3] tools of developmental psychology We don't know what it inside the black box- must make assumptions input output What do you want in research? · Reliability and validity Reliability= measure accurately (e.g. sets of scales) Validity= Measure what we intended Error variance= Nuisance or problem? Variance= Part of the measured variables · Generality= theories apply generally not just in specific circumstance Generality: applying across all contexts IF A CARD SHOWS AN EVEN NUMBER ON ONE FACE, THEN ITS OPPOSITE FACE IS BLUE. · This is the game: · Fact: if a card has a number on one side it has a colour on the other 5 8 · To win the game: turn over the least number of cards to check if it is true that: What do we learn from this: - Our problem solving in these selection tasks is NOT general - It depends on the context they are presented in - When we assess theories in psychology we want them to be general, that is, they apply in all contexts - You may now forget about this task (Wason & Johnson-Laird, 1972) until it pops up again in Evolutionary Psychology · Correlation vs Causation (cause and effect) - Changes in factor A co vary with changes in factor B Positive Correlation No correlation Negative
- If factor A causes factor B, then changing factor A changes factor B - Correlation does not imply causation · Study patterns of change across time Longitudinal: Same participants studied repeatedly at different ages Cross Individual differences X 1 Long Cross-sectional: Participants of different ages all studied at the same time Cohort effects Effort/ time low high possible possible Sequential: Several similar cross-sectional or longitudinal studies are conducted at varying times Practise effect Attrition X -ish possible X-ish possible Microgenetic: Participants are presented with a novel task, and their mastery is followed over a series of sessions Develop- mental Shortcut only V Pathways How do we do it ?= 4 Developmental cognitive neuroscience- FMRI, MEG, EEG Observation o In naturalistic setting high ecological validity, low experimental control o In laboratory setting low ecological validity, high experimental control Habituation o Habituate to repeated stimuli o Repeated vs. novel stimuli (discriminate, remember) o Novelty preference Preferential looking o prefer novel to familiar things o if habituated to thing A and then presented with thing B, need to recognize thing B as novel o investigate sophisticated questions! o Look at one object compared to another as a behavioural response Violation of expectation o SURPRISE o Surprise occurs when expectations are violated 0 Expectation is based on a concept of the world o Concept can be implicit/ explicit o Look longer at surprising things Fg = Gmm2 Could possibly just ask- large scale survey Vignettes=
The Vignette is a method for collecting data by presenting hypothetical situations, and asking research participants a set of directed questions to reveal their values and perceptions. Summary: - psychology relies on many ingenious ways to get inside our heads