Psych 105 Exam 3

What are master's level opportunities?

-Treatment provider in correctional facilities (therapy) =Ma in counseling or correctional counseling -Researcher with govt. agencies (Dept. of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice)

How can you spot a pseudoscience?

-lots of promises

Do you need a law degree?

No

What are the main activities of a researcher in academia?

3 main areas 1. Teaching, supervision, mentoring 2. Research 3. Professional service

What is forensic psychology?

-the most misunderstood area of psych. -Def: providing professional psychological expertise to the judicial system

% of psychology majors that earn a graduate degree

25% go to graduate school in psychology 18% go on for more education but not in psychology 57% go into the workforce

GRE -psychology subject test

required by 13% of doctoral and 6% of master's programs

forensic psychology four main contributions

research public policy development and analysis education clinical practice

Why are new college grads fired?

#1 reason is a failure to follow directions *that's why it's important to be a good listener

What is the average starting salary for psychology graduates?

$37, 400 , compared to 45, 633 in other fields

What is tenure?

-"publish or perish" -portfolio of accomplishments -provides job security Teacher tenure is a policy that restricts the ability to fire teachers, requiring a "just cause" rationale for firing such as severe misconduct or incompetence.

Forensic psych assessment CRIMINAL

-#1 most in demand service provided by forensic psychologists -criminal forensic assessments: * competency to stand trial 1. Have to have factual/rational understanding of legal process 2. need to aide in own defence (own attorney) *competency to waive Miranda rights *transfer evaluations (treated like adult or stay in juvenile system) *competency to be sentenced and executed *violence risk assessment (should we let them out on parole?)

Recommendation letters- what should it contain, how to get strong letters?

-A good recommendation letter is a detailed recommendation letter with a positive tone -Ask potential writers, "Are you able to write me a strong letter of recommendation?" --specific examples of your competence -As many of your letter writers as possible should have a degree in the field you're applying to -a bad letter of recommendation is deadly -always waive your right to access the letter -get materials to your letter writers in a timely, organized fashion -never, ever use a letter from your own personal psychotherapist -give your writers 4-6 weeks notice, and provide everything they need to write a strong letter

Is forensic psychology younger or older than the other subfields that we have discussed in this course?

-APA division 41 (newest subfield - 2001)

What application materials might you be required to send to programs?

-Application form and fee -cover letter -personal statement/essay -curriculum vitae -GRE score(s) -letter of recommendation (3 is typical) -transcripts -writing sample (less common)

"Special Employment Issues"

-Background checks (along with fingerprinting) are routine *traffic violations also can cause problems Second, drug screening preemployment (and post-employment) is also routinely done *any drug use past or present may prevent employment in many federal positions

What does Career Services offer? Where are they and when can you go?

-Bank of America Career Services Building -Drop-in career counseling (M-F 11:00am-3:00pm) -mock interviewing -resume reviewing -career fairs -in-person and virtual appointments

What are the alternatives if you do not get in?

-One option: post-bacc programs -Harvard University post-bacc job listings -some master's programs have late deadlines -talk to someone who will give you honest and critical feedback about the strength of your app -consult the APA education directorate's graduate openings list in late April

What should be addressed in a cover letter?

-One page or less in length -cover letter should be tailored and specific for that particular job --re-use statements and language from the job ad -be as specific as possible about why you're qualified for the job, and give examples of things you've done -keep a spreadsheet with essential info on where you have applied and status first paragraph = introduce yourself * why you are writing, job title you are applying for, where you found it second paragraph = relate your background to the position *highlight match between your skills, experiences, and goals and the organizations needs/mission/goals final paragraph = wrap up what you've said,. express interest, and invite further contact *goal = get your foot in the door

What are bachelor's level opportunities?

-Police officer -Correctional officer -Probation/parole officer

Who developed the GRE?

-The Educational Testing Service (ETS) -Graduate Programs may require --the General test (aka GRE) --Psychology Subject Test (less commonly required)

Psychology and other disciplines

-When work on the interdisciplinary problem is publicized, the contributions of psychologists are often usurped by other fields -one reason: the word psychologists has become ambiguous -even Daniel Kahneman didn't receive the nobel prize in psychology!!

Interviewing p. 93-98

-before the interview, refresh your memory why you applied -1st, review the info on the position -2nd, review the info available on the company/program -3rd, review your resume and your app -4th, do a mock interview -5th, practice in front of a mirror and role play with friends for critical feedback or video yourself -appearance counts, dress conservatively The day of the interview -arrive early but not too early -take notepad and pen and a copy of his her app, and several copies of an updated resume, and a copy of your questions After the interview -send a thank-you note (don't call) Considering job offers -have a minimum salary in mind (budget monthly expenses and multiply these expenses by 12. once you have it, multiply it by 1.35) Starting Salaries -psych bachelors grads earn lower , which is a trend for those in humanities and social sciences

Chapter 4 - case studies

-case studies may be useful in early stages of investigation -well known examples occurred in work of Jean Piaget -Freud never tested his hypotheses -control groups help rule out alternative explanations

Civil forensic assessments:

-child custody -Guardianship -Competency to make treatment decisions -personal injury evaluations

Cognitive Psychology

-consists of understanding human and nonhuman animals' mental processes -wide range of processes --- how info is processed, stored, retrieved, or expressed -some focus on how these processes can be facilitated while others focus on how they are hindered attention, information processing, perception, memory, reasoning, language, communication --- overlap between other disciplines has grown, common to find collaboration -also investigate topics that have an applied focus

The self-help literature

-creates confusion -creates inaccurate impression of the methods and goals of psychology

Review: What is science? The Scientific Method

-does not need one grand, unifying theory -it's not defined by subject matter -also not defined by the use of particular experimental apparatus -science is a way of thinking about and observing the universe that leads to a deep understanding of its workings 1. the use of systematic empiricism -relies on observation -systematic because it is structured so that the results of the observation reveal something about the underlying nature of the world (theory driven) 2. the production of public knowledge -replication: must be presented in a way that enables other scientists to attempt the same experiment and find the same results -peer review 3. the examination of solvable problems -scientists search for testable theories -our empirical techniques must be able to help answer -falsifiability criterion -something that wasn't previously solvable can become solvable theory--> prediction --> test --> theory modification -our implicit psychological theories can't be refuted ---> common sense is often wrong

Experimental Psychology

-expertise in conducting psychological research -not restricted to conducting research in any one area, but most choose a concentration

Biopsychology

-expertise in exploring the links between behavior and biology -overlaps with physiological psychologists, behavioral neuroscientists, and cognitive and clinical neuropsychologists -they apply biological principles -interested in establishing how biological systems affect behavior and how behaviors affect biological systems

Developmental psychology

-expertise in the scientific study of human development -emotional, cognitive, and physical dev. are all areas of potential focus -they keep two broad themes in mind. 1. view development as occurring across the lifespan 2. view development from a global perspective -increasing numbers are pursuing applied endeavors

Social Psychology

-expertise in understanding human behavior as it occurs within social contexts -focus on how humans' thoughts, actions, and feelings are influenced by various aspects of their social environment ---and how humans relate to each other in these environments -has a lot in common with clinical, counseling, cognitive, and personality psych. -research can have direct applications at the societal level

What criteria should you consider to determine if a grad program you are considering is right for you?

-faculty whose research (and clinical) interests match your own -theoretical orientation, philosophy, and department culture of a program -good working relationships with advisors and supervisors

What does the Liberal Arts Career Enrichment Network offer?

-funding -internships -study abroad experiences -research -alumni mentors -professional dev. opportunities -career resources for grad. students

Interview tips

-give examples of things you've done -always have good questions prepared to ask -your phone should be completely off for the entire interview (not just on vibrate) -send an appreciative thank you note (email) afterward

harm by pseudoscience

-harm done by pseudoscience is widespread *opportunity costs *you may be affected by them even if you do not share the beliefs -we should really be drinking fluoridated water but a lot of people believe the conspiracy that fluoridation is harmful -many banks and Fortune 500 companies use graphologists even though they are pseudoscientists -money spent on medical quackery reaches into the billions anti-vaccine movement

What is a Case study? What are the uses of a case study and limits?

-intense observation of one single or a few individuals -may include careful observation, interviews, psychological testing -isolated events that cannot rule out alternative explanations Can be useful in early stages of researching a topic/problem (Step 1) Step 2 needed: subject hypothesis based on case study to controlled experiments

What are good reasons to get a Master's degree first?

-low GPA -low GRE scores -scarce research/clinical experience -uncertain career goal -decided to apply late (many doctoral applications are due by December 1st) -brief, undetailed letters of recommendation -inadequate coursework within psychology

Our own worst enemies

-most research psychologists do very little public communication -there is a phenomenon of antiscientific attitudes within parts of psychology itself -debriefing after trauma does not help -Psychology has a kind of Jekyll and Hyde personality

Isn't Everyone a Psychologist? Implicit Theories of Behavior

-much of our personal psychological knowledge is recipe knowledge

Tips for a good resume

-no more than 1 page -make sure your name stands out -adjust resume, especially objective, to be consistent with each job -only list GPA if it's higher than 3.0 -Use action words --expedited, collaborated, analyzed -use high quality paper that matches cover letter or pdf -consistency is important (formatting, tense, punctuation, font) -do not include irrelevant information (birthday, etc.) -have multiple people read your resume for grammar, spelling, and consistency errors

the overwhelming impact of the single case

-pictures of the military men who had died in Vietnam vs. numbers had much more profound effect

Psychology and Parapsychology

-psychology does NOT study the paranormal -However, 40% of the general public believes in the existence of such phenomena (like ESP) -the natural selection of ideas and methods leads scientists closer to the truth -The investigation of ESP has not proved fruitful - even though it was studied in past -psychology suffers from a guilt-by association phenomenon

Recipe Knowledge

-the knowledge of how to use something without knowledge of the fundamental principles that govern its functioning (goal of the basic researcher - fundamental ) -science produces slow answers

the vidiness effect

-why we are much more afraid of flying than getting in a car Your friend is 3 times more likely to die in a car accident on the 20 miles trip back home than you are on your flight of 750 miles. -parents are most worried about their children being abducted (1 in 600,000) yet children being killed in a car crash (or drowning) is dozens of times more likely -there hasn't been one documented case of poisoned candy on halloween -happens in science too. conclusions of scientific experiments in cognitive neuroscience were rated as more credible if they contained a brain image summarizing the results instead of a graph depicting the identical outcome

What types of books can you find in the "Psychology" section of a book store?

1. Classics (chung, adler, skinner -- don't represent modern psych) 2. Pseudoscience "The Alzheimer's Cure" Paranormal phenomena 3. Self-help Make more $, lose more weight, have better sex, have less stress/fear/anxiety/depression

Most valued attributes and how to obtain them (Appleby, 2014)

1. Communication skills -ability to write, speak, read, and listen -seek classes with demanding writing assignments, and oral presentations -Get writing help (owl purdue, penn state writing center) 2. Critical thinking/quantitative skills -apply information to solve organizational problems -use statistical and quantitative skills to summarize, organize, and analyze data -Be a research assistant in a psych lab (psych 494) 3. Collaboration skills -working effectively in groups, dealing effectively with diverse populations, and leadership -seek opportunities (clubs) that bring you into contact w/ different types of people and pursue leadership positions -Teaching Assistant (psych 296) 4. Self-management skills -adapting to new situations; learning new skills and information; and managing time, stress, and conflict -time challenging courses, complete assignments on time, attend class even if it's not required 5. Professional Skills -organizing, planning, and carrying out projects; managing resources; and acting and dressing in a professional manner 6. Technological skills -computer literacy, word processing, data management, and email -Penn state IT training opportunities 7. Ethical Skills -ethical knowledge, the ability to make ethical decisions based on this knowledge, and the willingness to act on these decisions -conform to academic integrity, discuss ethics of research with professors

What are the 4 main activities that Forensic Psychologists do?

1. Research 2. Public policy development and analysis 3. Education/teaching 4. Clinical practice (most common and largest area)

What percentage of doctoral degrees are awarded in research-intense subfields?

33%

What % of self-help books have scientific validity?

5 % of the 3500 published each year

How long do students tend to spend studying for the GRE?

50-200 hours * a month to 6 months before

Reasons/pros and cons of a GAP year

57% of college students postpone graduate study for at least one year Top reasons for postponement: -gain more research experience -further personal development -secure life experience -take a break from school/avoid burnout -obtain a job -travel cons -fear you'll be behind -worries you'll lose momentum -cost

What is the 10-year completion rate for a doctorate in psychology?

65.1%

Does GPA matter in applying for a job?

67% of employers screen applicants based on GPA -majority use 3.0 cutoff

In which setting do most researchers work?

68% work in academia ---colleges, universities, medical schools 26% work in private sector and government positions median income $91,140 Research vs.

What % of employers have not hired a candidate due to their social media?

70%

% of employers that value relevant work experience

74% of employers prefer to hire candidates with relevant work experience Some ways to get experience as a college student -summer jobs -part time jobs -volunteer experiences -internships/externships psych 495

Which types of programs are most likely to require an interview?

93% of clinical/counseling psychology doctoral programs require some kind of interview -less common for research-oriented programs -27% require and in-person interview, 62% prefer an in-person interview **masters are less likely to require

Preprofessional vs. liberal arts view of the degree

A psychology bachelor's degree can be seen from two perspectives: 1. A preprofessional degree -for students planning on going to grad school, medical school, law school, etc... 2. A liberal arts degree -for students planning to find employment right after college

How do you become a Forensic Psychologist (Applied and Research Paths)?

Applied forensic psychologist recommended training -doc degree in clinical, counseling, school psych -post-doc training in forensic environment -licensure -Board Certification (Board forensic psych) Research as a forensic psychologist -doctorate in experimental forensic psych, exp., dev., social, cog. -identify researchers, and apply to those programs

What are the steps in the scientific method?

Ask a Question Do Background Research Construct a Hypothesis Test Your Hypothesis by Doing an Experiment Analyze Your Data and Draw a Conclusion Communicate Your Results

Three Quarters rule

At least 3/4 of students should graduate, pass the EPP and get matched

What are GPAs (avg. and minimum) for grad school?

Average minimums Masters: 2.92 overall Doctoral: 3.11 overall Average for those accepted: Masters: 3.37 overall (3.48 psych) Doctorate programs: 3.54 overall (3.6 psych)

Fact or Crap? Should you change your answer on a multiple-choice test?

Based on a review of over 60 studies, changing answers on a multiple choice test more often resulted in changing a wrong answer to a right one.

What is basic versus applied research?

Basic research: goal is to advance our understanding of a topic Applied research: goal is to solve a real-world problem

What is the Freud Problem?

Freud along with other pop psychologists largely defines psychology in the public mind -this has contributed to many misunderstandings -Freud's methods are unrepresentative -psychology is actually very diverse -causes people to not realize psychology is a scientific discipline -LESS than 5% of APA members practice Freudian psychoanalysis -Freud's theories are based on case study evidence rather than controlled experiments

Chronological vs. Functional Resumes

Chronological -much more common -best when you have more experience Functional -organized based on skills rather than work history -best when you have less experience but you are qualified in terms of skills

Forensic psych treatment: criminal vs. civil

Criminal -sex offender treatment -drug dependence treatment Civil -Victim treatment -treatment of law enforcement -Divorce mediation/dispute resolution

What is a CV? Know the headings of a CV

Curriculum Vitae -Vitae is a record of educational accomplishments -3-4 pages is common when applying for graduate school Headings: -education (college) -publications -conference presentations -research experience -clinical (professional/volunteer) experience -teaching experience -professional affiliations (org. memberships) -awards and honors -coursework -current research/interest areas -references

What is the "criminal profiling myth" and why is it just a myth?

Definition: developing a description of the likely perpetrator of a crime who has yet to be apprehended -domain of law enforcement or FBI -job market, rarely available to do -Stereotypes (not super accurate, just based on stereotypes) *DC Sniper case This myth has been perpetuated by false, misleading portrayals in the entertainment media

The source of resistance to scientific psychology

Daubert vs. Merrel Dow - the supreme court established when expert testimony could be presented in court. that is, what makes expert testimony expert p. 203

What should be avoided in a personal (professional) statement?

Different schools provide different prompts and directions, but in general: -academic backgrounds and preparation -why you want to attend graduate school -why you want to attend the program in particular (fit) -which faculty member/lab you are interested in working with (doctoral) -career goals Avoid the Three H's -Humor -Hyperbole -Hard luck stories (avoid references to your mental health) -avoid cliches -do not send a "cookie cutter" from letter **emphasize fit with that specific program -common mistake: not changing university's name -have multiple people read your materials

What training is needed to be a researcher?

Doctoral degree is research intense fields leads to the most independence Prepare by taking statistics, research methods, experimental design ---biopsych = natural sciences (chemistry and biology) + try to get into research lab

Be familiar with each of the 5 research intense subfields in the H&R chapter, and what are common topics studied for each.

Experimental Developmental Social Cognitive BioPsychology

Forensic Science Technician vs. Forensic Psychologist

Forensic Science Technician "forensic scientist" -Collect and analyze physical evidence -requires BA in a natural science $57,850/year, 17% growth rate

Fact or Crap- is a lie detector test accurate?

No -It is better called a "physiological arousal" test -lie detector tests are problematic for many reasons, including examiner bias and the ability of test takers to manipulate their arousal *not admissible in court *many false positives *subjective *still used to get job at FBI

General GRE versus GRE Psychology subject test

General -compter -broad knowledge -can take throughout the year -$205 -3 hours, 45 mins -adaptive -3 scores -required by 80% of master's programs and 97% of doctoral programs Subject test -specific knowledge in psych -paper and pencil -three times per year -$150 -2 hours and 50 mins -penalized for incorrect answers -1 total score More info on chart

How can you find info about grad schools?

Graduate Study in Psychology (GSP, 2020) --info and stats on grad programs in psych Insiders Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical and Counseling Psychology --info and stats on Clinical/counseling programs Academy of Psychological Clinical Science --info on programs that use the clinical scientist model Professional organizations and accrediting bodies websites browse research literature

the Amazing Randi: fighting fire with fire

James Randi is a magician has been exposing the fraud and charlatanism surrounding claims of psychic abilities and other pseudosciences -exposed Uri Geller P.t. Barnum effect = the vast majority of individuals will endorse generalized personality summaries as accurate and specific descriptions of themselves (basis of palm readers and astrologists)

What are the top 3 most important/least important criteria in Psychology admissions decisions for master's and Phd programs?

Masters Most important: letters of recommendation, GPA, personal statements/goals Least important: extracurricular activity, work experience, and clinically related public service Doctoral Most important: letters of recommendation, personal statement/goals, GPA Least important: extracurricular activity, work experience, and clinically related public service

MA vs MS degree, why pick a program with a research requirement/thesis?

Masters of Arts (MA) vs. Master of Science (MS) -If you want to go onto doctoral degree, pick a master's program that requires thesis/research -good option if you want to be a therapist w/o interest in research/teaching

What can impact job opportunities/job security when working in academia?

May depend on ability to secure funding for research -grant writing is an important skill -productivity expectations -tenure

What is NGRI? What happens if someone is found NGRI?

NGRI = not guilty by reason of insanity When found NGRI (less than 10% of ppl), the individual is sent to a mental hospital for an indeterminate amount of time Research shows that often, those who are found NGRI are confined to a hospital longer for the same crimes than those who are convicted and sent to prison

What is the median loan debt for research programs vs. clinical/counseling PhD, vs PsyD?

Non-clinical Ph.D. in Psych? 45,500 Clinical/counseling Ph.D.? 75,500 Clinical/counseling Psy.D? 200,000

What do Forensic Psychologists do in clinical practice?

Provide assessments/evaluations, treatment, and consultation to and for the courts, attorneys, and other legally involved parties (such as defendants) two broad areas of clinical 1. Criminal forensic psychology: criminal legal system 2. Civil forensic psychology: civil legal system (e.g., family and administrative courts)*redress of wrong

PhD versus PsyD

Psy.D. programs have larger classes Psy.D. students are less likely to "match" w/ a pre-doctoral internship Psy.D. students tend to score lower on the EPPP (examination for professional practice of psych) There is greater variability in the quality of Psy.D. programs

Popularity of the Psychology Major

Psychology is the fourth most popular individual major overall, behind business, health professions and related programs, social sciences and history, according to the U.S. Department of Education. In the 2014-15 academic year, schools awarded more than 117,000 bachelor's degrees in psychology.

What are the sections of the general GRE?

Quantitative Reasoning (score 130-170) -arithmetic, algebra, geometry, probability and stats -can use on screen calculator -multiple choice and answer entry Verbal Reasoning (score 130-170) -reading comprehension -text completion -sentence equivalence Analytical Writing (essays scores 0-6 points)

What are minimum/average GRE scores for grad programs? What are average GRE scores from all test takers?

Quantitative: 147 min. (151 average accepted) **152 all test takers Verbal: 158 min (159 average accepted)**150 all test takers Psychology Subject: 587 min (672 average accepted) Analytical Writing range from 4.7 to 5.1 **3.5 for all test takers

What is meant by safety, target and ambitious in applying to graduate schools?

Safety = you exceed statistics of their recent admissions Target = you meet the statistics of their recent admissions Ambitious = you just barely meet requirements or are slightly below recent admissions statistics **people apply to an average of 10 but up to 20

Review acceptance rates by subfield graph given in lecture- Which areas have the highest/lowest doctoral acceptance rates?

School and "applied other" have the highest doctoral acceptance rates social/personality and clinical have the lowest

What are the 3 S's to responding to behavioral based interview questions?

Situation -describe the challenge/conflict Skills/strengths -identify the skills you used to handle the situation Success -communicate a successful ending

What are bachelor's level career in research and what is the expected growth?

Social Science Research Assistant -prepare findings for publication and assist in laboratory analysis, data management -median salary 46,640 -growth: slower than avg. 2-4% Market Research Analyst -collect and analyze data related to consumer demographics, buying habits. etc -median salary 63,230 -growth: much faster than avg 15%

What courses are most important to graduate programs?

Statistics (91.8%) Research Methods (74.4%)

Why do we need science? Be familiar with the different types of biases named.

There are problems with personal beliefs Vividness Effect -impacts human memory and decision making -vividness of information greatly impacts the accessibility of info from memory -more vivid memories/information is more easily recalled -related to availability heuristic Humans are "cognitive misers" -simple cognition Confirmation Bias -Rosenhan Study (schizophrenia) Emotions impact thinking -mood congruent memory (we store a memory of the mood they we were in at the time. For this reason, when we feel happy we recall other happy memories.) -Fearful people are less likely to consider alternatives/question (ex. vaccines) Dunning-Kruger Effect -people with low ability at a task overestimate their ability Bias Blind Spot -of recognizing the impact of biases on the judgment of others, while failing to see the impact of biases on one's own judgment. The Human Problem -Scientists are humans, human reasoning is subjective and faulty Sometimes data is intentionally faked

Undergraduate vs. graduate school (what do you learn?)

Undergraduate degree as a pre-professional degree -content vs. skills Those with a graduate degree in psychology earn more (33% more on average) Lower unemployment rate (6% at the doctoral level)

What % of jobs are not advertised according to the US Dept of Labor?

Up to 80% of jobs are never advertised and over half of all employees obtain a job through people they know

How often should you meet with your advisor? How?

You should meet with your academic advisor once per semester -125 Moore buildings -make 30 min appointments through Starfish

What are compensatory values?

compensatory virtues = overcoming a shortcoming in one area with something exceptional in another area

Timeline for grad school prep

first year -get involved with research -attend conference -identify potential mentor second -complete research foundation coursework -Join Psi Chi -attend conference third year -prep for GRE subject test four -present at conference

What are the top 3 primary work activities of psychology graduates? How do things change as you obtain a grad degree?

for bachelor's graduates 1. sales 2. other work activities 3. professional services As you obtain graduate degree, professional services increases dramatically, as well as teaching and research

psychology as a young science

it's not always politically correct it's relatively new and might be why it receives some hostility

What are bachelor's degree holders in psychology satisfied and unsatisfied with in their career?

job satisfaction overall 85% salary 70% ** benefits 71% job security 84% Job location 88% opportunities for advancement 63% *** intellectual challenge 78% level of responsibility 87% degree of independence 90% *** contribution to society 84%

What is recipe knowledge?

knowledge that takes the form of "do x and you'll get more y"..... doesn't explain how it actually works

What is meant by the "hidden job market?"

most jobs are not posted publicly

Chapter 4 - placebo effects

placebo effect = the tendency of ppl to report that any treatment has helped them, regardless of whether it has a real therapeutic element 29% for major depression, 26% for duodenal ulcer, 29% for migraine headache, and 27% for reflux esophagitis -50% of physicians report that they deliberately prescribe placebos -a costly placebo provides more pain relief than a cheap one -most therapeutic treatments are some unknown combination of an active therapeutic component and a placebo effect -can be harmful -the body is very effective in healing itself