Week 1: What is Psychology?

Question 1

Define psychology

Answer 1

scientific investigation of behaviour and mental processes

Question 2

Define biopsychology

Answer 2

Also known as behavioural neuroscience; seeks to understand the mind through biological activity of the brain

Question 3

Who was Phineas Gage?

Answer 3

A man who had an accident where his brain was significantly injured, but he lived. His personality changed which sparked the question of biopsychology and localisation of function

Question 4

What is localisation of function?

Answer 4

Different parts of the brain control difference aspects of functioning

Question 5

What is Broca’s aphasia?

Answer 5

Involves difficulty producing speech due to Broca’s area of the brain

Question 6

What is Wernicke’s aphasia?

Answer 6

Involves difficulty comprehending language due to Wernicke’s area of the brain

Question 7

Define cross cultural psychology

Answer 7

Attempts to distinguish universal psychological processes from those that are specific to particular cultures.

Question 8

What is free will or determinism?

Answer 8

Whether we freely choose our actions or whether things outside our control determine our behaviour

Question 9

What is nature versus nurture?

Answer 9

To what extent our psychological processes reflect biological or environmental influences

Question 10

What is rationalism versus empiricism?

Answer 10

To what extent are people guided by their knowledge or by their feelings?

Question 11

What is continuity versus discontinuity with other animals?

Answer 11

To what extent are humans similar to other animals (psychologically)

Question 12

What is individualism versus relationality?

Answer 12

To what extent are humans fundamentally self-interested or oriented towards relating to and helping others?

Question 13

What is conscious versus unconscious?

Answer 13

To what extent are people conscious of the contents of their mind and the causes of their behaviour?

Question 14

What is mental versus physical?

Answer 14

To what extent can we understand psychological events independent of their neural bias?

Question 15

What is the mind-body problem?

Answer 15

The questions of how mental and physical events interact and are related to one another

Question 16

What are the two early schools of psychology?

Answer 16

Structuralism and functionalism

Question 17

What is structuralism?

Answer 17

Founded by Edward Titchener, involves analysing consciousness into basic elements focusing on introspection and the ‘structure’ of consciousness

Question 18

What is introspection?

Answer 18

The process of looking inward and reporting on one’s conscious experience

Question 19

What is functionalism?

Answer 19

Founded by William James, involves investigating the ‘function’ or purpose of psychological processes in helping individuals adapt to their environment.

Question 20

Define paradigm

Answer 20

a broad system of theoretical assumptions employed by a scientific community to make sense of its domain of study

Question 21

What does psychology have instead of a unified paradigm?

Answer 21

The five major perspectives of psychological thinking (psychodynamic, behaviourist, humanistic, cognitive, evolutionary)

Question 22

What are the five major theoretical perspectives in psychology?

Answer 22

Psychodynamic, behaviourist, humanistic, cognitive, evolutionary

Question 23

What is the psychodynamic perspective?

Answer 23

Also known as psychoanalytic, focuses on the conscious and unconscious forces that interact to control thoughts and behaviours

Question 24

What is the metaphor for the psychodynamic perspective?

Answer 24

Awareness is like an iceberg, above the surface is consciousness, and undewater is unconsciousness

Question 25

What is behaviourism?

Answer 25

Focuses on learning (behaviour modified by consequences) and how objects or events in the environment control behaviour through learning. Heavily experimental

Question 26

What is the metaphor for behaviourism?

Answer 26

Humans and other animals are mechanisticl we show response that can be elicited by external stimuli

Question 27

What is the humanistic perspective?

Answer 27

Focuses on the unique individual and motivation to achieve goals or become self-actualised (reach full potential)

Question 28

What is the metaphor for the humanistic perspective?

Answer 28

People are innately good and will strive to realise goals and ambitions

Question 29

What is the cognitive perspective?

Answer 29

Focuses on how people perceive, process and retrieve information (memory and attention)

Question 30

What is the metaphor for the cognitive perspective?

Answer 30

The mind is like a computer.

Question 31

What is the evolutionary perspective?

Answer 31

Supports Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection, which occurs for behavioural characteristics in addition to physical. Many behavioural tendencies evolved to help us surive and procreate.

Question 32

What is the metaphor for the evolutionary perspective?

Answer 32

We are all runners in a race, competing for resources.

Question 33

What does APS stand for?

Answer 33

Australian Psychological Society

Question 34

What does APAC stand for?

Answer 34

Australian Psychology Accreditation Council

Question 35

What does AHPRA stand for?

Answer 35

Australian Health Practitioner Registration Agency

Question 36

What does NZPsS stand for?

Answer 36

New Zealand Psychological Society

Question 37

What is the biopsychology subdiscipline?

Answer 37

Looks at the physical basis of psychological phenomena such as thought, emotion and stress.

Question 38

What is the developmental subdiscipline?

Answer 38

Looks at the way thought, feeling and behaviour develop across the lifespan from infancy to death

Question 39

What is the social subdiscipline?

Answer 39

Looks at interpersonal behaviour and how individuals influence one another

Question 40

What is the clinical subdiscipline?

Answer 40

Looks at the nature and treatment to psychological processes that lead to emotional distress

Question 41

What is the cognitive subdiscipline?

Answer 41

Examines the nature of thought, memory, sensation perception and language

Question 42

What is the personality subdiscipline?

Answer 42

Looks at differences in personality traits, ways of responding in different situations and ow individuals differ in the way they tend to think, feel and behave

Question 43

What is the organisational subdiscipline?

Answer 43

Looks at the behaviour of people in organisations and aims to solve organisational problems

Question 44

What is the educational subdiscipline?

Answer 44

Looks at how people learn and the most effective ways of teaching them

Question 45

What is the health subdiscipline?

Answer 45

Looks at psychological factors that influence health and illness, as well as ways individuals can change their behaviours to reduce risk.

Question 46

What is the counselling subdiscipline?

Answer 46

Short and long-term therapy provided to individuals, couples, families etc.

Question 47

What is the sport subdiscipline?

Answer 47

Looks at how we can enhance the performance of athletes (like handling pressure)

Question 48

What is the forensic subdiscipline?

Answer 48

Looks at prevention and treatment of criminal behaviour (or processes of the law)

Question 49

What is the positive subdiscipline?

Answer 49

Proactive approach to help people live happier, more fulfilling lives by focusing on harnessing positive emotions.

Question 50

What is the conservation subdiscipline?

Answer 50

Looks at the relationship between humans and nature

Question 51

What is the community subdiscipline?

Answer 51

Examines how society influences individuals, groups and organisations with a view to understanding the mental health and wellbeing of people and the community as a whole.