origins a03

• Introspection application

  • Griffiths (1994) gambling 'think aloud' study
  • In Griffiths' study, 2 , one gamble one no gamblers groups had very different thought processes,eg. gamblers had more irrational verbalisations
  • Information from Griffiths' study is useful as it can help tackle addiction
• • Nisbett and Wilson found that introspection is not always accurate
  • We are not aware of underlying processes that influence our behaviour
  • It is impossible for everything to be revealed through introspection
  • they found it specifically a problem to do with stereotypes eg.someon can be implicitly racist and this will change how they act towards ethnic group whilst they are completley unware of it and in would not be revealed
  • eg.energy conservation study
• Scientific method

  • The study "Strange Situation" follows the scientific method
  • The study "Strange Situation" has a standardised procedure which is systematic and replicable
  • Allows studies to be applied universally
  • Crucial in understanding human behaviour on a larger scale
  • The "Strange Situation" study has populational validity and has been able to be replicated in 8 countries

  -cultural differences may mean it isn't accurate for every culture
• For a study to be completely systematic and replicable, it may lack ecological validity

  To eliminate extraneous variables, studies tend to be in a lab or more contrived environment

  Results may be accurate to a controlled environment but may not be replicable in real-life experiments

  Real-life vs lab study example

  • Christianson and Hubinette found in real life anxiety increases accuracy
  • Johnson and Scott found anxiety to reduce accuracy in lab studies