Chapter 1: What is Psychology?
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
psychology - ANSWER-the scientific study of behavior and mental processes
behavior - ANSWER-observable and measurable actions of people and animals
cognitive activities - ANSWER-private, unobservable mental processes such as
sensation, perception, thought, and problem solving
psychological constructs - ANSWER-theoretical entitiies, or concepts, that enable one
to discuss something that cannot be seen, touched, or measured directly
theory - ANSWER-a set of assumptions about why something is the way it is and
happens the way it does
principle - ANSWER-a rule or law
basic research - ANSWER-research that is conducted for its own sake, that is, without
seeking a solution to a specific problem
introspection - ANSWER-an examination of one's own thoughts and feelings
associationism - ANSWER-a learned connection between two ideas or events
structuralism - ANSWER-the school of psychology, founded by Wilhem Wundt, that
maintains that conscious experience breaks down into objective sensations and
subjective feelings
functionalism - ANSWER-the school of psychology, founded by William James, that
emphasizes the purposes of behavior and mental processes
behaviorism - ANSWER-the school of psychology, founded by John Watson, that
defines psychology as the scientific study of observable behavior
Gestalt psychology - ANSWER-the school of psychology that emphasizes the tendency
to organize perceptions into meaningful wholes
psychoanalysis - ANSWER-the school of psychology, founded by Sigmund Freud, that
emphasizes the importance of unconscious motives and conflicts as determinants of
human behavior
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
psychology - ANSWER-the scientific study of behavior and mental processes
behavior - ANSWER-observable and measurable actions of people and animals
cognitive activities - ANSWER-private, unobservable mental processes such as
sensation, perception, thought, and problem solving
psychological constructs - ANSWER-theoretical entitiies, or concepts, that enable one
to discuss something that cannot be seen, touched, or measured directly
theory - ANSWER-a set of assumptions about why something is the way it is and
happens the way it does
principle - ANSWER-a rule or law
basic research - ANSWER-research that is conducted for its own sake, that is, without
seeking a solution to a specific problem
introspection - ANSWER-an examination of one's own thoughts and feelings
associationism - ANSWER-a learned connection between two ideas or events
structuralism - ANSWER-the school of psychology, founded by Wilhem Wundt, that
maintains that conscious experience breaks down into objective sensations and
subjective feelings
functionalism - ANSWER-the school of psychology, founded by William James, that
emphasizes the purposes of behavior and mental processes
behaviorism - ANSWER-the school of psychology, founded by John Watson, that
defines psychology as the scientific study of observable behavior
Gestalt psychology - ANSWER-the school of psychology that emphasizes the tendency
to organize perceptions into meaningful wholes
psychoanalysis - ANSWER-the school of psychology, founded by Sigmund Freud, that
emphasizes the importance of unconscious motives and conflicts as determinants of
human behavior
