Module 1 Lesson 1 - History and Perspectives of Psychology

Question 1

Nature/Nurture Debate

Answer 1

The controversy over the relative contribution of biology and experience. Debate started with the Greeks and resumed with the 17th century by the Enlightenment Philosophers;

Question 2

Darwinian Legacy

Answer 2

The role of our biology vs. our environment to impact our human behaviors.

Question 3

Neuroscience Perspective

Answer 3

Focuses on interpreting human behavior through the physiology of the brain, brain parts, neurotransmitters, hormones, and nervous systems as the basis for explanation of human behaviors.

Question 4

Evolutionary Perspective

Answer 4

A perspective of psychology based on the traits, skills, and physiology that evolves over time to resolve problems and overcome challenges. Related to Natural Selection.

Question 5

Natural Selection

Answer 5

Allows features to be passed on, and behavior patterns have evolved to solve adaptive problems. Natural Selection favors behaviors that enhance reproductive success.

Question 6

Psychodynamic Perspective

Answer 6

Behavior that stems from our unconscious drives. How behavior springs from unconscious drives and conflicts.

Question 7

Behavioral Perspective

Answer 7

This perspective focuses on the role of observable behavior to help us better understand human universals, proposed abandoning the unconscious all together, learning through observable responses.

Question 8

Cognitive Perspective

Answer 8

A perspective based on how we encode, retrieve, and store new information. This perspective examines how knowledge is acquired, organized, remembered, and used to guide behavior.

Question 9

Social-Cultural Perspective

Answer 9

A perspective based on the role of outward behavior, the situational context, and the thinking. It examines how people’s behavior and thinking changes in different contexts and situations.

Question 10

Psychologists

Answer 10

PhD psychologists focus on a subfield of psychology: Neuroscience, Developmental, Social, Cognitive, Experiential, Education, Forensic, School, Sports, Workplace, etc…
Requires a doctorate degree to be a psychologist, usually taking about 4-7 years to do so.