History, Approaches, and Research Methods

Question 1

Structuralism

Answer 1

an early school of psych that used introspection to explore the structural elements of the human mind

Question 2

Functionalism

Answer 2

a school of psychology that focused on how our mental and behavioral processes function - how they enable us to adapt, survive, and flourish

Question 3

Behaviorism

Answer 3

the view that psychology should (1) be an objective science that (2) studies behavior without reference to mental processes. Most research psychologists today agree with (1) but not (2)

Question 4

Humanistic Psychology

Answer 4

historically significant perspective that emphasized the growth potential of healthy people and the individual’s potential for personal growth

Question 5

Cognitive Neuroscience

Answer 5

the interdisciplinary study of the brain activity linked with cognition (including perception, thinking, memory, and language)

Question 6

Psychology

Answer 6

the science of behavior and mental processes

Question 7

Nature-Nurture Issue

Answer 7

the longstanding controversy over the relative contributions that genes and experience make to the development of psychological traits and behaviors. Today’s science sees traits and behaviors arising from the interaction of nature and nurture

Question 8

Levels of Analysis

Answer 8

the differing complementary views, from biological to psychological to social-cultural, for analyzing any given phenomenon

Question 9

Biopsychosocial Approach

Answer 9

an integrated approach that incorporates biological, psychological, and social-cultural levels of analysis

Question 10

Basic Research

Answer 10

pure science that aims to increase the scientific knowledge base

Question 11

Applied Research

Answer 11

scientific study that aims to solve practical problems

Question 12

Counseling Psychology

Answer 12

a branch that assists people with problems in living and in achieving a greater wellbeing

Question 13

Clinical Psychology

Answer 13

a branch that studies, assesses, and treats people with psychological disorders

Question 14

Psychiatry

Answer 14

a branch of medicine dealing with psychological disorders; practiced by physicians who sometimes provide medical (drug) treatments as well as psychological therapy

Question 15

Empiricism

Answer 15

the view that knowledge originates in experience and science should rely on observation and experimentation

Question 16

Natural Selection

Answer 16

the principle that, among the range of inherited trait variations, those contributing to the reproduction and survival will most likely be passed on to succeeding generations

Question 17

Hindsight Bias

Answer 17

the tendency to believe after learning an outcome, that one would have foreseen it

Question 18

Critical Thinking

Answer 18

thinking that does not blindly accept arguments and conclusions. Rather, it examines assumptions, discerns hidden values, evaluates evidence, and assesses conclusions

Question 19

Theory

Answer 19

an explanation using an integrated set of principles that organizes observations and predicts behavior or events

Question 20

Hypothesis

Answer 20

a testable prediction, often implied by a theory

Question 21

Operational Definition

Answer 21

a statement of the procedures (operations) used to define research variables

Question 22

Replication

Answer 22

repeating the essence of a research study, usually with different participants in different situations, to see whether findings match

Question 23

Case Study

Answer 23

an observation technique in which one person is studied in depth in hopes of revealing universal principles

Question 24

Survey

Answer 24

a technique used for ascertaining the self-reported attitudes, or behaviors of a particular group, usually by questioning a representative, random sample of a group

Question 25

Random Sample

Answer 25

a sample that fairly represents a population because each member has an equal chance of inclusion

Question 26

Naturalistic Observation

Answer 26

observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation

Question 27

Correlation

Answer 27

a measure of the extent to which two factors vary together

Question 28

Scatter Plots

Answer 28

a graphed cluster of dots showing correlation

Question 29

Experiment

Answer 29

a research method in which an investigator manipulates one or more independent variables to observe the effects on the dependent ones

Question 30

Double-Blind Procedure

Answer 30

both the research participants and the staff are ignorant about whether the participants have received the treatment or placebo

Question 31

Placebo Effect

Answer 31

experimental results caused by expectations alone

Question 32

Experimental Group

Answer 32

group exposed to treatment

Question 33

Control Group

Answer 33

group exposed to placebo, not treatment

Question 34

Standard Deviation

Answer 34

a computed measure of how much scores vary around the mean score

Question 35

Normal Curve

Answer 35

a symmetrical, bell-shaped curve that describes the distribution of many types of data

Question 36

Statistically Significant

Answer 36

a statistical statement of how likely it is that an obtained result occurred by chance

Question 37

Descriptive Statistics

Answer 37

summarizes numerical data (mean, median, mode)

Question 38

Inferential Statistics

Answer 38

used for decision making and generalizing from small samples (statistical significance)