Week One

Question 1

Define Neutral Stimulus (NS) in classical conditioning

Answer 1

A stimulus that initially does not elicit any response.

Question 2

What is an Unconditioned Response (UCR)?

Answer 2

A reflexive response that occurs naturally without any prior learning.

Question 3

Define Conditioned Response (CR) in classical conditionin

Answer 3

A learned response to a previously neutral stimulus that has become associated with an unconditioned stimulus.

Question 4

What is reinforcement in operant conditioning?

Answer 4

A response is strengthened by an event that follows it, increasing the frequency of that response.

Question 5

sociocultural perspective

Answer 5

analyzing the culture of individuals and the groups they belong to and participate in.

Question 6

humanist perspective

Answer 6

the idea of being entirely unique and your own individual.

Question 7

behavioral perspective

Answer 7

a theory of learning, and learning theories focus on how we respond to events or stimuli rather than emphasizing internal factors that motivate our actions.

For example, if a student gets praised for answering a question correctly, they are more likely to repeat that behavior in the future

Question 8

psychodynamic perspective

Answer 8

emphasizes unconscious psychological processes

Nail-biting may be caused by an anxiety-inducing childhood event.

Question 9

cognitive perspective

Answer 9

emphasizes the importance of memory, perception and attention, language, decision-making and problem-solving.

Encouraging students to figure out answers for themselves rather than telling them.

Question 10

What is mind-body dualism?

Answer 10

The belief that the mind is a spiritual entity not governed by the physical laws of the body.

Question 11

What does monism propose about the mind and body?

Answer 11

A: Monism holds that the mind and body are one, and that mental events are products of physical events in the brain.

Question 12

Which philosopher’s ideas helped set the stage for psychology by emphasizing empirical observation?

Answer 12

A: John Locke, an advocate of empiricism.

Question 13

What was the focus of Wilhelm Wundt’s approach to studying the mind?

Answer 13

A: He believed in studying the mind by breaking it down into its basic components, similar to how a chemist studies chemical compounds.

Question 14

When and where did psychology emerge as a formal science?

Answer 14

A: In 1879, when Wilhelm Wundt established the first experimental psychology laboratory at the University of Leipzig.

Question 15

What is structuralism?

Answer 15

A: An approach in psychology that analyzes the mind in terms of its basic elements, such as sensations.

Question 16

How does functionalism differ from structuralism?

Answer 16

A: Functionalism focuses on the functions of consciousness and how it helps individuals adapt to their environment, whereas structuralism focuses on the basic elements of consciousness.

Question 17

What was Sigmund Freud’s contribution to psychology?

Answer 17

A: He developed psychoanalysis, emphasizing the influence of unconscious psychological forces on behavior.

Question 18

Who was Carl Jung, and how did his ideas differ from Freud’s?

Answer 18

A: A student of Freud, Jung disagreed with Freud’s focus on the libido and developed concepts like introversion, extraversion, and the idea of ‘complexes’.

Question 19

According to B.F. Skinner, what primarily shapes behavior?

Answer 19

A: Behavior is shaped by the rewarding and punishing consequences of actions, not by internal thoughts or feelings.

Question 20

How might a behaviorist explain a person’s shyness?

Answer 20

A: By looking at their past experiences and how negative outcomes (punishment) may have led to a decrease in social behaviors.

Question 21

Q: What role do neurotransmitters play in depression?

Answer 21

A: Certain neurotransmitter systems involved in mood, sleep, and digestion may be imbalanced in depressed individuals, often requiring medication to help regulate these functions.

Question 22

What are the three levels of analysis used to understand depression?

Answer 22

A: The biological level (genetic and biochemical factors), the psychological level (thinking styles and cognitive patterns), and the environmental level (influences from the physical and social environment).

Question 23

How did Donald Hebb contribute to the understanding of learning and memory?

Answer 23

A: Hebb proposed that changes in the connections between nerve cells in the brain provide the biological basis for learning, memory, and perception, influencing research on neural circuitry.

Question 24

What sparked renewed interest in studying cognitive processes in the 1950s?

Answer 24

A: Factors included psychologists’ involvement in designing information displays during WWII and the emergence of computer technology, which provided new concepts and terminology for studying memory and attention

Question 25

How did Jean Piaget contribute to the study of cognitive development?

Answer 25

A: Jean Piaget developed a theory explaining how children’s thinking processes become more sophisticated with age, gaining widespread recognition in the psychological community.

Question 26

What is the main premise of Gestalt psychology?

Answer 26

A: Gestalt psychology focuses on how elements of experience are organized into wholes, suggesting that “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”

Question 27

What led to the development of cognitive behaviourism?

Answer 27

A: Proposes that learning experiences and the environment influence our thoughts, and in turn, our thoughts influence our behavior.