1. Psychological Science

2. Overview What Are the Interesting Questions?
How Do We Answer These Questions?
Common Sense
Basics of Science

3. What Are the Interesting Questions?
Depends on your perspective about Psychology
Modern Psychology is a combination of different approaches
Some approaches are more fruitful than others for particular topics

4. Structuralism What are the elements of the mind?
Wundt (1879): analytical introspection

5. Functionalism What are the functions of psychological abilities?
James (1890): adaptive value of memory

6. Gestalt Psychology How do the parts fit together to make a whole?
Wertheimer (1910): phi phenomenon

7. Psychodynamic Approach
How do childhood experience and the unconscious mind influence us?
Freud (1900): dream interpretation

8. Behaviorism How can we predict and control behavior?
Watson (1913): the mind cannot be studied scientifically

9. Humanistic Psychology
How do we achieve our potential?
Positive Psychology: what characteristics allow people to be there best?
Maslow (1968): self-actualization

10. Evolutionary Psychology
How did behaviors evolve through natural selection?
Buss (1995): sex differences in mating behaviors

11. How Do We Answer These Questions?
Scientific Method
Empirical
Systematic
Critical Thinking
Understand the specific claim
Examine evidence for and against the claim
Consider alternative explanations

12. Common Sense Common sense is unreliable
No objective way to settle disputes
The problem of hindsight bias

13. Basics of Science Theory Hypothesis Sampling Method Random Assignment
Statistical Significance
Replication

14. Descriptive Research measure and describe variables
EXAMPLE: Naturalistic observation
What behaviors do people show in bars?

15. Correlational Research
measure the relationship between two variables
EXAMPLE: Survey
What is the relationship between amount of time studying and grades?

16. Experimental Research
manipulate an independent variable to see if it has an effect on a dependent variable
EXAMPLE: Assign depressed patients to take two different types of medicine, and then measure how depressed they are.
Does the type of medication affect depression?