PSYCH 1102

• Scientific inquiry that can help us examine reality from illusion and is aimed at the discovery of new knowledge.

  Research
• Theories

  • Broad explanations and predictions concerning phenomena of interest.
  • They provide a framework for understanding the relationships among a set of otherwise unorganized facts or principles.
  • Psychologists’ theories are more formal and focused.
• Hypotheses


  Testable predictions
• 4 Main Steps (Psych Research)

  1. Identifying questions of interest
  2. Formulating an explanation
  3. Carrying out research designed to support or refute the explanation
  4. Communicating the findings
• Types of Psych Research Paper

  1. Quantitative
  2. Qualitative
• Quantitative research


  The researcher decides what to study, asks specific, narrow questions, collects numeric (numbered) data from participants, analyzes these numbers using statistics, and conducts the inquiry in an unbiased, objective manner.
• Qualitative research


  The researcher relies on the views of participants, asks broad, general questions, collects data consisting largely of words (or text) from participants, describes and analyzes these words for themes, and conducts the inquiry in a subjective, biased manner.
• Research Methods

  1. Descriptive
  2. Correlational
  3. Experimental
• Descriptive Methods

  • To observe and record behavior
  • Focuses ONLY on describing the variables, without

  correlating to other variables

  • Can be either quantitative or qualitative
• Correlational Methods

  • To study the relationship and differences between variables by using statistical analysis such as:
  • (T-tests, Pearson r, ANOVA, etc.)
• Experimental Methods


  To explore cause and effect, we manipulate one or more factors (independent variables) to observe its effect on some behavior or mental process (the dependent variable)

  • Treatment conditions and random assignments
• Functions of research methods:

  • Reduce the probability of reaching incorrect conclusions
  • Ensure the attainment of useful information
• Parts of Psychological Research Paper:

  Title

  Introduction

  • Review of Related Literature and Studies ◦Statement of the Problems/Objectives
  • Significance of the study
  • Scope and Limitations

  Theoretical Framework

  Conceptual Paradigm

  Methodology

  • Research Design
  • Participants
  • Instrumentation
  • Data Gathering Procedure
  • Data Analysis

  Results (tables and graphs)

  Discussion

  Conclusion

  Recommendations

  References

  Appendices (questionnaire/other tables and graphs/inform consent etc.
• Neurons are influential to behavior.
• Neuroscience


  A branch of the life sciences that deals with the structure and functioning of the brain and the neurons, nerves, and nervous tissue that form the nervous system
• Brain

  Commands behavior & action

  Controls all activities in our body

  • most complex & most important organ
  • contains 100B cells/neurons
  • Master Organ
  • 3lb in weight; fragile
• Parts of the Brain

  
• Parietal Lobe


  Sensory information
• Frontal Lobe


  Emotional regulation; planning; reasoning; problem solving
• Temporal Lobe


  Memories; emotion; hippocampus
• Cerebellum 


  Muscle control/movement
• Occipital Lobe


  Visual information
• Connected to the brain


  Spinal cord
• Paul Churchland


  Believes that "the self is the brain"
• Nervous system


  ❑ Take info from the world and body ❑ Tissues ❑ Make decisions ❑ Send back info and orders to the
• Peripheral Nervous System


  Sensory and motor neurons that connects the CNS to the rest of

  the body
• Central Nervous System 


  Consists of brain and spinal cord
• Occipital Lobe


  Visual information
• When we learn/practice something, neurons connect until dendrites are grown, creating pathways.
• More exposure = stronger pathway
• Habits are well-travelled pathways.
• New thoughts & skills carve out new pathways.

  Repetition & practice strengthen these pathways, forming new habits.

  Pathways that get used lesser, weaken.
• Cognitive Reserve


  Extreme experiences/challenges
• People with a stronger and healthier cognitive reserve—one that’s been strengthened with learned experiences –have been shown to be more capable of coping with unexpected life events, (Sirinch, 2018).
• The term “mind”, our moods emotions, actions, consciousness are deeply affected by the state of our brain (Paul Churchland).
• Peripheral Nervous System:

  • Autonomic (involuntary)
  • Somatic (voluntary)
• Autonomic


  Controls the self-regulated action of internal organs and glands
• Somatic


  Controls voluntary movements of skeletal muscles
• Autonomic Nervous System:

  • Sympathetic (Thoracolumbar)
  • Parasympathetic (Craniosacral)
• Somatic Nervous System provides sensory input for the nervous system to feel the world around you and after interpretation by the brain is sent with motor output to the voluntary skeletal muscles