Textbook Chapter 1: Behaviour & Psych

Question 1

What are the 4 particular challenges which psychology researchers face which is unique to the discipline?

Answer 1

1. complexity of behaviour
2. self-awareness
3. reactivity
4. causality

Question 2

Psych researchers face 4 particular challenges in psych. Describe 1, complexity of behaviour.

Answer 2

Physicists studying atomic particles only have to usually deal w/ a limited number at a time. But physiological psychologists studying the human brain have to deal w/ the most complex structure in the known universe, composed of several billion inter-connected cells. Given the depth and variety of human behaviour, they face a challenge.

Question 3

Psych researchers face 4 particular challenges in psych. Describe 2, self-awareness.

Answer 3

Humans have a capacity for self-awareness. Psychs studying human behaviour are at the same time producing behaviour themselves. We now know that self-observation (favoured by those such as William James) is prone to many errors e.g. bias. Researchers could misinterpret their own behaviour to fit theoretical ideas.

Question 4

Psych researchers face 4 particular challenges in psych. Describe 3, reactivity.

Answer 4

Psych observation is complicated by the fact ur dealing w/ independent living organisms instead of particles. Reactivity - the tendency for ppl to change their behaviour when they know they’re being watched. Result: complicated research designs e.g. deception to increase chances of ppl behaving naturally.

Question 5

Psych researchers face 4 particular challenges in psych. Describe 4, causality.

Answer 5

Identifying causes of behaviour. Trad science sees causality as an imp. part of understanding. However in psych there are loads of dif factors that can influence behaviour in a given situation, Often there can be several causes for behaviour.

Question 6

Why are there different approaches to psych?

Answer 6

B/c due to the complexity of human behaviour, no single theory can effectively explain all aspects of human behaviour.

Question 7

Define perception

Answer 7

Perception is the process of selection, organisation and interpretation of the world conveyed by our senses. An active process and is not a passive mirroring of the external world.

Question 8

The brain has a limited capacity to deal w/ incoming info. How does it cope?

Answer 8

In order to cope, our perceptual system focuses on some aspects of the situation whilst ignoring others. This is called selective attention.

Question 9

Give an example of selective attention.

Answer 9

Focusing on one conversation means we filter out other voices and sounds at a party.

Question 10

What is perceptual experience also influenced by?

Answer 10

Our prior experience and expectations. (think: schema)

Question 11

What is the downside of schemata?

Answer 11

It can create the risk of distortions in the way we see the world. Our schemata can involve faulty or incorrect assumptions, e.g. stereotypes.

Question 12

Are we always aware of using schemata?

Answer 12

No

Question 13

Give an example of a schema distorting reality.

Answer 13

Friends may change both physically and emotionally but we still perceive them as they used to be. The mental schema is inconsistent with the person before us.

Question 14

What is the likelihood that we will recognise such distortions reduced by?

Answer 14

A phenomenon called confirmation bias.

Question 15

Define confirmation bias.

Answer 15

A phenomenon where we tend to focus on information that confirms our beliefs and ignore potentially contradictory information e.g. love being blind.

Question 16

What is an upside of schemata?

Answer 16

It helps us make sense of all the sensory info

Question 17

Do we measure theories by perfection or usefulness?

Answer 17

Usefulness

Question 18

What is the origin of psych?

Answer 18

Usually traced back to Wilhelm Wundt’s lab established in Leipzig in 1875. But it is more complex. First psych experiment was in Ancient Egypt in 700 BC.

Question 19

What are the roots of psych?

Answer 19

Philosophy and the natural sciences

Question 20

P.5 revise notes on facts abt Wilhelm Wundt

Answer 20

K

Question 21

P.5 revise notes on facts abt William James

Answer 21

k

Question 22

William James approach w/ its emphasis on how the mind works came to be known as what?

Answer 22

Functionalism

Question 23

Wilhelm Wundt’s study of basic mental processes became known as what?

Answer 23

Structuralism

Question 24

What does empirical mean?

Answer 24

Based on making observations.

Question 25

What does empirical emphasise?

Answer 25

Objective observation (observations can be verified by different observers)

Question 26

Define theory

Answer 26

A structured set of principles. Provides a coherent structure for relating various observations and often permits prediction for future observations.

Question 27

Define introspectionism

Answer 27

The branch of psychology that believes that the best way to learn abt behaviour would be to carefully analyse ur own (looking w/i)

Question 28

To avoid the problems of introspection now psychology has come to emphasise what techniques of observation?

Answer 28

Public

Question 29

What does public techniques mean?

Answer 29

It means generally that any aspect of behaviour that can be observed consistently is considered open for possible study. Need to be able to measure results that observers can agree on.

Question 30

Define and explain operational defintion

Answer 30

A definition based on an observable event e.g. Love is a feeling in the heart (NO) whereas love is giving a dozen red roses to somebody (YES)

Question 31

Chapter summary: Psychological theories are a result of what?

Answer 31

Attempts to organise our understanding of the world.

Question 32

Look a p.44 and read chapt summary. Take notes if u don’t know it

Answer 32

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