STUDY EXAM
◉ Four Goals of Psychology. Answer: 1. Describe what organisms do.
2. Explain the causes of behavior. 3. Predict behavior in new
situations. 4. Control (influence) behavior.
◉ Biological Approach. Answer: How our genes, brain, and nervous
system interact with the environment to influence behavior.
◉ Cognitive Approach. Answer: How we process, store, and use
information, including mental processes like memory, language, and
problem-solving.
◉ Behavioral Approach. Answer: Studies observable behaviors and
excludes mental processes; often focuses on learning through
classical and operant conditioning.
◉ Social Psychology. Answer: Studies social interactions, attitudes,
stereotypes, and group behaviors.
◉ Personality Psychology. Answer: Studies personality development,
change, and assessment.
,◉ Biological/Psychobiology. Answer: Researches physical and
chemical changes during stress, learning, and emotions.
◉ Clinical/Counseling Psychology. Answer: Work to diagnose and
treat psychological problems (largest field).
◉ Psychologist vs. Psychiatrist. Answer: Psychiatrists are medical
doctors (M.D.s) who can prescribe drugs.
◉ Experiment. Answer: A method for identifying cause-and-effect
relationships by following seven rules (design, manipulate,
measure).
◉ Independent Variable (IV). Answer: The factor the experimenter
manipulates or gives the treatment to (the cause).
◉ Dependent Variable (DV). Answer: The factor the experimenter
measures to see if the IV had an effect (the effect).
◉ Experimental Group. Answer: Receives the treatment (IV).
◉ Control Group. Answer: Receives no treatment or a placebo.
, ◉ Rule 7: Analyze. Answer: Using statistical procedures to
determine if differences in the DV are due to the IV or to
error/chance.
◉ Code of Ethics. Answer: Rules and standards for psychologists to
follow when doing research, counseling, and teaching.
◉ Ethics of Animal Research. Answer: Debates on striking a balance
between responsible use of animals in research and their welfare.
◉ Neuron. Answer: A specialized cell that transmits nerve impulses
(messages).
◉ Dendrites. Answer: Branching extensions that receive chemical
messages from other neurons.
◉ Cell Body (Soma). Answer: Contains the nucleus and provides life-
support functions.
◉ Axon. Answer: A single extension that carries the nerve impulse
away from the cell body to the terminal buttons.
◉ Myelin Sheath. Answer: A fatty covering that insulates the axon
and speeds up the neural impulse.