Chapter 1

Question 1

What is the scientific attitude in psychology?

Answer 1

Curiosity + skepticism + humility

This attitude prepares us to think harder and smarter.

Question 2

Define critical thinking.

Answer 2

Thinking that does not automatically accept arguments and conclusions

It examines assumptions, appraises the source, discerns hidden biases, evaluates evidence, and assesses conclusions.

Question 3

What are the three key elements of the scientific attitude?

Answer 3

• Curiosity
• Skepticism
• Humility

Question 4

How does curiosity contribute to scientific inquiry?

Answer 4

It prompts questions about whether predictions can be confirmed.

Question 5

What role does skepticism play in the scientific attitude?

Answer 5

It helps sift reality from fantasy and prevents gullibility.

Question 6

Explain the importance of humility in scientific research.

Answer 6

Researchers must be willing to be surprised and follow new ideas.

Question 7

True or False: A scientific attitude is characterized by cynicism.

Answer 7

False

Question 8

Fill in the blank: The empirical approach is an _______ method that draws on observation and experimentation.

Answer 8

[evidence-based]

Question 9

What is the motto reflecting humility in psychology?

Answer 9

‘The rat is always right.’

Question 10

What does critical thinking help us evaluate when reading research reports?

Answer 10

Evidence and conclusions.

Question 11

According to the text, what common mistake do critical thinkers wince at?

Answer 11

Making factual claims based on gut feelings.

Question 12

What is the consequence of failing to apply a scientific attitude?

Answer 12

Beliefs may be based on anecdote rather than evidence.

Question 13

What did the nine-country study reveal about teens and math concepts?

Answer 13

Teens often claimed familiarity with fake terms, indicating a lack of self-awareness.

Question 14

What is the significance of the phrase ‘I could be wrong’ in democratic citizenship?

Answer 14

It encourages critical questioning and revising opinions based on evidence.

Question 15

What does skepticism prevent us from being?

Answer 15

Gullible

Question 16

How does critical thinking contribute to smarter thinking in everyday life?

Answer 16

It encourages examination of assumptions and evaluation of evidence.

Question 17

Fill in the blank: A healthy skepticism is an attitude that is not _______ or _______.

Answer 17

[cynical, gullible]

Question 18

What is structuralism?

Answer 18

An early school of thought promoted by Wundt and Titchener that used introspection to reveal the structure of the human mind.

Question 19

What is functionalism?

Answer 19

An early school of thought promoted by James, influenced by Darwin, exploring how mental and behavioral processes function to enable adaptation and survival.

Question 20

Who established the first psychology laboratory?

Answer 20

Wilhelm Wundt at the University of Leipzig, Germany in 1879.

Question 21

What technique did Titchener use in structuralism?

Answer 21

Introspection, which involved self-reflective observation of one’s own conscious experience.

Question 22

What did William James focus on in functionalism?

Answer 22

The evolved functions of mental processes and how they enable adaptation and survival.

Question 23

True or False: Introspection was a reliable technique for studying the mind.

Answer 23

False

Question 24

What did James believe about consciousness?

Answer 24

It serves a function that enables us to consider the past, adjust to the present, and plan for the future.

Question 25

Who was the first female president of the American Psychological Association?

Answer 25

Mary Whiton Calkins.

Question 26

What significant achievement did Margaret Floy Washburn accomplish?

Answer 26

She was the first woman to receive a psychology Ph.D. and wrote The Animal Mind.

Question 27

Fill in the blank: Critical inquiry can debunk popular _______.

Answer 27

[presumptions]

Question 28

What is a key outcome of critical thinking in psychology?

Answer 28

It can identify effective policies and challenge common practices.

Question 29

What was a significant contribution of Carl Sagan regarding human curiosity?

Answer 29

He suggested that curiosity and intelligence are gifts from a god, emphasizing the importance of exploration.

Question 30

What does the testing effect reveal about memory retention?

Answer 30

We retain information better if we actively retrieve it through self-testing and rehearsal.

Question 31

Who mentored Mary Whiton Calkins?

Answer 31

William James.

Question 32

What was the focus of psychological scientists as indicated in the text?

Answer 32

Learning what is not widely believed about human behavior and mental processes.

Question 33

True or False: High self-esteem is always beneficial.

Answer 33

False

Question 34

What historical context influenced the development of psychology as a discipline?

Answer 34

The philosophical inquiries of thinkers like Aristotle and the establishment of experimental methods.

Question 35

What did Wundt measure in his first psychology laboratory?

Answer 35

The time it took for people to press a telegraph key after hearing a sound.

Question 36

What was a common issue with the introspection method?

Answer 36

Its results varied significantly from person to person and experience to experience.

Question 37

Fill in the blank: The first psychology laboratory was established in _______.

Answer 37

[Leipzig, Germany]

Question 38

What is the relationship between psychology and critical thinking?

Answer 38

Psychology employs critical thinking to evaluate popular beliefs and derive empirical facts.