PSYCH 121 MIDTERM 1 QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED
ACCURATE ANSWERS
Define psychology. - Answers - The discipline concerned with behaviour and mental
processes and how they are affected by an organism's physical / mental state and
external environment.
Describe the scientific method. - Answers - Orderly method used to analyze and solve
problems; uses objectively collected info; basis for drawing conclusions about
behaviour.
Define behaviour. - Answers - Observable and measurable actions by which an
organism adjusts to its environment; outer sign of inner reality; multiply determined.
What does the study of behaviour recognize? - Answers - - importance of the individual
in the broad context
- role of unobservable mental processes in behaviour
Define psychobabble. - Answers - Made-up unsupported theories which tend to confirm
unsupported popular opinion.
Why does psychobabble persist? - Answers - - more we see something, more likely we
are to agree with / believe it
- gives sense of control and predictability
- confirms rather than challenges existing beliefs (people resist change)
What are the goals of psychology? (4) - Answers - 1. Describing what happens
2. Explaining what happens
3. Predicting what will happen
4. Controlling what does happen
Define critical thinking. - Answers - Ability and willingness to assess claims and make
objective judgments on the basis of well-supported reasons and evidence rather than
emotion or anecdote.
What are the guidelines for critical thinking? (8) - Answers - 1. Ask questions and be
willing to wonder
2. Clearly define your terms
3. Examine the evidence
4. Analyze assumptions and biases
5. Avoid emotional reasoning
6. Don't oversimplify
7. Consider other interpretations
8. Tolerate uncertainty and have patience
, What are the three early schools of thought in psychology? - Answers - Structuralism;
Functionalism; Psychoanalysis.
Describe the four humor theory of psychology. - Answers - 4 H = blood; yellow bile;
black bile; phlegm
- when all 4 are in balance, a person was healthy
- all ailments were a result of excess / lack of humor(s)
Describe the phrenology theory of psychology. - Answers - - each brain area was a
separate organ and accounted for character and personality traits
- traits could be read from bumps on the skull
- discredited theory
When was the first psychology laboratory established? Where? By whom? What
research did it focus on? What research approach did it embody? - Answers - 1879;
University of Leipzig; Wilhelm Wundt; reaction time, sensation; structural approach.
Define structuralism. - Answers - - early approach emphasizing analysis of immediate
experience into basic elements (Titchener: wanted to create periodic table of mental
elements)
- interested in what happens
- participants needed to train introspection process before they were allowed to take
part in research
- only works with emotionally competent people
Define introspection. - Answers - Observe, analyze, describe own sensations, mental
images, and emotional reactions.
Define functionalism. - Answers - - developed by William James who disagreed with
structuralism
- emphasized function / purpose of behaviour and consciousness
- how and why something happens
- broadened psych to include study of children, animals, religion, consciousness
What do modern psychologists examine? - Answers - - structure and function of
behaviour
- general behaviour principles
- unique individual behaviour
- how we approach study depends on psychological perspective
Define psychoanalysis. - Answers - - developed by Sigmund Freud
- theory of personality and method of psychotherapy
- physical symptoms due to emotional trauma or conflicts from early childhood
- emphasized unconscious motives and desires (ex. sexual and aggressive)
ACCURATE ANSWERS
Define psychology. - Answers - The discipline concerned with behaviour and mental
processes and how they are affected by an organism's physical / mental state and
external environment.
Describe the scientific method. - Answers - Orderly method used to analyze and solve
problems; uses objectively collected info; basis for drawing conclusions about
behaviour.
Define behaviour. - Answers - Observable and measurable actions by which an
organism adjusts to its environment; outer sign of inner reality; multiply determined.
What does the study of behaviour recognize? - Answers - - importance of the individual
in the broad context
- role of unobservable mental processes in behaviour
Define psychobabble. - Answers - Made-up unsupported theories which tend to confirm
unsupported popular opinion.
Why does psychobabble persist? - Answers - - more we see something, more likely we
are to agree with / believe it
- gives sense of control and predictability
- confirms rather than challenges existing beliefs (people resist change)
What are the goals of psychology? (4) - Answers - 1. Describing what happens
2. Explaining what happens
3. Predicting what will happen
4. Controlling what does happen
Define critical thinking. - Answers - Ability and willingness to assess claims and make
objective judgments on the basis of well-supported reasons and evidence rather than
emotion or anecdote.
What are the guidelines for critical thinking? (8) - Answers - 1. Ask questions and be
willing to wonder
2. Clearly define your terms
3. Examine the evidence
4. Analyze assumptions and biases
5. Avoid emotional reasoning
6. Don't oversimplify
7. Consider other interpretations
8. Tolerate uncertainty and have patience
, What are the three early schools of thought in psychology? - Answers - Structuralism;
Functionalism; Psychoanalysis.
Describe the four humor theory of psychology. - Answers - 4 H = blood; yellow bile;
black bile; phlegm
- when all 4 are in balance, a person was healthy
- all ailments were a result of excess / lack of humor(s)
Describe the phrenology theory of psychology. - Answers - - each brain area was a
separate organ and accounted for character and personality traits
- traits could be read from bumps on the skull
- discredited theory
When was the first psychology laboratory established? Where? By whom? What
research did it focus on? What research approach did it embody? - Answers - 1879;
University of Leipzig; Wilhelm Wundt; reaction time, sensation; structural approach.
Define structuralism. - Answers - - early approach emphasizing analysis of immediate
experience into basic elements (Titchener: wanted to create periodic table of mental
elements)
- interested in what happens
- participants needed to train introspection process before they were allowed to take
part in research
- only works with emotionally competent people
Define introspection. - Answers - Observe, analyze, describe own sensations, mental
images, and emotional reactions.
Define functionalism. - Answers - - developed by William James who disagreed with
structuralism
- emphasized function / purpose of behaviour and consciousness
- how and why something happens
- broadened psych to include study of children, animals, religion, consciousness
What do modern psychologists examine? - Answers - - structure and function of
behaviour
- general behaviour principles
- unique individual behaviour
- how we approach study depends on psychological perspective
Define psychoanalysis. - Answers - - developed by Sigmund Freud
- theory of personality and method of psychotherapy
- physical symptoms due to emotional trauma or conflicts from early childhood
- emphasized unconscious motives and desires (ex. sexual and aggressive)
