Psychology 1010 exam 1| 76
Answered Questions
Psychology Definition - -The scientific study of behavior
and the mind.
- What makes psych. scientific? - -Theories, hypotheses, experiments,
replication
- What is the mind? - -Thoughts, feelings, beliefs, etc.
- What is a behavior? - -Overt actions that can be observed and recorded
- Wilhelm Wundt, 1879, Germany - -First lab dedicated to study of
psychology
- Structuralism -the basic structures of the
mind
- William James, 1879, U.S. - -First psych lab in U.S.
- Functionalism - functions of the mind; it's
purpose
- Psychodynamic (or Psychoanalytic) Theory - -- Freud
• Unconscious thoughts
• Childhood experiences
• Theory of Personality development
- Today used primarily in therapy applications
- Behaviorism (Behavioral Theory) - -Watson, Skinner, Pavlov
- Only study what is directly observable
• Rules out unconscious, thoughts, feelings
- Learning - how we learn various behaviors
- Used in research as well as therapy
- Dominant theory for almost 40 years
- Cognitive Theory - -Piaget, Tajfel, many others
- Thought processes, memory, problem solving
- Computer as analogy for the mind
- Dominant perspective today
- Used in research and in therapy
- Humanistic Theory - -Maslow, Rogers
- Human potential
- Therapy and Application to other disciplines
, - BioPsychological Theories - -Spero, Gazzaniga, and others
- Brain, chemicals, hormones, genetics
- Research & Therapy
- Evolutionary Psychology - -Buss, Ekman, many others
- Adaptations that shape psychological traits and
behaviors
- Scientific Method - -Form research questions
- Develop a theory - broad explanation for behavior
- Form hypotheses - specific, testable predictions of the theory
- Test assumptions - attempt to refute theory
- Report results
- Descriptive Research - -Describing various aspects of human and
animal behavior
- Useful for new phenomena
- Observe and record behaviors systematically
according to specific rules
- Types of Descriptive Research - -- Naturalistic Observation
- Case Studies
- Surveys
- Correlational Research - -Examining relationships between
variables
• Allows prediction of behavior
• Two Types of Correlation
- examples
- Positive Correlation - -As one variable increases the other also
increases
• Does this mean that watching TV causes
people to gain weight?
• Correlation does not necessarily equal
causation
- Negative Correlation - -As one variable increases the other variable
decreases
• Other examples:
- Temperature and sales of hot chocolate
- Two Important Aspects of Correlation - -Nature of correlation (direction)
indicated by +/-
• Strength of correlation
Answered Questions
Psychology Definition - -The scientific study of behavior
and the mind.
- What makes psych. scientific? - -Theories, hypotheses, experiments,
replication
- What is the mind? - -Thoughts, feelings, beliefs, etc.
- What is a behavior? - -Overt actions that can be observed and recorded
- Wilhelm Wundt, 1879, Germany - -First lab dedicated to study of
psychology
- Structuralism -the basic structures of the
mind
- William James, 1879, U.S. - -First psych lab in U.S.
- Functionalism - functions of the mind; it's
purpose
- Psychodynamic (or Psychoanalytic) Theory - -- Freud
• Unconscious thoughts
• Childhood experiences
• Theory of Personality development
- Today used primarily in therapy applications
- Behaviorism (Behavioral Theory) - -Watson, Skinner, Pavlov
- Only study what is directly observable
• Rules out unconscious, thoughts, feelings
- Learning - how we learn various behaviors
- Used in research as well as therapy
- Dominant theory for almost 40 years
- Cognitive Theory - -Piaget, Tajfel, many others
- Thought processes, memory, problem solving
- Computer as analogy for the mind
- Dominant perspective today
- Used in research and in therapy
- Humanistic Theory - -Maslow, Rogers
- Human potential
- Therapy and Application to other disciplines
, - BioPsychological Theories - -Spero, Gazzaniga, and others
- Brain, chemicals, hormones, genetics
- Research & Therapy
- Evolutionary Psychology - -Buss, Ekman, many others
- Adaptations that shape psychological traits and
behaviors
- Scientific Method - -Form research questions
- Develop a theory - broad explanation for behavior
- Form hypotheses - specific, testable predictions of the theory
- Test assumptions - attempt to refute theory
- Report results
- Descriptive Research - -Describing various aspects of human and
animal behavior
- Useful for new phenomena
- Observe and record behaviors systematically
according to specific rules
- Types of Descriptive Research - -- Naturalistic Observation
- Case Studies
- Surveys
- Correlational Research - -Examining relationships between
variables
• Allows prediction of behavior
• Two Types of Correlation
- examples
- Positive Correlation - -As one variable increases the other also
increases
• Does this mean that watching TV causes
people to gain weight?
• Correlation does not necessarily equal
causation
- Negative Correlation - -As one variable increases the other variable
decreases
• Other examples:
- Temperature and sales of hot chocolate
- Two Important Aspects of Correlation - -Nature of correlation (direction)
indicated by +/-
• Strength of correlation
