Class notes
PSYC 111 Test 1 Preparatory Notes
- Course
- PSYC 111
- Institution
- State University Of New York - Binghamton
Test 1 Preparatory Notes for Psyc 111.
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PSYCH Test 1Psychology: The scientific study of the mind, brain, and behavior.
Levels of Depression: (No single level has all of the answers)
Molecular Neurochemical Neurological Mental Behavioral Social
Variations of Differences in levels Differences in size Depressed Decrease in Loss of
genes that of the brain’s and functioning of thoughts and sad pleasurable important
predispose to messengers brain related to feelings activity, relationships.
depression influence mood mood withdrawal depression
Common Sense:
Intuition is often mistaken and can lead us to believe things that cannot be true simultaneously.
Naïve Realism: the belief
that we see the
world exactly as
it is (seeing is believing).
Psychology as a Science:
Science as an approach to evidence
Empiricism: The premise that knowledge should initially be acquired through observation
Scientific Theory: An explanation for a large number of findings in the natural world,
including psychological world. Offers an account that ties multiple findings together
Hypothesis: A testable prediction, specific predictions derived from explanations.
Misconceptions:
1) A theory explains one specific event. Example: likely theories behind the bank robbery
2) A theory is just an educated guess.
Scientific Method:
Question Research Hypothesis Experiment Analyze Conclude
Variation Variation Variations Variations of Variation Variations
Confirmation Bias: the tendency to seek out evidence that supports beliefs and denies
evidence that contradicts them. The scientific method helps scientists overcome this error.
(Wason Selection Task example)
Belief Perseverance: the tendency to stick to our initial beliefs even when evidence
contradicts them. (Ross, Lepper, & Hubbard suicide note example)
Metaphysical Claims:
, Assertions about the world that we can’t test. However, that doesn’t mean these claims are not
true.
Prescription for Humility: Avoiding commitment to definitive conclusions unless there’s
overwhelming evidence
Thinking Scientifically: Become aware of your biases and taking advantage of the
scientific method.
Pseudoscience:
Set of claims that seem scientific but aren’t. Our brains are wired to make order out of disorder
Patternicity: (Pareidolia) Perceiving meaningful connections among unrelated and
random phenomena. Seeing meaningful images in meaningless visual stimuli. Example:
Abe Lincoln potato chip
Warning signs:
Exaggerated Overreliance No connection No Review by
Claims on Anecdotes of Research Scholars
3 steps will Woman practices New tech. shows eye 50 studies by the
change your life yoga for 3 weeks massages results in company show
forever and is never sad fast reading. success
Psychobabble No Self-Correction Proof instead
Using fancy words Some scientists say parts of Evidence
to sound scientific of the brain aren’t used Proven to…
but we’ve found a way to
use it
Comfort in our beliefs: We believe because we want to believe.
Terror Management Theory: The awareness of our inevitable deaths leave us with terror.
To cope with this fear, we develop beliefs that reassure us that our life has more meaning.
Thinking Clearly: Avoiding logical fallacies
o Traps that can lead to wrong conclusions
o Emotional Reasoning: fault of using emotion to guide us in validating claims
o Bandwagon Fallacy: Assuming a claim is correct because many people believe it
o Appeal to Authority: Accepting claims because an authority figure endorses it
o “Not Me” Fallacy: Believing you are immune to errors
o Either or Fallacy: Questions that can only have 2 definitive answers
o Genetic Fallacy: Error of confusing the correctness of a belief with its origins
o Argument from Antiquity: Believing something because it’s been there for a while
o Ignorance Fallacy: Believing a claim because no one proved it wrong
Dangers:
o Loss of opportunities (treatment)
o Cause of direct harm
o Inability to think scientifically
o Preys on hope and ignorance
Principles of Scientific Thinking: p.19
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