Grade 11, University & College Preparation (Course Code: HSP 3M)
Author of Course: Kevin Leung, O.S.
Author of Text: Colin M. Bain/Jill S. Colyer - The Human Way
Chapter 3.3 Psychology Skills & Methods
The three subcategories of psychology are:
1) Human Intelligence
- Standford-Binet test introduced in 1916 evolved into Intelligence Quotient (IQ) Test
- multiple choice thinking questions
- score awarded in relation to an average of 100
<-----60-69------70-79-----80-89----90-99----100-109----110-119----120-129----130-139--->
Percentage of population with the scores above
<-----2%--------7%-----------17%-----25%-------25%---------17%---------7%--------2%------>
ISSUES
- this bell-curve distribution is common among all different ethnic/cultural groups
- Is intelligence inherited? No: Regression to the mean: persistence through time of the overall intelligence distribution pattern.
- Intelligence linked to psychological factors? Generally, faster reaction=more intelligence
2) Personality
- Rely heavily on experiments (p.55-6) & observations (eg. people who talk a lot are extraverted)
3) Privacy & Intimacy
- Mike Argyle & Janet Dean analyzed techniques
- physical distance, smiling, eye contact, leaning, touching,etc. "measure" intimacy
4) Eithical Issues in Experiments
- example: p.59
Chapter 3.4 Sociology Skills & Methods
1) Statistical Analysis (Read example, p.60)
- determine trends from statistics; often, the public is misinformed
- develop theories: 1) CASUAL theory: try to relate 2 variables to see if they're related
2) CONSEQUENTIAL theory: predicts what will happen if variable(s) change
hypothesis (educated guess) ---> independent variable (the influential one) and dependent variable (affected by the i.v.) ----> The experiment. Intervening variables, ie. those that cause difficulty in making a link. ------> The conclusion (report, thesis, etc.)
2) Questionnaires
- some are administered and some are self-administered
Self-admin advantages:
i) effective in gathering private aspects of people's attitudes and behaviours
ii) eliminates the need to pay a researcher to conduct it
Difficulties with Questionnaires
i) honesty of the subject answering the questions
ii) how well they can read and write
iii) hard to find willing subjects
3) Case Studies
- interviews; more effective than just questioning because they want to protect themselves
Ethical Issues
- Respect anonymity
- Really necessary questions only
- Researcher to keep an emotional distance from respondent
Should not manipulate statistics
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