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How do you know… That there aren’t little creatures inside
computers that are responsible for the things computers do?
How do we know what we know?
1) Authority (Dogmatism)
2) Reason (Rationalism)
3) Observation (Empiricism)
Science uses Reason AND Observation
The Scientific Method
Hypothesis = educated guess about how two variables are
related Must be testable
Theories = general principles that attempt to explain
why two or more variables are related. broad, simple, generative
Correlational ResearchA correlationcorrelation is a relationship between variables
1. Positive correlation (var A ↑, var B ↑)
2. Negative correlation (var A ↑, var B ↓)
3. No correlation = no relationship
Three Reasons for any correlation: X causes Y, Y causes X, or Z causes X and Y
Observation #1
Observation: A physiological psychologist observes that people with higher levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine exhibit more behaviors associated with schizophrenia than those with lower levels of dopamine.
Type of Correlation?Explanations?
Observation #2
Observation: A college professor found that the more class absences students have, the lower their grade in the course tends to be.
Type of Correlation?
Explanations?
Observation #3Observation: A politician running against a
candidate who had been in office for eight years pointed out that violent crime had increased steadily during those eight years even though the administration had put more funding towards fighting crime.
Type of correlation?Explanations?
Observation #4Observation: An industrial/organizational
psychologist observes that people who are most satisfied with their jobs perform at higher levels than people who are dissatisfied.
Type of correlation?Explanations?
Experimental ResearchCan determine causation
Independent variable Dependent variable random assignment
control group placebo
Ethical Issues in Psychological Research Right to privacy Informed consent
use of deception right to withdraw
Animal rights Is there justification for discomfort or harm a
research procedure may produce?