WINTER BREAK HOMEWORK 2008-2009
- Motivation and Emotion Quiz Notes (Optional... but rewards if you do)
- Spark Notes REVIEW
- Example of Homework: Introduction
- MIDTERM Questions
Motivation and Emotion Quiz Notes (Optional... but rewards if you do)
Found at:
http://www.appsychology.com/HowPass/MC%20quizes/MCquizeshome.htm
Spark Notes REVIEW
Go to:
http://sparkcharts.sparknotes.com/psychology/psychology/section1.php
Cut and paste each section of review.... You are welcome to work on this with
your partner and one other partnership. (No more than 4 people in a group)
But, you should come to class with YOUR OWN full set of notes... fell free
to customize them for yourself!!!!
Example of Homework: Introduction
Approaches to Psychology
Biological: Focuses on the relationship between the body and the mind
Behavioral: Concerned mainly with a person�s observable responses to stimuli
Cognitive: Concerned with memory, perception, thought, and other mental
processes
Humanistic: Focuses on a person�s capacity for self-fulfillment and growth
Psychodynamic: Concerned with the influence of unconscious desires and motives
Research Studies
Studies test hypotheses (testable explanations of observed events).
Studies must have reliability and validity.
Reliability: The study produces consistent results when replicated.
Validity: The study accurately measures what it claims to measure. There are
three types of validity:
Construct: The study measures the effect that it is trying to measure
Internal: The study shows that only the experimental factor caused an effect
External: The study results apply to other situations
Types of Studies
Correlational study: Expresses the relationship between two variables; does
not imply causation.
Experiment: Manipulation of an independent variable in order to understand
its effect on a dependent variable. Identifies cause-and-effect relationships.
Sampling: The process of choosing subjects to study
Sample: A group of subjects selected for study; a subset of a population
Population: A group of people about whom the researcher wants to make
conclusions. A sample should be representative of the population.
Random assignment: Random placement of subjects into experimental or control
groups
Control group: A group not subject to experimental manipulation
Variables: Things that can vary among subjects
Independent variable: Manipulated by researcher; produces a change in
dependent variable
Dependent variable: Measured by the researcher
Confounding variable: Any possible variable (other than the independent
variable) that may cause the observed effect
Statistics
Statistical analysis describes data and quantifies relationships between
variables.
Frequency distribution: An arrangement of data points based on how frequently
they occur
Normal distribution: A frequency distribution with a symmetrical bell-shaped
curve
Central tendency: Measures of the center of the frequency distribution. There
are three types.
Mean: The arithmetic average of data points
Median: The middle data point
Mode: The most frequent data point
NORMAL DISTRIBUTION and standard deviation
Variability: How the data are dispersed or spread around the mean
Range: The distance between the highest and lowest data point
Standard deviation (SD): The average distance of a data point from the mean.
A small SD means the scores are relatively close to the mean score; a large
SD means the scores have a wider range around the mean.
Statistical significance: Means that the differences observed are too big to
have occurred by chance
Two types of errors occur in significance testing:
Type I error: False positive; perceives an effect that is not there
Type II error: False negative; fails to perceive an effect that is there
MIDTERM Questions
Study for the midterm!!! It will be shortly after we return to school and
the greatest part of your grade to date!!!!
Come prepared with ONE QUESTION per chapter. Something you still don't
understand or want further explanation on.
