Psychology as a science

Of Levels of Analysis

Scientific Psychology vs. Bubba Psychology

The Goals of Science and the use of Theories and Hypotheses

Biopsychology

Proximal & Distal Causes

The Theory of Evolution

Overview of theory and natural selection

Evolution and brain structure

Evolution and human behavior

 

 

To understand "Adolescence" we might want to know something about:

Biological factors--What's happening with hormones, physical growth, sexual development.

Behavioral factors--What are the rewards and punishments that adolescents confront (e.g., math and popularity)

Cognitive factors--How are the problem solving capacities changing? How is identity emerging?

Contextual factors--How is society shaping them? What does the media tell adolescents?

What separates psychology from common sense or introspection?

The Goals of Science

Description of events

Explanation of why things occur

Prediction of future events

Theories tell you why a relationship exists. They are explanations. Statements about the way things work.

Hypotheses are predictions about what should happen if the theory is true. They are "educated" guesses.

Proximal Cause--The immediate cause. In terms of biopsychology--current physiological structure and changes.

 

Distal Cause--The remote cause. In terms of biopsychology--evolutionary explanations.

 

 

Any inherited characteristics that increase the likelihood of survival and reproduction are selected for, and any that decrease the likelihood are selected against

Goldstein, 1994

Members of a species have characteristics that vary (e.g., beak size in birds).

At least some of these characteristics are passed on genetically.

Some of these variable characteristics will aid survival (e.g., a tough beak on nutty island)

Species produce more offspring than survive to be adults (i.e., some organisms die before procreating).