Lecture 1

Question 1

Psychology

Answer 1

the scientific investigation of mental processes and behavior
○ Reflects the influence of:
§ Biological processes
§ Individual differences, such as variations of pain
§ Time and culture, you must understand the particular time and culture of studies

Question 2

Goals of Psychology

Answer 2

○ Describe how people and animals behave
○ Understand and explain the causes of the behavior
○ Predict behaviors/ reactions across situations
Control behavior through understanding its causes and consequences

Question 3

Wilhelm Wundt

Answer 3

Established the first psychological laboratory in Leipzig, Germany (1879)
• Analyzed Consciousness: a person’s subjective experience of the world and the mind
• Structuralism: Wundt explored the relationship between the basic elements that constitute the mind (conscious experience of sensations and feelings, relied on introspection)

Question 4

William James

Answer 4

built on the principles of introspection and the study of conscious experiences, but instead focused on the why and the adaptive reasons for what and how we perceive in the real world (he wanted to know the ‘why’)

Question 5

Functionalism

Answer 5

the study of the function or purpose conscious mental processes serve in enabling people to adapt to their environment

Question 6

Psychoanalytical Perspective

Answer 6

• Influence of Sigmund Freud
□ Identified the role of unconscious forces that determine thoughts, feelings and behavior
□ Personality is dependent on early life experiences
□ Drives and motivations conflict leading to compromises (defense mechanisms, symptoms)
□ Focus on sexual and aggressive impulses

Question 7

Humanistic Perspective

Answer 7

• Rejected psychoanalytic perspective as too pessimistic
  * Stresses positive potential of all humans
  * Believes in free will, can be conscious choices
  * Posits an inherent drive to develop and reach full potential

Question 8

Behaviorist Perspective

Answer 8

• Focus on observable behavioral responses
  * Emphasizes the environmental impact on a person’s actions
  * Classical Conditioning (Pavlov, Watson)

Question 9

Operant Conditioning

Answer 9

(Skinner) is another key focus of the behaviorist perspective
○ Explores reinforcement and punishment as determinants of behavior

Question 10

Social Learning Theory

Answer 10

(Bandura): Behavior is influenced by the observation of others
○ Might engage in same behavior as someone else who is punished or rewarded
○ Children that saw the aggressive acts were more likely to do the aggressive acts

Question 11

Cognitive Perspective

Answer 11

• Reintroduced how one thinks affects behavior and responses
  * Studies the mental processes involved in knowing
  * Explores how one understands and then thinks about solving problems
  * Focus is on storage and retrieval of information
  * Mind is like a computer

Question 12

Biological/Biopsychological Perspective and Cognitive Neuroscience

Answer 12

• Understand the mind and behavior through biological processes in the brain
• Explores the electrical and chemical processes of neurons affecting mood, perception, cognition and behavior
Localization of function

Question 13

Contemporary focus on cognitive neuroscience

Answer 13

○ Brain imaging advances key to this growing field of inquiry exploring structure and function
○ Looking at what parts of the brain fire for different actions or thoughts

Question 14

Evolutionary Psychology

Answer 14

• Understands mind and behavior in terms of the adaptive selection of traits and functions over time
  * Seeks to understand a variety of research findings within this theoretical framework

Question 15

Developmental Psychology

Answer 15

• Explores universal aspects of physical, cognitive and socio-emotional development across the lifespan
• Identifies variations in development across experience
• There are universals for all places, and there are variations
Such as independence vs dependence

Question 16

Social Psychology

Answer 16

individual and group behaviors and responses across situations
• Milgram’s Obedience to Authority
• Zimbardo’s Stanford Prison Study
○ Power of the situation, social roles change people’s behavior
• Social psychology also studies altruism and bystander behavior
○ Authority
○ Number of people doing the action

Question 17

Cultural Psychology

Answer 17

• Identifies and explores the role of culture on the psychological processes of its members
  * Culture can influence thoughts, perceptions and behavior

Question 18

Personality Psychology

Answer 18

Define, describe and measure the stability of behaviors and personality traits over time
If started out shy, stay shy

Question 19

Psychometric Psychology

Answer 19

Looks at the measurement of behavior through the development of psychological tests

Question 20

Experimental Psychology

Answer 20

conduct lab studies of learning, motivation, emotion, sensation and perception, physiology and cognition
• Design ways to test any questions we have

Question 21

Health Psychology

Answer 21

Interaction between psychological factors and physical well-being and illness

Question 22

Applied Psychology

Answer 22

○ Clinical: diagnose and treat emotional problems
○ Neuropsychology: focus on cns disorders, trauma , dementia
○ Forensic Psychology: interact w/ the legal system involving competency, custody and risk assessment
○ Counseling: deal with problems of everyday life and transitions
○ School/Educational: enhance school performance and resolve emotional problems, curriculum and teacher training
○ Industrial/Organizational: Staff human service departments in businesses working on issues of morale, job satisfaction and productivity issues