Mr. Kosiba Psychology Unit 1 Exam Review

____________________ is the SCIENTIFIC study of behavior and mental processes.

Psychology

________________________ is any observable action or response (internal or external)

External examples = speaking, running, body language, facial expressions

Internal examples = digestion, blood pressure, how different parts of the brain react to different stimuli

Behavior

Cognitive activity that is not directly observable is referred to as ________________________________________________.

Examples = Perception, memory, thoughts, ,and dreams

Mental processes

The practice of making claims/assertions that are NOT based on legitimate science APPEAR scientific and legitimate even though the people engaging in this practice do NOT follow the scientific method.

Pseudoscience

The use of non-falsifiable claims, scientific jargon, and testimonials that are not supported by scientific research to try and explain human behavior is also known as ____________.

Pseudoscience

What are the main goals of Psychology?

To observe, describe, explain, predict, and control or change behavior.

Why is describing behaviors through direct observation one of the 4 important main goals of Psychology?

it allows researchers to identify and study behaviors and symptoms that are unique to certain disorders.

Why is explaining the causes of behaviors one of the 4 important main goals of Psychology?

it allows experts to develop more effective treatments

Pure science/research done for the sake of finding new information and expanding the knowledge base of psychology

basic research

Why is predicting when, how, and why symptoms and behaviors will occur one of the 4 important main goals of Psychology?

it enables experts to anticipate which treatments and symptom management strategies will be most effective.

Why is controlling or changing the symptoms of mental illnesses and undesirable behaviors one of the 4 important main goals of Psychology?

it causes drastic improvements to one's quality of life by controlling/managing symptoms with proper treatment

Most professionals working in the field of psychology are this type of psychologist

Clinical

Experimental, social, developmental, cognitive, and neuropsychologists are considered examples of this type of psychologist

Academic

Scientific study aimed at solving practical problems

applied research

Specialists in the field of psychology with medical degrees that are able to prescribe drugs

Psychiatrists

The kind of psychologist that typically treat people who have adjustment problems rather than serious psychological problems. They help patients clarify goals, overcome family problems, and meet daily life challenges.

Counseling Psychologists

The kind of psychologist that uses information/knowledge gained from psychological research to create solutions to problem behaviors or disorders.

Applied Psychologist

The kind of psychological specialist most likely to diagnose and treat emotionally disturbed patients.

Clinical Psychologist

The kind of psychologist that focus on course planning and instructional methods for entire school systems.

Educational Psychologists

This kind of psychologist uses psychology to help businesses operate better and run efficiently.

Organizational

Dr. Wilson attributes the actions of criminal gang members to the cultural norms and role expectations associated with gang membership. His belief best illustrates this perspective.

Social

Different views of psychology that all attempt to explain human behavior in different ways.

Psychological Perspectives

This perspective would be most likely to emphasize that behavior is influenced by factors like brain chemistry, genetics, hormones, and drugs

Biological

This perspective argues that psychology should focus exclusively on studying observable behaviors.

Behaviorism

The distinctive feature of this psychological perspective is its emphasis on unconscious conflicts.

Psychodynamic/Psychoanalytic

This psychological perspective is most concerned with the unique ways in which individuals interpret their own life experiences

Cognitive

This psychological perspective would emphasize that the differing political and economic systems of the United States and China lead citizens of these two countries to adopt different customs and attitudes.

Social

This psychological perspective would argue that a wife's husband's irritability toward her is a result of his unconscious feelings of hostility toward his own mother.

Psychoanalytic (AKA Psychodynamic)

Professor Evans believes that severe depression results primarily from an imbalanced diet and abnormal blood chemistry. What psychological perspective does Professor Evans favor?

Biological

Mrs. Thompson believes that her son has learned to play the piano because she consistently rewards his efforts to learn with praise and affection. Her belief best illustrates this perspective.

Behavioral

Hany signs up for a psychology class at his high school because he is most interested in investigating the unique ways different individuals think about and interpret life experiences. Which perspective will Hany most likely focus on in his psychology class?

Cognitive

Dr. Santaniello conducts basic research on how

children's moral thinking changes as they grow older. What perspective does Dr. Santaniello seem to favor?

Developmental

The application of critical thinking and tools such as observation, experimentation, and statistical analysis.

Scientific Method

For the results of a research study to be considered reliable and legitimate, the research must be able to _________ them.

replicate

A research technique in which one person is studied in depth.

Case Study

A research method used to investigate the degree to which two variables are related to each other. Example = Examining how whether or not a student wears headphones (variable 1) relates to studying effectiveness (variable 2)

Correlation Study

A correlational research method that uses interviews, tests, or questionnaires to gather self-reported data in an effort to measure specific behaviors, attitudes, preferences, opinions, and intentions of subjects.

Survey Method

The term that refers to the group of people the researcher draws their sample from in a research study.

Population

Segment of the population chosen to take a survey.

Subjects

A sample that fairly represents a population because each person has an equal chance of being chosen.

Random sample

A sample that represents the greater population.

Representative sample

A type of correlational research that involves observing and recording the variables of interest in their natural environment without interference or manipulation by the researcher.

Naturalistic Observation

A correlational research method that involves repeated observations of the same variables in the same subjects over long periods of time.

Longitudinal Study

A correlational research method in which researchers compares individuals across different age groups at the same time.

Cross-sectional study

This research method relies on controlled methods, random assignment and manipulation of variables to test a hypothesis. In this method, researchers manipulate one variable to determine if doing so causes changes in another variable.

Experimental method

A researcher's testable prediction about the outcome of research

Hypothesis

The variable that researchers actively manipulate to try and influence/change the dependent variable.

Independent Variable

The variable that is being measured in an experiment. It is the variable is influenced/changed by the independent variable (not by the researchers).

Dependent Variable

The subjects exposed to all experimental conditions, including the independent variable, are called the ________________ group.

Experimental

The subjects of an experiment that are used as a point of comparison for subjects in experimental group are called the ____________ group. These subjects are not exposed to the independent variable and often receive a placebo or standard treatment.

Control

Detailed descriptions of the procedures or ways researchers will measure a variable or behavior in a study.

Operational Definition

Assigning participants to experimental and control groups by chance, thus minimizing preexisting differences among those assigned to different groups.

Random Assignment

A variable other than the independent variable that may influence the dependent variable.

Confounding Variable

A non-active/inert substance (like a sugar pill) administered to subjects in the control group of an experiment. Allows researchers to better evaluate the true overall effect of the experimental drug/treatment administered to subjects in the experimental group.

Placebo

An experimental study in which neither the researchers nor the subjects knows what group (control or experimental) they are in. This type of study eliminates unintentional researcher/observer bias (AKA Experimenter Expectancy Effect)

Double-Blind

Professor Ober carefully monitors and records the behaviors of children on school playgrounds in order to track the development of their physical skills. Professor Ober is most clearly engaged in...

Naturalistic Observation

This research method allows researchers to study numerous demographics at once (age, income, gender) and is often used to investigate current characteristics or trends that exist across a given population. It is strictly observation-based and does not involve manipulating variables.

Cross-sectional study

Which method of research is primarily used to study developmental trends and medical conditions using the same subjects over long periods of time?

Longitudinal study

In an experimental study, men with symptoms of impotence received either Viagra or a placebo. The men who received Viagra would be considered the _________ group.

Experimental

The phenomena that occurs when drugs/treatments with no active ingredients stimulate real physiological responses in subjects like changes in heart rate, blood pressure, and even chemical activity in the brain. These physiological responses are produced by the subjects beliefs or expectations that they are receiving drugs/treatments with active ingredients.

the placebo effect

In order create a fairly represented population in which each member had an equal chance of being included in her survey, Susan sent a questionnaire to every fifteenth person in the college registrar's alphabetical listing of all currently enrolled students. Susan employed the technique of...

Random Sampling

Researchers are ___________________________ for the ethical acceptability of their research and all human studies must be approved by governing bodies that are recognized by the APA as being qualified and committed to these ethical requirements.

personally responsible

Researchers are responsible for the ___________________ of all who work WITH and FOR them even though everyone involved has their own personal ethical obligations.

ethical conduct

Researchers must ensure prospective research participants are as fully informed as possible about the nature of the experiment in order to obtain __________________________.

informed consent

The researcher must be honest and transparent with participants about the study. If the true purpose of the experiment must be concealed, researchers are responsible for making sure participants are __________________________________________.

fully informed AFTER the experiment as to why this deception was necessary.