Prologue/Chapter 1

Question 1

Psychology

Answer 1

the science of behavior and mental processes

Question 2

Empiricism

Answer 2

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

Question 3

Structuralism

Answer 3

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

Question 4

Functionalism

Answer 4

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

Question 5

Humanistic psychology

Answer 5

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

Question 6

Nature-nurture issue

Answer 6

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 7

Natural selection

Answer 7

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

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 of psychology that assists people with problems in living (often related to school, work, or marriage) and in achieving greater well-being

Question 13

Clinical psychology

Answer 13

a branch of psychology 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 often provide medical treatments as well as psychological therapy

Question 15

Hindsight bias

Answer 15

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

Question 16

Critical thinking

Answer 16

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

Question 17

Theory

Answer 17

an explanation using an integrated set of principles that organizes and predicts observations.

Question 18

Hypothesis

Answer 18

a testable prediction, often implied by a theory.

Question 19

Operational definition

Answer 19

a carefully worded statement of the exact procedures (operations) used in a research study. For example, human intelligence may be operationally defined as what an intelligence test measures.

Question 20

Replication

Answer 20

repeating the essence of a research study, usually with different participants in different situations, to see whether the basic finding extends to other participants and circumstances.

Question 21

Case Study

Answer 21

an observation technique in which one person is studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal principles.

Question 22

Survey

Answer 22

a technique for ascertaining the self-reported attitudes or behaviors of people, usually by questioning a representative, random sample of them.

Question 23

False consensus effect

Answer 23

the tendency to overestimate the extent to which others share our beliefs and behaviors

Question 24

Population

Answer 24

all the cases in a group, from which samples may be drawn for a study.

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 variables change together, and thus of how well either variable predicts the other.

Question 28

Scatterplot

Answer 28

a graphed cluster of dots, each of which represents the values of two variables. The slope of the points suggests the direction of the relationship between the two variables. The amount of scatter suggests the strength of the correlation.

Question 29

Illusory correlation

Answer 29

the perception of a relationship where none exists.

Question 30

Experiment

Answer 30

a research method in which an investigator manipulates one or more factors (independent variables) to observe the effects on some behavior or mental process (the dependent variable). By random assignment of participants, the experimenter aims to control other relevant variable.

Question 31

Double-blind procedure

Answer 31

an experimental procedure in which both the research participants and the research staff are ignorant about whether the research participants have received the treatment or a placebo. Commonly used in drug-evaluation studies.

Question 32

Placebo effect

Answer 32

experimental results caused by expectations alone; any effect on behavior caused by the administration of an inert substance or condition, which the recipient assumes is an active agent.

Question 33

Experimental condition

Answer 33

in an experiment, the group that is exposed to the treatment, that is, to one version of the independent variable.

Question 34

Control condition

Answer 34

in an experiment, the group that is not exposed to the treatment; contrasts with the experimental group and serves as a comparison for evaluating the effect of the treatment.

Question 35

Random assignment

Answer 35

assigning participants to experimental and control conditions by chance, thus minimizing preexisting differences between those assigned to the different groups.

Question 36

Independent variable

Answer 36

the experimental factor that is manipulated–the variable whose effect is being studied.

Question 37

Dependent variable

Answer 37

the outcome factor – the variable that may change in response to manipulations of the independent variable.

Question 38

Mode

Answer 38

the most frequently occurring score(s) in a distribution.

Question 39

Mean

Answer 39

the arithmetic average of a distribution, obtaining by adding the scores and then dividing by the number of scores.

Question 40

Range

Answer 40

the difference between the highest and lowest scores in a distribution.

Question 41

Standard deviation

Answer 41

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

Question 42

Statistical significance

Answer 42

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

Question 43

Culture

Answer 43

the enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, and traditions shared by a large group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next.