What is psychology

1
What is psychology???
why and how we do psychological research
2
(No Transcript)
3
(No Transcript)
4
(No Transcript)
5
(No Transcript)
6
(No Transcript)
7
Psychology is a science!
8
Why do we do psychological studies???

• Common sense
• Hindsight Bias
• Limitations of testimonials

9

• Theory
• Hypothesis
• Design Study
• Data Collection
• Data Analysis
• Conclusions/Revise Theory

10
How do we do studies?

• 3 types of studies
• 1. Descriptive studies

Many of these people actually looked like
concentration camp inmates undernourished,
silent, stone-faced with sunken eyes.
Peter Breggin, Toxic Psychiatry
11
Descriptive studies The case study
N of 1 problem Experimenter bias
12

• 2. Correlational studies

FACT Breast-fed children are more intelligent
than their bottle-fed counterparts.
Direction of effect The third variable problem
13
Breast-Feeding, Intelligence Link ProbedOctober
05, 2006

• For decades scientists have been looking for a
  correlation between feeding and intelligence, but
  the report says genetic and environmental factors
  affect a child's intellect.
• Researchers, who analyzed data from more than
  5,000 children and 3,000 mothers in the United
  States, found that mothers who breast-feed tend
  to be more intelligent, according to a study
  published Wednesday on the journal's Web site.
• "When this fact was taken into account, most of
  the relationship between breast-feeding and the
  child's intelligence disappeared," said Jeff Dar,
  one of the report's authors.
• The researchers found that children who were
  breast-fed did better on IQ tests, but this was
  because their mothers were more intelligent,
  better educated and able to provide a more
  stimulating home environment.

14

• Article from APA

NEW STUDY SHOWS THAT PARENTAL ALCOHOLISM CREATES
RISK FACTORS FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN EMERGING
ADULTS THAT EXTEND BEYOND ALCOHOLISM
This study followed 545 adolescents over a period
of 15 years to monitor their drug use. The
researchers were looking for differences in
patterns of drug experimentation and drug use
into early adulthood between children of
alcoholics and children of non-alcoholics.
According to the study findings, COAs maintained
consistent levels of drug use, such that by ages
25-30, their level of drug use was substantially
higher than that of children of non-alcoholics.
The study results indicate that as a consequence
of parental alcoholism COAs didnt follow the
typical trend by which individuals are expected
to mature out and decline in drug use before
age 30.
15

• 3. Experimental studies
• Does Study Plus make you get better grades? Or
  should you save your 26.95?

16
Independent variable
Sugar Pills
Study Plus
Dependent variable
17

• Placebo effect

Sugar Pills
Study Plus
Blind study
18

• Double blind study

A
B
G Martinez A E Carter A S Stevens B J
Ely - B
19
Methods 1. Observation Operational definition
20
How are dispositions revealed in a persons
living space?
Research Question
Concept
Operational definitions
Disposition
Manifest Behavior
Conscientiousness
21

• 2. Survey or structured interview

How conscientious are you?
1 2 3
4 5 Not A lot at
all
22
3. Psychological Test
23
4. Biological Tests
24
(No Transcript)
25
03.08b
Fritz Goro/TimePix.
26
Myelin video
27
(No Transcript)
28

• Receptor Neurotransmitter (NT)

29
Neurotransmitters to know and love

• Dopamine
• Serotonin
• Epinephrine (adrenaline)
• GABA
• Endorphins

30
Cocaine video
31
How does Prozac work?
32
The Brain
33
(No Transcript)
34
(No Transcript)
35
The Brainstem Primitive life- support functions

• Medulla
• Reticular formation

36
(No Transcript)
37
The Limbic System

• Amygdala
• Hippocampus

38
Cerebral Cortex
Phantom limb syndrome
Brocas aphasia
Motion blindness
39
The Split BrainThe Corpus Callosum
40
To SAY youve seen something, Left hemisphere
must see it Info from right transmitted via C.C
to left
Language Center Brocas area
41

• Split brain patients
• Alien hand syndrome

42
(No Transcript)