The Science of Psychology

Question 1

Psychology

Answer 1

is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes.

Question 2

Objective Introspection

Answer 2

the process of examining and measuring one’s own thoughts and mental activities.

Question 3

Structuralism

Answer 3

is an early perspective in psychology associated with Wilhelm Wundt and Edward Titchener, in which the focus of study is the structure or basic elements of the mind.

Question 4

Fuctionalism

Answer 4

is an early perspective in psychology associated with William James, in which the focus of study is how the mind allows people to adapt, live, work, and play.

Question 5

Gestalt Psychology

Answer 5

is an early perspective in psychology focusing on perception and sensation, particularly the perception of patterns and whole figures.

Question 6

Psychoanalysis

Answer 6

is an insight therapy based on the theory of Freud, emphasizing the revealing of unconscious conflicts; Freud’s term for both the theory of personality and the therapy based on it.

Question 7

Behaviorism

Answer 7

the science of behavior that focuses on observable behavior only.

Question 8

Psychological Dynamic Perspective

Answer 8

is the modern version of psychoanalysis that is more focused on the development of a sense of self and the discovery of motivations behind a person’s behavior for other than sexual motivations.

Question 9

Cognitive Perspective

Answer 9

is the modern version in psychology that focuses on memory, intelligence, perception, problem-solving, and learning.

Question 10

Cognitive Neuroscience

Answer 10

is the study of physical changes in the brain and nervous system during thinking.

Question 11

Sociological Cultural Perspective

Answer 11

is the perspective that focuses on the relationship between social behavior and culture, in which thinking and behavior is seen as the product of learning and shaping within the context of one’s family, social group, and culture.

Question 12

Biographical Psychology Perspective

Answer 12

is the perspective that attributes human and animal behavior to biological events occurring in the body, such as genetic influences, hormones, and the activity of the nervous system.

Question 13

Evolutionary Perspective

Answer 13

is the perspective that focuses on the biological bases of universal mental characteristics that humans share.

Question 14

Psychologist

Answer 14

a professional with an academic degree and specialized training in one or more areas of psychology.

Question 15

Psychiatrist

Answer 15

a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders.

Question 16

Psychiatric Social Worker

Answer 16

a social worker with some training in therapy methods who focuses on the environmental conditions that can have an impact on mental disorders, such as poverty, overcrowding, stress, and drug abuse.

Question 17

Basic Research

Answer 17

is research focused on adding information to the scientific knowledge base.

Question 18

Applied Research

Answer 18

is research focused on finding practical solutions to real-world problems.

Question 19

Scientific Approach

Answer 19

is a system of gathering data so that bias and error in measurement are reduced.

Question 20

Hypothesis

Answer 20

is the tentative explanation of a phenomenon based on observations.

Question 21

Replicate

Answer 21

is repeating a study or experiment to see if the same results will be obtained in an effort to demonstrate reliability of results.

Question 22

Observer Effect

Answer 22

is the tendency of people or animals to behave differently from normal when they know they are being observed.

Question 23

Participant Observation

Answer 23

a naturalistic observation in which the observer becomes a participant in the group being observed.

Question 24

Observer Bias

Answer 24

is the tendency of observers to see what they expect to see.

Question 25

Case Study

Answer 25

is a study of one individual in great detail.

Question 26

Representative Sample

Answer 26

is randomly selected sample of subjects from a larger population of subjects.

Question 27

Population

Answer 27

the entire group of people or animals in which the researcher is interested.

Question 28

Correlation

Answer 28

a measure of the relationship between two variables.

Question 29

Correlation Coefficient

Answer 29

a number that represents the strength and direction of a relationship existing between two variables; number derived from the formula for measuring a correlation.

Question 30

Experiment

Answer 30

a deliberate manipulation of a variable to see if corresponding changes in behavior results, allowing the determination of cause-and-effect relationships.

Question 31

Operationalization

Answer 31

a specific description of a variable interest that allows it to be measured.

Question 32

Independent Variable

Answer 32

a variable in an experiment that is manipulated by the experimenter.

Question 33

Dependent Variable

Answer 33

a variable in an experiment that represents the measurable response of behavior of the subjects in the experiment.

Question 34

Experimental Group

Answer 34

the subjects in an experiment who are subjected to the independent variable.

Question 35

Control Group

Answer 35

the subjects in an experiment who are not subjected to the independent variable and who may receive a placebo treatment.

Question 36

Random Assignment

Answer 36

the process of assigning subjects to the experimental or control groups randomly, so that each subject has an equal chance of being in either group.

Question 37

Placebo Effect

Answer 37

the phenomenon in which the expectations of the participants in a study can influence their behavior.

Question 38

Experimenter Effect

Answer 38

the tendency of the experimenter’s expectations for a study to unintentionally influence the results of the study.

Question 39

Single-Blind Study

Answer 39

a study in which the subjects do not know if they are in the experimental or the control group.

Question 40

Double-Blind Study

Answer 40

a study in which neither the experimenter nor the subjects know if the subjects are in the experimental or the control group.

Question 41

Critical Thinking

Answer 41

is making reasoned judgments about claims.

Question 42

Psychology

Answer 42

is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes.