AP Psychology Unit 2

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Did we know it all along? Hindsight Bias Finding that something has happened makes it seem so inevitable, a tendency we call hindsight bias o It is widespread, Some 100 studies have ovbserved it in various countries and among both children and adults But sometimes our intuition, informed by countless casual observations, has it wrong. Overconfidence We humans tend to be overconfident We tend to think we know more than what we do Hindsight bias and overconfidence often lead us to overestimate our intuition but scientific inquiry can help us sift reality from illusion The scientific attitude Putting a scientific attitude into practice requires not only skepticism but also humility-an awareness of our own vulnerability to error and an openness to surprises and new perspectives These three attitudes helped make modern science possible o Curiosity o Skepticism o Humility Critical Thinking Smart Thinking = Critical Thinking examines assumptions, discerns hidden values, evaluates evidence, and assesses conclusions Has psychology critical inquiry been open to surprising findings? o Yes The scientific method In science, theory is linked with observation A scientific theory explains through an intergrated set of principles that organizes observations and predicts behaviors or events A good theory produces testable predictions called hypotheses As a check on their biases, psychologist report their research with precise operational definitions of procedures and concepts To think critically about populary psychology claims, we need to recognize these methods and know what conclusions they allow Description

 The starting point of any science is description Survey Surveys looks at many cases in less depth Correlation Surveys and naturalisms observations often show us that one trait or behavior is related to another Helps us predicts problems or future problems A perceived but not existent correlation is an illusory correlation Experimentation When researchers can isolate cause and effect There are independent and dependent variables There can be random assignments which can benefit results on the whole of a nation or community In descriptive, correlational, and experimental research, statistics are tools that help us see and interpret what the unaided eye might miss. Describing data Once we get data, we must figure out how to organize it whether in a graph or data chart, etc. It also helped to know something about the amount of variation in the data how similar or diverse the scores are Ethics in research Example: is it ethical to use animals in experiments vs humans?

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Ethics
Human Subjects Informed consent o Deception o Refusal o Right to leave Protect from harm and discomfort o Physical o Psychological/emotional/mental Confidentiality Debrief Animal Experimentation Strict standards and guidelines Inflict no unnecessary pain May take greater risks

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8/29/2011 2:34:00 PM 1. Three month old Andrew was obviously startled by the first ring of the telephone, but with each subsequent ring, he became very reactive, best illustrates the process of habituation 2. Adjusting current schemas to make sense of new information is called accommodation 3. The concept of maturation is most relevant to understanding the absence of bladder control among 2-year-olds 4. Four yea old Karen cant remember anything of the first few months of her life. This is best explained by the fact that she lacked language skills for organizing her early life experiences 5. Chloe can clearly sense when her sisters teasing is intended to be friendly fun or hostile put-down. This best illustrated that Chloe has developed an theory of mind 6. The presence of a secure base and safe haven infants can use when distressed has the greatest effect on the development of which of the following? attachment

Autism Temple Grandin

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Temple Grandin First autistic adults and say and be able to explain how she saw the world in public. First to do it to the public. Autism spectrum disorder Developmental disorder of neurobiological origin Present from birth or early development Diagnosis based on behavioral and developmental features Varies in severities of symptoms and age of onset Each child displays communication, social, behavioral patterns that are individual but fit into the overall diagnosis of ASD Characteristics Children with ASD demonstrate deficits in: o Social interaction o Verbal and non-verbal communication o Repetitive behaviors or interests

8/29/2011 2:34:00 PM 40 studies Kohlberg Morality is determined by the individuals own conscience. Individuals move through the 3 levels (or six stages) of moral development as they get older and experience life Level 1 premoral Level 2 morality of conventonal role of conformity Level 3 self accepted moral principles