his upset behavior.
ii. iii.
Behavior is not concrete but influenced by many factors. a. Extraverts are not always outgoing while introverts are always shy. Limited information can lead to incorrect results
3. Influence of Expectations a. “Untitled”, Jose Sicilia What we expect can affect what we see/ the results.
4. Baserates/ Comparisons often absent a. If we don’t know what they looked like in the beginning, we don’t know what made them better in the end. A control group is important to see how they were in the beginning and to control change. i. e.g. Weather, placebo, herb medicine or etc. 5. Pleasant truths a. Tend to believe things that make us feel good. b. “That only happens to old people…” Need to believe both pleasant and unpleasant truths 6. Overreliance on Intuition
a. Sometimes we feel things to be true with no reason as to why. b. Assumptions that intuitively correct ideas are valid 7. Authority figures a. Aristotle: Prestigious, trustworthy and reliable speakers more persuasive. b. Even authority figures can be incorrect. c. Psychology tries to develop questions from theories and attempts to falsify them. d. Claim to be based on ‘scientific evidence’ i. Check credibility 1) Peer-reviewed, adds a layer of credibility but not always true 2) Reputable institution 3) Sponsored by ‘drug company’ or ‘corporation’
