Coon-Mitterer Introduction to Psychology: Gateways to Mind and Behavior11e
Chapter Outlines
Chapter 1
Chapter Outline
Psychology—Spotlight on Behavior
Defining Psychology
Empiricism
Psychological Research
Science and Critical Thinking
Thinking About Behavior
Research Specialties
Animals and Psychology
Psychology’s Goals
Description
Understanding
Prediction
Control
A Brief History of Psychology—Psychology’s Family Album
Into the Lab
Structuralism
Functionalism
Behaviorism
Radical Behaviorism
Cognitive Behaviorism
Gestalt Psychology
Psychoanalytic Psychology
Humanistic Psychology
Psychology Today—Five Views of Behavior
Positive Psychology
Summary
The Impact of Culture
Cultural Relativity
A Broader View of Diversity
Psychologists—Guaranteed Not to Shrink
Psychologists
Other Mental Health Professionals
The Profession of Psychology
Ethics
Specialties in Psychology
Scientific Research—How to Think Like a Psychologist
The Scientific Method
Hypothesis Testing
Operational Definitions
Clever Hans
Theories
Publication
Summary
Research Methods
Naturalistic Observation—Psychology Steps Out!
Limitations
The Anthropomorphic Error
Recording Observations
Correlational Studies—In Search of the Perfect Relationship
Correlation Coefficients
Correlation and Causation
Relationships in Psychology
Graphical Data
The Psychology Experiment—Where Cause Meets Effect
Variables and Groups
Experimental Control
Cause and Effect
Evaluating Results
Meta-analysis
Placebo Effects—Sugar Pills and Saltwater
Controlling Placebo Effects
The Experimenter Effect
The Clinical Method—Data by the Case
Survey Method—Here, Have a Sample
Sampling
Internet Surveys
Social Desirability
Summary
Critical Thinking Revisited—Evaluating Claims and Evidence
A Case Study of Critical Thinking
Anecdotal Evidence
Casual Observation
Authority
Formal Evidence
Pseudo-Psychologies—Palms, Planets, and Personality
Problems in the Stars
Uncritical Acceptance
Positive Instances
The Barnum Effect
Summary—Science and Critical Thinking
Psychology in Action: Psychology in the News—Separating Fact from Fiction
Suggestion 1: Be Skeptical
Suggestion 2: Consider the Source of Information
Suggestion 3: Ask Yourself if There Was a Control Group
Suggestion 4: Look for Errors in Distinguishing Between Correlation and Causation
Suggestion 5: Be Sure to Distinguish Between Observation and Inference
Suggestion 6: Beware of Oversimplifications, Especially Those Motivated by Monetary Gain
Suggestion 7: Remember, “For Example” Is Not Proof
Summary