Chapter 1

Question 1

What are the subfields of psychology?

Answer 1

Industrial/Organizational
Development
Biopsychology/Neuroscience
Experimental/Behavioral Neuroscience
Clinical
Cognitive
Cultural
Social
Personality

Question 2

What is the scientific approach?

Answer 2

Make observation
Think of interesting questions
Formulate hypothesis
Develop testable predictions
Gather data to test predictions
Refine, alter, expand or reject hypothesis
Develop general theories

Question 3

How do you take an active role using critical thought?

Answer 3

1. What’s the claim?
2. Is the source credible?
3. What’s the evidence?
4. Are there other explanations?
5. What’s the appropriate conclusion?

Question 4

What is basic research?

Answer 4

seeking knowledge for knowledge sake

Question 5

What is applied research?

Answer 5

using knowledge to solve real-world problems

Question 6

What is the environmental level of analysis?

Answer 6

our past or current physical/social behaviors

Question 7

What is the psychological level of analysis?

Answer 7

thoughts, feelings, motive

Question 8

What is the biological level of analysis?

Answer 8

brain processes, genetic influences

Question 9

What is Mind-Body Dualism?

Answer 9

Rene Descartes
mind = spiritual entity
not subject to physical laws
cannot be studied

Question 10

What is Monism?

Answer 10

John Locke, School of British Empiricism
mental events are a product of physical events
can be studied
chemical reactions in brain produce emotions/decisions

Question 11

What is Structuralism?

Answer 11

Wundt and E.B. Titchener
uses introspection to identify basic elements or “structures” of experience
emphasis on the importance of systematic observation to the study of conscious experience

Question 12

What are the issues with structuralism?

Answer 12

measures are too subjective

what about the parts of psychology that lie outside our consciousness

Question 13

What is Functionalism?

Answer 13

study function of consciousness, not it’s structure
influenced by Darwin’s evolutionary theory
adaptations improve survival rates and reproductive success
to understand the functions or adaptive purposes of our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors

Question 14

What is Psychoanalysis (Psychodynamic Perspective)?

Answer 14

looks for causes of our behavior with our personalities
emphasized the role of childhood experiences
inborn sexual and aggressive drives, repression protects from these drives
Freud
uncover the role of unconscious psychological processes and early life experiences in behavior

Question 15

What is the Modern Psychodynamic Theory?

Answer 15

explores unconscious and conscious aspects of how personality influences behavior
downplay the role of sex and aggression
focus on early relationships with family/caregivers as they can influence future relationships throughout life

Question 16

What is Behavourism?

Answer 16

focuses of the role of the external environment in shaping our actions
behaviors are determined by prior life habits and current stimuli in environment
to uncover the general principles of learning that explain all behaviors, focus is largely on observable behavior

Question 17

Who was Pavlov?

Answer 17

Early 1900s
pair a neutral event with an event that naturally produces some outcome
after many pairings, the neutral event now also produces the outcome

Question 18

Who was Thorndike?

Answer 18

1910s
learning through consequences of actions
law of effect: actions more likely to recur following satisfaction, less likely to occur following dissatisfaction

Question 19

Who was Watson?

Answer 19

1920s
proper subject matter of psychology = observable behavior
can only describe the behavior, not the mental state attached
humans are products of their learning

Question 20

Who was Skinner?

Answer 20

radical behaviorist
a person does not act upon the world, the world acts upon them
through “social engineering” society could use the environment to change societal behaviors in a positive manner
challenged psychodynamic view of mental illness

Question 21

What is Cognitive Behaviorism?

Answer 21

humans are “thinking” creatures
do not just react to environment
learn new behaviors by observing actions of others
environment influences us, we influence environment

Question 22

What is the Humanistic Perspective?

Answer 22

emphasizes free will, personal growth, finding meaning in existence
reject psychodynamic theory, we are not under unconscious control
reject behaviorist theory, we are not merely reacting to the environment

Question 23

What is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs?

Answer 23

belief in inborn force towards self-actualization
reaching one’s potential
supportive environment leads to positive inner nature
misery/pathology occur when we are held back from achieving self-actualization
importance of personal choice, responsibility, growth, and self-worth

Question 24

What is Gestalt Psychology?

Answer 24

how do we make sense of world around us?
research in the area of perception
whole is greater than the sum of it’s parts

Question 25

What is Cognitive Psychology?

Answer 25

study of mental processes
attention/consciousness, memory, language, reason, decision making, problem solving
cognitive neuroscience
records neural activity during cognitive tasks

Question 26

What is the Sociocultural Perspective?

Answer 26

how the social environment influences behavior

how presence of others influences behaviors, thoughts and feelings

Question 27

What is the Cultural Perspective in psychology?

Answer 27

culture: shared values, beliefs, behaviors, and traditions passed on across generations
have their own social norms

Question 28

What is the biological perspective?

Answer 28

how brain processes and bodily functions regulate behaviour

Question 29

What is Evolutionary Psychology?

Answer 29

how evolution shaped modern human behaviors
mental abilities and behavioral tendencies evolved
living in social groups
importance of thinking, communicating, learning, and solving problems grew

Question 30

What is sociobiology?

Answer 30

complex social behaviors are product of evolution

genetic survival is more important than one’s own physical survival

Question 31

What are the criticisms of sociobiology?

Answer 31

overemphasizes innate biological factors

downplays cultural or social learning factors