Chapter 1: Introduction to the Principles of Psychology

Question 1

How many people can the human brain manage social relations with?

Answer 1

150 people!

Question 2

What are the four principles of psychology?

Answer 2

1. The mind is a product of a physical machine, the brain.
2. We are consciously aware of only a small part of our mental activity.
3. We constantly modify our behavior, beliefs, and attitudes according to what we perceive about the people around us.
4. Experience physically alters the structure and function of the brain.

Use the acronym MUSE.
Machine-like process
Unconscious processes
Social influences
Experience matters

Question 3

What is psychology?

Answer 3

Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behavior.

Question 4

What is Alexia?

Answer 4

Alexia is a disease that affects your brains function of processing information from the eyes.
This is different from dyslexia because you were previously able to read but lost the ability to.

It is possible to not be able to read but be able to write and vice versa.

Question 5

There was a study over years that took polls of people’s opinions on the schools in their community, nation, and their child attends.
What was the cause of the pattern shown in the data?

Answer 5

Oldest Child Attending > Community > Nation
- Cognitive Dissonance: simultaneously holding two views that are at odds with each other
- Denial

Question 6

What are they 3 myths about science.

Answer 6

1. Science is complete
2. Science proves ideas
3. Science is a set of facts

Question 7

What psychologically can make natural born heroes?
(Mike and John help Tina escape 9/11)

Answer 7

• Psychological cause (empathy)
• Biological Instinct
• Social environment

Question 8

What influences are apart of the biopsychosocial approach?

Answer 8

Biological Influences:
- hormonal influences
- brain mechanisms
- natural selection of adaptive traits
- genetic predispositions responding to environment
Psychological Influences:
- emotional responses
- learned fears and other learned expectations
- cognitive processing and perceptual interpretations
Social-cultural influences:
- presence of others
- cultural, societal, and family expectations
- peer and other group influences
- compelling models (such as social media)

Question 9

9/11 was a watershed moment.

Question 10

What are psychology’s subfields?
(Basic research, applied research, helping profession)

Answer 10

Basic research:
- Biological
- Developmental
- Cognitive
- Personality
- Social
Applied research:
- Industrial/Organizational
Helping profession:
- Counseling
- Clinical
- Psychiatrists

Question 11

What psychological concepts will we use to study psychology?

Answer 11

• Curiosity
• Skepticism
• Humility