| variable | research method involving observing subjects in their natural environment |
| null hypothesis | set of surroundings; place at which sth happens |
| validity | well-established principle that has been developed to explain some aspect of the natural world |
| observer | tentative statement about the relationship between two or more variables |
| hypothesis | capacity of one variable to influence another |
| naturalistic observation | person who watches and studies particular events, situations, etc. |
| theory | group composed of participants who receive the treatment |
| setting | prediction that one variable will have no association to the other variable |
| correlation | extent to which a test measures what it claims to measure |
| control group | something that can be changed, such as a characteristic or value |
| treatment group | group composed of participants who do not receive the experimental treatment and are randomly selected to be in this group |
| causation | statistical measurement of the relationship between two variables |
Task 7. Use the information given in the text to answer the questions. Discuss your answer with other members of the group
1. What is the experimental psychology?
2. Where can experimental psychologists work?
3. What are the four fundamental principles of the experimental psychology?
4. What is the central idea behind parsimony?
5. What is the final and most important canon of the experimental psychology?
6. Name different research methods and tools used by experimental psychologists to investigate human behavior.
7. What are the independent and dependent variables in a psychological experiment?
8. What types of case studies do you know?
9. Why are correlational studies used?
10. What does a naturalistic observation involve?
11. What are the advantages and disadvantages of naturalistic observation?
Task 8. Insert the correct preposition
1. Experimental psychologists work a wide variety of settings.
2. The idea of falsifiability is that scientists go an extra step by actively seeking tests that could prove their theory wrong.
3. Correlational studies can suggest that there is a relationship two variables.
4. In a case study, nearly every aspect of the subject's life and history is analyzed to seek patterns and causes behavior.
5. The canon of empiricism is the best method of figuring orderly principles.
6. The dependent variable is the variable that is being measured an experiment.
7. Naturalistic observation differs from structured observation in that it involves looking a behavior as it occurs in its natural setting with no attempts intervention on the part of the researcher.
8. Experimental psychologists who work in academic settings often teach psychology courses addition to performing research and publishing their findings professional journals.
9. Almost all scientists agree that if we are faced two competing theories we should prefer the simpler, or more parsimonious of the two.
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10. Different observers may draw different conclusions the same witnessed behavior.
Task 9. Explain the meaning of the following expressions from the text. Make sentences with each of them
1. experimental psychology;
2. determinism;
3. empiricism;
4. naturalistic observation;
5. correlational studies;
6. parsimony;
7. case study;
8. independent variable.
Unit 4. SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
VOCABULARY SECTION
| measurable | [meʒərəbl] | ; |
| prone | [proun] | ; |
| to occur | [əkə:] | ; |
| domain | [dɔmein] | 1. ; 2. , ; |
| to bridge | [briʤ] | 璺; |
| frequent | [frikwənt] | ; |
| collaboration | [kɔlæbəreiʃn] | ; |
| extent | [ikstent] | ; |
| nevertheless | [nevəðəleʒəs] | ; |
| counterpart | [kauntəpat] | , ; |
| split | ; | |
| at the dawn | [dɔ:n] | ; |
| emerge | [imə:ʤ] |
SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
Within the context of psychology, social psychology is the scientific study of how people's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others. By this definition, scientific refers to the empirical method of investigation. The terms thoughts, feelings, and behaviors include all psychological variables that are measurable in a human being. The statement that others' presence may be imagined or impliedsuggests that we are prone to social influence even when no other people are present, such as when watching television, or following internalized cultural norms. Social psychologists typically explain human behavior as a result of the interaction of mental states and immediate social situations. In general, social psychologists have a preference for laboratory-based, empirical findings. Social psychology theories tend to be specific and focused, rather than global and general.
Social psychologists therefore deal with the factors that lead us to behave in a given way in the presence of others, and look at the conditions under which certain behavior/actions and feelings occur. Social psychology is concerned with the way these feelings, thoughts, beliefs, intentions and goals are constructed and how such psychological factors, in turn, influence our interactions with others.
Social psychology is an interdisciplinary domain that bridges the gap between psychology and sociology. During the years immediately following World War II, there was frequent collaboration between psychologists and sociologists. However, the two disciplines have become increasingly specialized and isolated from each other in recent years, with sociologists focusing on "macro variables" (e.g., social structure) to a much greater extent. Nevertheless, sociological approaches to social psychology remain an important counterpart to psychological research in this area. In addition to the split between psychology and sociology, there has been a somewhat less pronounced difference in emphasis between American social psychologists and European social psychologists. As a broad generalization, American researchers traditionally have focused more on the individual, whereas Europeans have paid more attention to group level phenomena (see group dynamics). The discipline of social psychology began in the United States at the dawn of the 20th century. However, the discipline had already developed a significant foundation. Following the 18th century, those in the emerging field of social psychology were concerned with developing concrete explanations for different aspects of human nature. They desired to discover concrete cause and effect relationships that explained the social interactions in the world around them. In order to do so, they believed that the scientific method, an empirically based scientific measure, could be applied to human behavior.
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Task 1. Find English equivalents to the following words and expressions in the text:
; , , ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; , ; ; ; .
Task 2. Find Ukrainian equivalents to the following words and expressions:
Peoples thoughts, feelings and behaviors; actual, imagined or implied presence of others; include; psychological variables; suggest; social influence; cultural norms; in general; have a preference; mental states; to occur interdisciplinary domain; remain; whereas.
Task 3. Choose a word or a phrase (a, b, or c) which best completes the unfinished sentence:
| 1. 1. Social psychology is the scientific study of | a) human personality; b) how peoples behavior influenced by presence of others; c) mental processes such as attention, language memory. |
| 2. 2. Psychological variables are | a) measurable in a human being; b) impossible to be measured; c) cant be described. |
| 3. 3. Social psychology theories tend to be | a) specific and focused; b) focused; c) global and general. |
| 4. 4. Social psychology bridges the gap between: | a) psychology and biology; b) psychology and sociology; c) psychology and linguistics. |
| 5. 5. The discipline of social psychology began in | a) in the United Kingdom in the 19th century; b) in the USA in the 20th century; c) in the USA in the 19th century. |
Task 4. Fill in the appropriate word:
| imagined; preference; human behavior; collaboration; an important counterpart; the individual group level phenomena |
1. Social psychologists typically explain as a result of the interaction of mental states and immediate social situations.
2. During the years following World War II there was between psychology and sociology.
3. Sociological approaches to social psychology remain to psychological research in this area.
4. The statement that others presence may be or implied suggests that we are prone to social influence.
5. Social psychologists have for laboratory-based, empirical findings.
6. American researches traditionally have focused more on.
7. Europeans have paid more attention to.
Task 5. Look through the text once more and say:
1. What social psychology studies.
2. What terms thoughts, feelings and behaviors include.
3. How social psychologists explain human behavior.
4. What the difference between American and European social psychologists is.
5. What factors social psychologists deal with.
Task 6. Find in the text the sentences that prove the following statements:
People are prone to social influence.
Social psychology is an interdisciplinary domain.
There was a frequent collaboration between psychologists and sociologists.
Task 7. Work in teams and present your ideas to the rest of the group:
1. Say why people are so dependent on others opinion.
2. Explain what psychological variables are measurable in a human being.
3. Tell us about the difference between American and European social psychologists.
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