Lecture on Scientific Research in Human Behavior

Introduction

• Importance of scientific research in understanding human behavior.
• Challenges of studying complex organisms like humans compared to physical sciences.
• Methods for studying human behavior include experiments and case studies.

Case Study Example: Donald

• Story from Oliver Sacks' book illustrating a case study.
• Donald murdered his girlfriend while under the influence of PCP.
• He claimed amnesia of the event, later remembered following a head injury.
• Illustrated the concept of repressed and recovered memories.
• Raises questions about biological influences on criminal behavior.

Research in Psychology

• Psychology involves both scientific and common intuition.
• Public perceptions of psychology can be misleading.
• The role of science in proving psychological claims.
• Importance of understanding authority, repetition, rationality, and scientific analysis.

Experiments in Psychology

• Discussion on what constitutes an experiment: dependent and independent variables.
• Psychology experiments began in the 1800s.
• Examples include measuring mental chronometry.
• Different historical approaches to psychology: introspection, behaviorism, cognitive revolution.

Correlations vs. Experiments

• Correlations do not imply causation.
• Example: parental age and disease risk in children.
• Challenges of interpreting correlational data.

Stress and Empathy in College Students

• College students today report higher stress and lower empathy than previous generations.
• Uses of consistent self-report questionnaires.

Broken Windows Theory

• Theory suggesting that visible signs of disorder encourage further crime.
• Experiment showing environmental influence on behavior (graffiti and littering).

Experimenter Bias and Subject Pools

• Self-selection bias in experiments.
• The "WEIRD" problem: Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich Democracies.
• The impact of non-random sampling on generalizability.
• Influence of experimenters' expectations on outcomes.

Small Influences on Behavior

• Embodied cognition and its influence on perceptions.
• Studies on the influence of warmth (coffee) on perception of others.
• Effects of money-related thoughts on self-reliance and helping behavior.

Speed Dating and Gender Differences

• Evolutionary psychology vs. environmental factors in dating behaviors.
• Experiment showing role reversals in speed dating eliminate gender differences in desire.

Folk Psychology vs. Scientific Evidence

• Common psychological beliefs evaluated against scientific evidence.
• Examples include self-esteem, interviews, Rorschach tests, and academic advice.

Praise and Effort

• Carol Dweck's research on praise for effort vs. intelligence.
• Impact of praise type on performance and mindset.
• Growth mindset vs. fixed trait belief.

Conclusion

• Overview of psychology's scientific approach, historical context, and practical implications.
• Encouragement to consider the role of effort and talent in personal success.