AOS 1: Introduction To Psychology

Question 1

Define Psychology.

Answer 1

Psychology is the scientific study of behaviour and mental processes in humans.

Question 2

What are the main goals of psychology?

Answer 2

To describe, predict, control and explain thoughts, feelings and behaviour.
Psychologists seek to understand thoughts, feelings and behaviour and the factors that underlie their development and influence them.
P.4.

Question 3

Define behaviour.

Answer 3

Any observable action made by a living person.

Question 4

Define mental processes.

Answer 4

An individual’s thoughts and feelings that are personal and cannot be directly observed.

Question 5

Is smiling a behaviour or a mental process?

Answer 5

Behaviour.

Question 6

Is dreaming a behaviour or mental process?

Answer 6

Mental process.

Question 8

Can a psychologist usually prescribe drugs?

Answer 8

No. Usually a psychiatrist can prescribe drugs/ medicine as they are trained as a doctor.
Psychologists are not trained doctors.

Question 9

Can a psychiatrist perform medical procedures on their patients?

Answer 9

Yes. A psychiatrist can perform medical procedures. They are trained as a medical doctor.

Question 10

Define psychiatrist.

Answer 10

A psychiatrist is a qualified medical doctor who has obtained additional qualifications to become a specialist in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental illness and emotional problems.

Question 14

Behaviour or mental process; talking to Peter?

Answer 14

Behaviour

Question 15

Origins of contemporary psychology are based in two fields of study…. What are these general fields of knowledge?

Answer 15

Philosophical (such as Socrates, Plato, Aristotle and Descartes) and scientific study (such as Helmholtz and Wundt).

Question 16

What are some of the important ideas that philosophers of the past gave to psychology?

Answer 16

Questions such as; are humans born good or evil, are they born with intelligence? The ‘nature vs nurture’ debate. The ‘mind/body problem’- whether the mind and body are distinct to each other.
Philosophers such as Aristotle, Plato and Socrates also pondered things like why we dream, behave the way we do, what memory is, how does imagination work…. Etc.

Question 16

True or false…
In order to become a psychiatrist you need to complete:
A four year course at university (including an honours year)
And either; a two year post-graduate degree or two years of training via supervision.

Answer 16

False.

These are the requirements to become a psychologist.

Question 17

Explain the ‘nature vs nurture’ concept.

Answer 17

Nature is referring to the aspects of a person they are BORN with; I.e. genes and traits.
Nurture refers to the aspects of a person that are developed by experiencing the environment.
Nature= born with. Nurture = in environment.

The concept of nature vs nurture is the question of how the different aspects help to develop a person, and which has prominence (which is more important). I.e. if a person is a lier, is this a trait they were born with, or developed because of the environment?

Question 17

The equivalent of —- years study/training is needed to become a psychologist, whereas a psychiatrist will complete at least — years study/training/supervision.

Answer 17

6 years and 13 years.

Question 18

Describe the ‘mind-body’ problem.

Answer 18

This is the concept that the mind and the body may, or may not be, connected.
Modern psychologists believe that the brain and the body are connected and influence each other, but there is still a debate as to whether the mind and the brain are one and the same thing.

Question 18

Is a psychologist allowed to hospitalise a patient without their consent?

Answer 18

No, but a psychiatrist has this power.

Question 19

What is the difference between a scientific method and a philosophical approach?

Answer 19

Philosophers are very good at documenting their ideas, arguing them and thinking about problems, however they were limited as they had no real way of testing their ideas, and therefore differences of opinion were left as that, different opinions.
Scientists, on the other hand, were able to properly test their ideas and provide evidence for their theories - thus advancing further than philosophers in the study of psychology.