Think Like a Psychologist
A researcher asks 1,000 teenagers how many hours they spend on social media each day.
What type of research is this?
Descriptive research
A baby becomes upset when their caregiver leaves, but quickly calms down when they return.
What theory does this demonstrate?
Secure attachment
A student creates a study schedule after realizing they are overwhelmed.
What type of coping is this?
Problem-focused coping
A researcher randomly assigns participants to either sleep 4 hours or 8 hours before taking a memory test. What are the independent and dependent variables?
Independent: the amount of sleep (4 hours vs. 8 hours)
Dependent: Performance on Memory test
Jordan constantly checks that his locker is locked, even though he knows it already is.
What disorder is this?
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Researchers randomly assign students to drink either a caffeinated beverage or a caffeine-free beverage before taking a memory test.
What type of research is this?
Experimental research
We watched a video on children failing the false-belief test because they cannot yet demonstrate perspective-taking and theory of mind. What happened in that video and how does it demonstrate theory of mind?
Sally-Anne Test!
Sally takes a marble and hides it in her basket. She then "leaves" the room and goes for a walk. While she is away, Anne takes the marble out of Sally's basket and puts it in her own box. Sally is then reintroduced and the child is asked the key question, the Belief Question: "Where will Sally look for her marble?"
A student tells themselves, "One bad grade doesn't define my intelligence."
What type of coping is this?
Appraisal-focused coping
A teenager says, "Everyone in my grade is mean."
A psychologist asks, "How many classmates have you actually interacted with?"
Which psychological concept is the psychologist encouraging?
Using evidence rather than assumptions (scientific thinking/empiricism)
This type of speaking is preferred because it demonstrates that the person is not defined by their diagnosis
Person First Language
A psychologist wants to determine whether students who sleep more tend to earn higher GPAs but does not manipulate sleep.
What type of research is this?
Correlational research
What was the Still Face Experiment video that we watched, and how does it demonstrate caregiver-infant connection?
A baby smiles and reaches for a caregiver. The caregiver suddenly becomes completely expressionless, and the baby becomes distressed.
Sam is experiencing weeks of elevated mood, very little sleep, impulsive spending, and big ideas. What disorder is this and what part of the disorder is she in?
Bipolar Disorder & Mania
A psychologist wants to know whether TikTok causes anxiety. They randomly assign students to either use TikTok for two hours every day or avoid it completely for one month. Then, they put the two groups in a room by themselves when asking about their anxiety levels and distress.
Why might this study be considered unethical?
Because the study may expose participants to potential psychological harm or interfere with their well-being without sufficient justification by forcing 2 hours of Tiktok
Emma gets notifications on her computer during homework. Without thinking, she opens another tab and starts responding to text messages.
What concept does this demonstrate?
habit loop (cue → routine → reward)
A study finds a strong positive correlation between stress and sleep problems. A news headline says, "Stress Causes Poor Sleep."
What mistake has the reporter made?
Assuming causation from correlation
An older adult has just moved to a new country. Which stage are they in (___ vs. ___) and what type of stress would they potentially be facing?
Trust vs. Mistrust
AND
Acculturation
Jeff is deathly afraid of public speaking, feels anxious, and says he has to use the bathroom anytime he's called on in class. How can we help him using CBT?
(Three different components that CBT would tackle, and how specifically Jeff can use it)
Thoughts
Emotions
Behaviors
A psychologist notices that students who attend therapy earn higher GPAs than students who don't. She has students come in and fill out a survey one by one in exchange for extra credit.
Name two reasons why the psychologist cannot conclude therapy causes better grades.
This is a disorder that is characterized by physical differences, intellectual disabilities, short attention span, and issues controlling emotions and actions
What disorder is this?
Fetal Alcohol Disorder/Syndrome
A researcher tells students they are participating in a study about personality. The actual purpose is to observe cheating behavior, so the study includes deception. What part is this study missing to make it ethical?
After the experiment, the researcher tells participants the true purpose of the study. Debriefing
What stage is this (____ vs. ____) and what type of stress is she dealing with?
Intimacy vs Isolation
AND
Internal Conflict
Alex has demonstrated problems like lying, stealing, aggressive behavior, recklessness, lack of conscience, setting fires, and viewing others as prey. It's hurting his relationships and his functioning.
What disorder is this?
Personality Disorder (Antisocial)
A psychologist conducts a study on classroom learning.
What study ethically helped us learn neglect in children and what theory does the study demonstrate?
Romanian orphanage study and attachment theory