1. Introduction to Psychology

Question 1

Psychology

Answer 1

the scientific study of human thoughts, feelings and behaviour.

Question 2

Behaviour

Answer 2

(overt) refers to any observable action made by a living person.

Question 3

Mental process

Answer 3

(covert) refer to an individual’s thoughts and feelings that cannot be directly observed.

Question 4

Biological perspective

Answer 4

Focuses on how physiological structures and bodily functions influence thoughts, feelings and behaviour.

Question 5

Behavioural perspective

Answer 5

Explains all behaviour as a response to stimuli in the environment. Ignores internal factors as causing behaviour because of their inability to be observed and measured.

Question 6

Cognitive perspective

Answer 6

Behaviour results from mental processing. Mental processing includes areas such as memory, problem solving, intelligence and language.

Question 7

Sociocultural perspective

Answer 7

Culture and social interactions shapes, directs and modifies behaviour as much as physiological or cognitive processes can.

Question 8

Key study- Biological perspective

Answer 8

Through studying the brains of individuals who were aphasic (had a speech and language disorder resulting from a brain injury), Paul Broca was able to find the speech production centre of the brain. This is since known as Broca’s area.

Question 9

Key study- Behavioural perspective

Answer 9

B.F. Skinner found that he was able to change the behaviour of the rat by manipulating the environmental conditions the rat lived in (reinforcement and punishment).

Question 10

Key study- cognitive perspective

Answer 10

Jean Piaget theorised that children progress through 4 distinct stages of cognitive development – Sensorimotor stage (0-2 years old), Preoperational stage (2-7 years old), Concrete operational stage (7-11 years old), **Formal operational **stage (11+ years old)

Question 11

Key study- Sociocultural perspective

Answer 11

Stanley **Milgram **wanted to find out whether individuals would obey an authority figure who was instructing them to inflict pain on another person. Participants were told to give an electrical shock to a confederate when they answered incorrectly on a memory task. Of the 40 participants, more than half (65%) continued to administer the shocks at the 450-volt level (XXX: Most Powerful).

Question 12

Scientific method

Answer 12

Involves** using an appropriate research method to collect data, collecting and analysing data, and interpreting the results.**

Question 13

Pseudoscience

Answer 13

Any non-scientific approach to studying human behaviour that may produce biased or unreliable results.

Question 14

Phrenology

Answer 14

**Gall explored the relationship between the skull’s surface features and an individual’s personality characteristics.

Question 15

The Barnum Effect

Answer 15

Suggests that people are more likely to believe statements about themselves when they are** positive, vague and general.**

Question 16

What is the scientific study of human thoughts, feelings and behaviour?

Answer 16

Psychology

Question 17

What do we call any **observable action **made by a living person?

Answer 17

Behaviour (overt)

Question 18

What do we call an individual’s thoughts and feelings that cannot be directly observed?

Answer 18

Mental processes (covert)

Question 19

Which perspective focuses on how physiological structures and bodily functions influence thoughts, feelings and behaviour?

Answer 19

Biological perspective

Question 20

Which perspective explains all behaviour as a response to stimuli in the environment, while ignoring internal factors as causing behaviour because of their inability to be observed and measured?

Answer 20

Behavioural perspective

Question 21

Which perspective states that behaviour results from mental processing, such as memory, problem solving, intelligence and language?

Answer 21

Cognitive perspective

Question 22

Which perspective states that** culture and social interactions shape, direct and modifies behaviour **as much as physiological or cognitive processes can?

Answer 22

Sociocultural perspective

Question 23

Identify the perspective illustrated by the work of Paul Broca. Give reasons for your choice.

Answer 23

Biological perspective. Through studying the brains of individuals who were aphasic (had a speech and language disorder resulting from a brain injury), Paul Broca was able to find the speech production centre of the brain, now known as Broca’s area. Broca was therefore able to link behavior (speech) with a physical structure (the brain)

Question 24

Identify the perspective illustrated by the work of BF Skinner. Give reasons for your choice.

Answer 24

Behavioural perpective. B.F. Skinner found that he was able to change the behaviour of the rat by manipulating the environmental conditions the rat lived in. He examined the rats’ behavior as a response to the environment and ignored the mental processes of the rats.

Question 25

Identify the perspective illustrated by the work of Jean Piaget. Give reasons for your choice.

Answer 25

Cognitive perspective. Jean Piaget theorised that children progress through 4 distinct stages of cognitive development – Sensorimotor stage (0-2 years old), Preoperational stage (2-7 years old), Concrete operational stage (7-11 years old), Formal operational stage (11+ years old). He linked the behaviour of children to their developing abilities to mentally process information.

Question 26

Identify the perspective illustrated by the work of Stanley Milgram. Give reasons for your choice.

Answer 26

Socio-cultural perspective. Stanley Milgram wanted to find out whether individuals would obey an authority figure who was instructing them to inflict pain on another person. Participants were told to give an electrical shock to a confederate when they answered incorrectly on a memory task. Of the 40 participants, more than half (65%) continued to administer the shocks at the 450-volt level (XXX: Most Powerful). Milgram found that behaviour was influenced by the presence or absence of an authority figure.

Question 27

What is the name of the process of using an appropriate research method to collect data, collecting and analysing data, and interpreting the results?

Answer 27

Scientific method

Question 28

What do we call a non-scientific approach to studying human behaviour?

Answer 28

Pseudoscience

Question 29

What is the name of the pseudo-scientific study that explored the relationship between the skull’s surface features and an individual’s personality characteristics?

Answer 29

Phrenology

Question 30

What is the term for when people are more likely to believe statements about themselves when they are positive, vague and general?

Answer 30

The Barnum Effect