Thinking Like a Psychologist

Overview Psychologists use scientific reasoning strategies. These strategies can be helpful outside of this class. * Many of the points in this presentation are based on Keith Stanovich’s book, How to Think Straight About Psychology.

Misconception Alert! Opinions about psychological issues are not all equally valid.

Think Empirically Opinions are interesting, but they don’t provide a good way to settle disputes. Let the data do the talking. Examples: – Lunar madness – Implicit egoism

Think Empirically Testimonials and anecdotes do not provide good evidence. Reliability Validity

Think Falsifiably There must be some way to test a claim for it to be falsifiable. Theories that explain every possible outcome explain nothing.

Think Probabilistically As in other science, evidence is probabilistic, not absolute. – Need to tolerate ambiguity – Accurate prediction in long run

Think Skeptically Scientists can never be 100% certain. Support for a claim varies on a continuum from weak to strong. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.

Think Operationally Psychologists evaluate ideas operationally: define variables by describing how they are measured. Philosophers (and others) rely on essentialism: what is the true meaning?

Think Realistically Most things are not caused by single factors acting alone. – Multiple causation – Interaction of factors

Benefits of Thinking Like a Psychologist Use and apply psychological research. Don’t get influenced by bogus claims. Tolerate and appreciate uncertainty.