Ch1. Introduction to Psychology

Question 1

psychology

Answer 1

the scientific study of behavior and mental processes

Question 2

Psychologists

Answer 2

try to describe, predict, and explain human behavior and mental processes using scientific methods to find answers.

Question 3

Behaviors

Answer 3

actions, thoughts, emotions, perceptions, reasoning processes, memories and biological activities that maintain bodily functioning

Question 4

behaviorial neuroscience

Answer 4

study of how the brain and the nervous system, and other biological aspects of the body, determine behavior

Question 5

experimental psychology

Answer 5

study of the processes of sense, perception, learning, and thinking.

Question 6

cognitive psychology

Answer 6

a sub-specialty of experimental psychology focusing on higher mental processes, such as thinking, memory, reasoning, problem-solving, judging, decision making, and language.

Question 7

developmental psychology

Answer 7

study of how people grow and change throughout life.

Question 8

personality psychology

Answer 8

study of consistency in people’s behavior across their lives as well as traits that differentiate one person from another.

Question 9

health psychology

Answer 9

explores the relationship between psychological factors and physical ailments or disease.

Question 10

clinical psychology

Answer 10

the study, diagnoses, and treatment of psychological disorders.

Question 11

counseling psychology

Answer 11

focuses primarily on educational, social, and career adjustment problems.

Question 12

social psychology

Answer 12

study of how people’s thoughts, feelings and actions are affected by others.

Question 13

cross-cultured psychology

Answer 13

study of the similarities and differences in psychological functioning in and across various cultures and ethnic groups.

Question 14

evolutionary psychology

Answer 14

study of how behavior is influenced by our genetics inheritance from our ancestors. Stems from Darwin’s On the Origin of Species.

Question 15

behavioral genetics

Answer 15

understand how we might inherit certain behavioral traits and how the environment influences whether we display such traits.

Question 16

clinical neuropsychology

Answer 16

unites the areas of neuroscience and clinical psychology and focuses on the origin of psychological disorders in biological factors.

Question 17

Structuralism

Answer 17

A focus on uncovering the fundamental mental components of consciousness, thinking, and other kinds of mental states and activities

Question 18

introspection

Answer 18

A procedure used to study the structure of the mind in which subjects are asked to describe in detail what they are experiencing when they are exposed to a stimulus

Question 19

Functionalism

Answer 19

an approach that concentrates on what the mind does and the role of behavior in allowing people to adapt to their environments. Developed by William James

Question 20

Gestalt Psychology

Answer 20

uses a series of principles to describe how we organize bits and pieces of information into meaningful wholes

Question 21

Five Major Perspectives

Answer 21

neuroscience, cognitive, behavioral, humanistic, psychodynamic

Question 22

neuroscience perspective

Answer 22

The approach that views behavior from the perspective of the brain, then nervous system, and other biological functions

Question 23

Cognitive perspective

Answer 23

The approach that focuses on how people think, understand, and know about the world

Question 24

behavioral perspective

Answer 24

The approach that suggests that the focus should be on external behavior that can be objectively measured with observed

Question 25

humanistic perspective

Answer 25

Suggests that individual naturally strive to grow, develop, and be in control of their lives and behavior

Question 26

psychodynamic perspective

Answer 26

The approach based on the view that behavior is motivated by inner forces that conflicts about which we have little awareness or control

Question 27

Scientific Method

Answer 27

an approach through which psychologists systematically acquire knowledge and understanding about behavior and other phenomena of interest.

Question 28

Formulate an Explanation

Answer 28

Specify a theory and develop a hypothesis

Question 29

Carry out research

Answer 29

Devise an operational definition of the hypothesis. Select a research method. Collect the data. Analyze the data

Question 30

Communicate the findings

Answer 30

Papers, presentations, posters, other researchers: review and critique, attempt to replicate, use present research in future research

Question 31

Identify questions of interest stemming from

Answer 31

Behavior and phenomenon requiring explanation
Prior research findings
Curiosity, creativity, insight

Question 32

Theories

Answer 32

Broad explanations and predictions concerning phenomena of interest

Question 33

Hypothesis

Answer 33

A prediction, stemming from a theory, stated in a way that allows it to be tested

Question 34

operational definitions

Answer 34

the translation of a hypothesis into specific, testable procedures that can be measured and observed

Question 35

Archival research

Answer 35

existing data are examined to test a hypothesis
+ Cheap
- the data may not be in a form that allows the researcher to test a hypothesis fully, information could be incomplete or collected haphazardly

Question 36

naturalistic observation

Answer 36

an investigator observes some naturally occurring behavior and does not make a change in a room.
+ sample of what people do in their natural habitat
- cannot control factors of interest

Question 37

survey research

Answer 37

people chosen to represent a larger population are asked a series of questions about their behavior, thoughts, or attitudes.
+if sample is representative, make it possible to infer how a larger group would respond
- results will be largely inconsequential if the sample is not representative
- responders may be untruthful

Question 38

Case study

Answer 38

an in-depth, intensive investigation of an individual or a small group of people
+ insights c an improve our understanding of people in general
- small samples or unique individuals make it impossible to make a valid generalization about a larger population

Question 39

Correlation research

Answer 39

the relationship between two sets of variables in examined to determine whether they are associated or correlated.
- correlational research cannot demonstrate cause and effect relationships

Question 40

Variables

Answer 40

behaviors, events, or other characteristics that can change, or vary, in some way

Question 41

correlation coefficient

Answer 41

a statistical index of the relationship between two things (from -1 to +1)

Question 42

Experiment

Answer 42

the investigation of the relationship between two or more variables by deliberately producing a change in one variable in a situation and observing the effects on the seconds variable

Question 43

experimental manipulation

Answer 43

the change that an experimenter deliberately produces in a situation

Question 44

Experimental Research

Answer 44

research designed to discover causal relationships between various factors
+ only way psychologist can establish cause and effect relationships
- to be valid, requires careful control

Question 45

Treatment

Answer 45

the manipulation implemented by the experimenter

Question 46

experimental group

Answer 46

any group participating in an experiment that receives a treatment

Question 47

control group

Answer 47

a group participating in an experiment that receives no treatment

Question 48

independent variable

Answer 48

variable that is manipulated

Question 49

dependent variable

Answer 49

variable that is measured

Question 50

random assignment to condition

Answer 50

a procedure in which participants are assigned to different experimental groups or “conditions” on the basis of chance alone

Question 51

significant outcome

Answer 51

indicates that the findings of a research study are statistically meaningful

Question 52

replicated research

Answer 52

the repetition of research, sometimes using other procedures, settings, and groups of participants, to increase confidence in prior findings

Question 53

Informed consent

Answer 53

a document signed by participants affirming that they have been told about the basic outlines of the study and are aware of what their participation will involve.
Debriefing: after participation in a study, participants receive an explanation of the study and the procedures that were involved

Question 54

Experimental bias:

Answer 54

factors that distort the way the independent variables affect the dependent variable in an experiment

Question 55

placebo

Answer 55

A false treatment, such as a pill, “drug,” or other substance, without any significant chemical properties or active ingredient.

Question 56

double-blind procedure

Answer 56

both the experimenter and the participants are “blind” to the nature of the substance being administered

Question 57

Margaret Floy Washburn

Answer 57

Worked on animal behavior. First woman to receive a doctorate in psychology.

Question 58

Leta Stetter Hollingworth

Answer 58

One of the first psychologists to focus on child development and on women’s issues. Refuted the view that women’s abilities periodically declined during their menstrual cycle

Question 59

Mary Calkins

Answer 59

Studied memory and was the first female president of the American Psychological Association