Chapter 1: Introduction
What is psychology and how do we study it?
Methods to study: Most scientific
1. LABORATORY STUDIES:
1.1 A theory produces hypothesis
1.2 Hypothesis are proven under controlled conditions to reduce bias
1.3 Results must be replicable and should be applied widespread
2. FIELD EXPERIMENTS:
2.1 A theory produces hypothesis
2.2 Hypothesis are proven in natural environments, with less control
2.3. Not that replicable nor widespread
3. CORRELATIONAL MODELS:
3.1 They evaluate the relationship between variables.
3.2. It is just an analysis method
4. BEHAVIORAL OBSERVATIONS:
4.1 Behaviour of interest must be well described in advance.
4.2. Observation methods must be reliable and representative
4.3. Approaching single cases (n=1) or group behaviour.
5. SELF-REPORTS AND QUESTIONNAIRES:
5.1. Data from self-knowledge or introspection
5.2. Reliability relies on methodological design and representative sampling.
Least scientific
, What’s on our Mind? Perception
Sensorial interpretation
Limited by our senses:
• Vision: limited wavelength perception
• Audition: limited acoustic spectrum
Signal detection theory
The activation of our receptors must be distinguishable from noise to start processing (how much of the
noise you can tune out in order to focus on the signal)
Perception results not only from sense activation but from the combination of senses & decision processes:
• Response Bias: to find targets and avoid false alarms.
• Habituation: ability to ignore irrelevant or repetitive stimuli.
• Sensitisation: heightened awareness/responsiveness to a stimulus or class of stimuli for a period of time
Perceptive grouping
Allow us to perceive patterns in what we perceive: Gestalt principles
• Proximity: when objects are placed together, the eye perceives them as a group
• Similarity: When objects look similar to one another, the eye perceives them as a group or pattern
• Continuance: The eye is compelled to move from one object through another
• Closure: When an object is incomplete or not completely enclosed
• Figure & Group: When the eye differentiates an object from its surrounding area
Attention
• It's a limited process suffering from many interferences.
• Perception is influenced by:
- Internal processes: motivation, cognition and emotion
- External processes: social context
• 2 types of attentional processing:
- Bottom-up (stimuli guided)
- Top-down (conceptually guided)
What is psychology and how do we study it?
Methods to study: Most scientific
1. LABORATORY STUDIES:
1.1 A theory produces hypothesis
1.2 Hypothesis are proven under controlled conditions to reduce bias
1.3 Results must be replicable and should be applied widespread
2. FIELD EXPERIMENTS:
2.1 A theory produces hypothesis
2.2 Hypothesis are proven in natural environments, with less control
2.3. Not that replicable nor widespread
3. CORRELATIONAL MODELS:
3.1 They evaluate the relationship between variables.
3.2. It is just an analysis method
4. BEHAVIORAL OBSERVATIONS:
4.1 Behaviour of interest must be well described in advance.
4.2. Observation methods must be reliable and representative
4.3. Approaching single cases (n=1) or group behaviour.
5. SELF-REPORTS AND QUESTIONNAIRES:
5.1. Data from self-knowledge or introspection
5.2. Reliability relies on methodological design and representative sampling.
Least scientific
, What’s on our Mind? Perception
Sensorial interpretation
Limited by our senses:
• Vision: limited wavelength perception
• Audition: limited acoustic spectrum
Signal detection theory
The activation of our receptors must be distinguishable from noise to start processing (how much of the
noise you can tune out in order to focus on the signal)
Perception results not only from sense activation but from the combination of senses & decision processes:
• Response Bias: to find targets and avoid false alarms.
• Habituation: ability to ignore irrelevant or repetitive stimuli.
• Sensitisation: heightened awareness/responsiveness to a stimulus or class of stimuli for a period of time
Perceptive grouping
Allow us to perceive patterns in what we perceive: Gestalt principles
• Proximity: when objects are placed together, the eye perceives them as a group
• Similarity: When objects look similar to one another, the eye perceives them as a group or pattern
• Continuance: The eye is compelled to move from one object through another
• Closure: When an object is incomplete or not completely enclosed
• Figure & Group: When the eye differentiates an object from its surrounding area
Attention
• It's a limited process suffering from many interferences.
• Perception is influenced by:
- Internal processes: motivation, cognition and emotion
- External processes: social context
• 2 types of attentional processing:
- Bottom-up (stimuli guided)
- Top-down (conceptually guided)
