Download Approaches/Methods Organizer

Pre-Scientific Roots
The Unconscious Mind
Structuralism
Humanistic
Three levels of analysis
Functionalism
Nature v Nurture
Psychology’s Current Perspectives
Perspective
Focus
Sample Questions
Perspective
Focus
Sample Questions
How are messages
Neuroscience How the body
and brain enables transmitted in the
body? How is blood
emotions.
chemistry linked with
moods and motives?
Psychodynamic How behavior
springs from
unconscious
drives and
conflicts.
Evolutionary How the natural How does evolution
selection of traits influence behavior
the promotes the tendencies?
perpetuation of
one’s genes.
How can someone’s
personality traits and
disorders be
explained in terms of
sexual and aggressive
drives or as disguised
effects of unfulfilled
wishes and childhood
traumas?
Behavioral
How we learn
observable
responses.
How do we learn to
fear particular
objects or situations?
What is the most
effective way to alter
our behavior, say
lose weight or quit
smoking?
Behavior
genetics
How much our
genes and our
environments
influence our
individual
differences.
To what extent are
psychological traits
such as intelligence,
personality, sexual
orientation, and
vulnerability to
depression
attributable to our
genes? To our
environment?
Perspective
Focus
Sample Questions
Cognitive
How we encode, process,
store and retrieve
information.
How do we use information in
remembering? Reasoning?
Problem solving?
Social-cultural
How behavior and thinking How are we --- as Africans,
vary across situations and Asians, Australian or North
American – alike as members of
cultures.
human family? As products of
different environmental
contexts, how do we differ?
Methodology
The Case Study
Illusory correlations
Surveys
Correlation (not causation)
Naturalistic Observation
Perceiving order in random events
Experimentation (cause and effect)
Statistical Reasoning
Variables
Central Tendency
Independent
Mean
Dependent
Median
Double blind
Mode
Placebo effect
Measures of Variation
range
standard deviation
Statistical significance (less than 5% odds it occurred by chance)
Ethical considerations for humans
Informed consent
Protection from harm
Confidentiality
Debriefing
When is deception acceptable?
Ethical considerations for animals
Must be treated fairly, experiment must be worthwhile
Social Thinking
Fundamental Attribution Error
Foot in the Door
Attitudes can affect actions
Cognitive Dissonance
Attitudes
Actions affect attitudes
Social Influence
Conformity and Obedience
Conditions that strengthen
CONFORMITY
OBEDIENCE
Deindividuation
Group influence
Power of individuals
Antisocial Relations
Prejudice
Race
Gender
Roots
Aggression
Influences
Learning
Conflict
Social trap
Prosocial Relations
Attraction
Romantic love
Bystander
Altruism
Social Exchange Theory
Peacemaking