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1.4 - Popular Notions about the Discipline of Psychology

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Understanding Popular Notions

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Teacher
Teacher

Today, we will explore what we commonly think about psychology. Often, we think we know why people behave a certain way based on our experiences or common sayings. Can anyone give an example of a common belief about behavior?

Student 1
Student 1

I think people say 'out of sight, out of mind' a lot. It means you forget about someone if they're not around.

Student 2
Student 2

But I've also heard that 'distance makes the heart grow fonder'. It seems like both can't be true at the same time.

Teacher
Teacher

Exactly! These contradicting sayings show how our beliefs can vary widely. Remember, common sense is often based on hindsight. In psychology, we're not just looking to explain behavior after it happens but to predict it before it occurs. We call this the difference between popular psychology and scientific psychology.

Student 3
Student 3

So, psychology tries to find patterns that can help us understand why people act in certain ways?

Teacher
Teacher

Correct! It seeks to uncover consistent patterns rather than relying solely on anecdotal evidence.

Empirical Evidence vs. Common Sense

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Teacher
Teacher

Let's consider how empirical evidence affects our understanding of psychological concepts. Can someone share a time when a scientific study contrasted with popular thinking?

Student 4
Student 4

I remember learning about the Dweck study with children and motivation. They thought giving easy problems would help kids succeed.

Teacher
Teacher

That's a great example! What did the study actually find?

Student 1
Student 1

It showed that kids who were faced with hard problems and encouraged to try harder actually became more resilient.

Teacher
Teacher

Exactly! This research reveals that our common thoughts about motivation can be misleading. Dweck's findings illustrate that experience can be contrary to common assumptions.

Student 2
Student 2

So, scientific studies can change our perceptions about how to motivate others.

Teacher
Teacher

Absolutely! This challenge to common beliefs makes psychology a vital field that helps us understand complex behaviors more scientifically.

Scientific vs. Folk Psychology

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Teacher
Teacher

Now, let’s differentiate between what we call scientific psychology and folk psychology. How do these terms influence our understanding of behavior?

Student 3
Student 3

I think folk psychology is like the ideas we get from movies or conversations, while scientific psychology is based on studies and evidence.

Teacher
Teacher

Right! Scientific psychology uses methods to gather data systematically. Can anyone think of why this distinction matters?

Student 4
Student 4

It matters because following folk psychology might lead us to make wrong decisions or assumptions about people.

Teacher
Teacher

Exactly! Relying on anecdotal evidence can lead us to misunderstand motivations or actions. That’s where psychology helps clarify and predict behavior.

Student 1
Student 1

So, being aware of these differences can help us be better at understanding others?

Teacher
Teacher

Yes! By applying scientific principles, we become more informed observers of human behavior, leading to deeper insights and suggesting interventions.

Introduction & Overview

Read a summary of the section's main ideas. Choose from Basic, Medium, or Detailed.

Quick Overview

This section explores common beliefs about psychology and contrasts them with scientific findings.

Standard

The section discusses how popular notions of human behavior often stem from common sense and anecdotal evidence, which can conflict with scientific understanding from psychology. It emphasizes that psychology seeks to create predictions and frameworks for understanding behavior rather than merely explaining it after the fact.

Detailed

In everyday life, many people act as amateur psychologists by attempting to explain behaviors based on personal experience or common sense, leading to popular notions about behavior that may not align with scientific understanding. For instance, contrasting sayings such as 'out of sight, out of mind' and 'distance makes the heart grow fonder' illustrate subjective interpretations of relationships. Scientific psychology, unlike common perspectives, is grounded in empirical research and aims to predict behavior rather than merely explain it after it occurs. Common sense beliefs about human behavior can often be misleading or oversimplified, as demonstrated in psychological studies like Carol Dweck’s research on motivation in children. This section underlines the distinction between empirical psychology and folk psychology, advocating for the scientific approach in understanding complex human behaviors.

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Audio Book

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Everyday Psychology

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We mentioned above that everyday, almost everyone of us acts like a psychologist. We try to understand why someone behaved in the manner in which s/he did and come up with ready explanations.

Detailed Explanation

In everyday life, people often analyze the behaviors of themselves and others. This informal analysis resembles the work of psychologists, who systematically study behavior. For example, when someone reacts during a stressful situation, a friend might try to guess what caused that reaction, similar to how psychologists investigate the reasons behind actions.

Examples & Analogies

Imagine a situation at school where a student starts crying after receiving criticism. A classmate might think, 'Maybe they are overly sensitive,' while a psychologist would investigate deeper into the student’s background and experiences to understand why the criticism triggered such a strong response.

Common Misconceptions

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Not only this, most of us have developed our own theory of human behaviour. If we want some worker to perform better than s/he has in the past, we know that we will need to push her/him. Maybe even use a stick because people are basically lazy.

Detailed Explanation

Many people have their own theories about what motivates others. These theories may arise from common sense beliefs rather than scientific evidence. For instance, someone may believe that people are inherently lazy and need to be coerced into working harder. Psychology, however, emphasizes understanding individual motivations rather than relying on a simplistic view.

Examples & Analogies

Think of a coach who believes their team only needs to be yelled at to perform better. The coach might miss the underlying factors like motivation, teamwork, and individual skill, which can actually lead to improved performance if nurtured rather than forced.

Hindsight and Common Sense

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Such popular theories of human behaviour based on common sense may or may not be true if investigated scientifically. In fact, you will find that common sensical explanations of human behaviour are based on hindsight and explain very little.

Detailed Explanation

Common sense reasoning often operates in hindsight, meaning people use past experiences to explain current phenomena instead of predicting future behaviors. This tendency fails to recognize the complexity of psychological phenomena and can lead to incorrect assumptions.

Examples & Analogies

For instance, after a relationship ends, a friend might say, 'It was obvious they were not right for each other.' This statement is hindsight reasoning because it overlooks the complexity of emotions and interactions that were present before the breakup.

Scientific vs. Common Sense

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Psychology as a science looks for patterns of behaviour which can be predicted and not explained after the behaviour occurs.

Detailed Explanation

Scientific psychology relies on empirical evidence and seeks to identify patterns that can help predict behavior in various contexts. Unlike common sense, which might explain behavior after it happens, psychological research aims to provide understanding that can predict future incidents.

Examples & Analogies

A psychologist studies how stress affects performance. They find that students with good stress management techniques outperform those who do not, helping educators develop programs to teach stress management. This proactive approach contrasts with the reactive explanations of common sense.

Dweck's Study

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One such example is a study performed by Dweck (1975). She was concerned with children who gave up too easily when faced with a difficult problem or failure.

Detailed Explanation

Dweck's study highlights how common beliefs can be misleading. Instead of helping children by giving them only easy problems, her research showed that mixing in challenging problems helped them learn perseverance. This counters the belief that only success builds confidence.

Examples & Analogies

Imagine two students, one always given simple math problems and the other given a mixed bag of easy and difficult ones. The first student, used to easy problems, quits quickly at the first sign of difficulty, while the second learns that struggle can lead to success, making them more resilient.

Challenging Common Senses

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There are many other common sense notions which you may not find to be true. Not too long ago it was believed in some cultures that men are more intelligent than women or women cause more accidents than men.

Detailed Explanation

Psychology often challenges societal stereotypes and misconceptions. These common beliefs can obscure the facts, as research has disproven many of these long-held assumptions about intelligence and behavior differences based on gender.

Examples & Analogies

Consider workplace dynamics where stereotypes persist. A company might assume men are more competent at leadership roles, which can lead to gender bias in promotions and opportunities. Psychological research advocates for evaluating individuals based on attributes rather than outdated societal notions.

Learning and Performance

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Psychological studies have shown that if you have practiced well, you may actually perform better because the presence of others helps your performance.

Detailed Explanation

Research indicates that practice and preparation enhance performance, especially in social situations where others are present. This principle, known as 'social facilitation,' debunks the myth that performance always declines under observation.

Examples & Analogies

Think about a musician who performs better in front of an audience than during solo practice. The energy and motivation from an audience can elevate their performance levels, showcasing how social factors contribute to effectiveness.

Psychology's Scientific Approach

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It is hoped that as you go through this textbook you will discover that many of your beliefs and understanding of human behaviour will change.

Detailed Explanation

The goal of studying psychology is to encourage critical thinking and a deeper understanding of behavior beyond common assumptions. By examining psychological principles, students can gain insights that challenge preconceived notions about human nature.

Examples & Analogies

As students learn about psychological theories and studies, they may reevaluate their thoughts about why people behave the way they do, similar to how learning new information about nutrition can change someone's diet beliefs and practices.

Definitions & Key Concepts

Learn essential terms and foundational ideas that form the basis of the topic.

Key Concepts

  • Popular Notions: Everyday beliefs about human behavior that may not be scientifically valid.

  • Scientific Psychology: A discipline that seeks to predict behavior based on empirical research rather than rely on anecdotal evidence.

  • Dweck Study: A significant research piece illustrating how experience contradicts common beliefs about motivation.

Examples & Real-Life Applications

See how the concepts apply in real-world scenarios to understand their practical implications.

Examples

  • Saying 'out of sight, out of mind' may apply to some relationships, while 'distance makes the heart grow fonder' is a different perspective, showcasing contradictory interpretations.

  • Dweck’s research on children's motivation showed that confronting challenges can lead to resilience, contrary to the belief that easier problems foster confidence.

Memory Aids

Use mnemonics, acronyms, or visual cues to help remember key information more easily.

🎵 Rhymes Time

  • When in doubt, check the data out; common sense may twist, but logic won't miss.

📖 Fascinating Stories

  • A researcher once believed that giving children easy tasks would boost their confidence, but studies revealed that facing challenges empowered them instead—showing that data is king!

🧠 Other Memory Gems

  • M.E. (Memory Evidence) - Remember to base your understanding on Memory (data) and Evidence (research) when considering psychology.

🎯 Super Acronyms

P.E.P. - Popular Evidence Predicts

  • Use research to understand behavior rather than relying on popular notions.

Flash Cards

Review key concepts with flashcards.

Glossary of Terms

Review the Definitions for terms.

  • Term: Common Sense

    Definition:

    Beliefs or propositions that are generally held based on everyday experiences rather than scientific evidence.

  • Term: Folk Psychology

    Definition:

    An informal understanding of human behavior and mental processes based on personal experiences and observations.

  • Term: Empirical Evidence

    Definition:

    Information obtained through observation and experimentation that forms the basis for scientific conclusions.