Comprehensive Psychology: Definitions, History, Approaches, and Scientific Method

What is the definition of psychology?

The scientific study of behavior and mental processes.

What are the four goals of psychology?

Description, Explanation, Prediction, and Change.

What does the goal of description in psychology involve?

Describing what is occurring and naming and classifying behaviors.

What is the purpose of the explanation goal in psychology?

To understand why a behavior occurs.

What does the prediction goal in psychology entail?

Identifying under what conditions a behavior is likely to occur.

How does psychology aim to achieve change?

By applying psychological knowledge to prevent unwanted outcomes or bring about desired goals.

What is systematic empiricism in psychology?

Understanding behavior through observation and collecting data.

What are the four attitudes that form the psychological frame of mind?

Critical Thinking, Skepticism, Objectivity, and Curiosity.

Who is considered the father of psychology?

Wilhelm Wundt.

What is introspection in psychology?

The examination of one's conscious thoughts and feelings.

What is structuralism?

A school of psychology that aimed to determine the basic elements of psychological experience.

What is functionalism in psychology?

A school of psychology that aimed to understand the adaptive purposes of psychological characteristics.

What does the psychodynamic approach focus on?

Unconscious thought and the influence of early childhood experiences.

What is the behavioral approach in psychology?

Focuses on observable behaviors and the environmental determinants of behavior.

What is the humanistic approach in psychology?

Focuses on positive human qualities and the potential for growth.

What does the cognitive approach study?

Mental processes such as attention, perception, memory, and problem-solving.

What is the biological approach in psychology?

Focuses on the body, especially the brain and nervous system.

What does the evolutionary approach explain?

Behavior as a result of evolutionary processes, including adaptation and natural selection.

What is the sociocultural approach in psychology?

Focuses on social and cultural environments and their influence on behavior.

What are some areas of specialization in psychology?

Clinical, Cognitive, Developmental, Social, Industrial/Organizational, and Forensic Psychology.

What is clinical psychology?

The study and treatment of psychological disorders.

What is applied psychology?

Using psychological theory and practice to address real-world problems.

What does academic psychology involve?

Dividing time between teaching and research in various psychological fields.

What is the role of a school psychologist?

To diagnose and treat students' mental and behavioral problems.

What is the focus of health psychology?

Understanding how psychological factors affect health and illness.

What is forensic psychology?

Applying psychological principles to legal issues and the criminal justice system.

What is the scientific method?

A systematic method used to gain knowledge about mind and behavior in psychology.

How do psychologists use the scientific method?

They use it to propose theories, test hypotheses, and gather empirical data.

What is a theory in psychology?

A system of ideas that attempts to explain observations and predict future observations.

What is a hypothesis?

An educated guess derived from a theory that can be tested.

What is the purpose of testing a hypothesis?

To determine if the evidence supports the hypothesis, leading to acceptance, rejection, or revision of the theory.

What does empiricism refer to in research?

Gaining knowledge through observation, data collection, and logical reasoning.

What is a variable?

Anything that can change in a study.

What is an operational definition?

A precise definition that describes how a variable will be measured and observed in a study.

What is the significance of drawing conclusions in research?

To assess whether the data supports the hypothesis and to consider alternate explanations if not.

What is replication in research?

Repeating a study to see if results are consistent across different samples.

What is a direct replication?

Repeating a study using the same methods as the original study.

What is a conceptual replication?

Using different methods to test the same prediction as in the original study.

What is meta-analysis?

A statistical procedure that summarizes evidence from multiple studies on a particular topic.

What is descriptive research?

Research that defines what a phenomenon is and how often it occurs.

What are the three types of descriptive research?

Observation, interviews/surveys, and case studies.

What is the role of observation in research?

To observe phenomena without manipulating variables.

What is the difference between a survey and an interview?

A survey uses standardized questions, while an interview involves verbal questioning by the researcher.

What is a Likert Scale?

A scale from 1 ('not at all') to 7 ('very much') used in surveys to measure attitudes.

What are some pros of using surveys?

They are easy to administer to large groups.

What are some cons of using surveys?

Participants may lack self-awareness, be dishonest, or provide socially desirable responses.

What is the primary value of descriptive research?

It helps us learn about the world and people but cannot answer how and why something became that way.

What does correlational research examine?

It examines how two variables change together without manipulation.

What does the correlation coefficient (r) measure?

It measures the strength and direction of the relationship between two variables.

What indicates a positive correlation?

When r > 0, indicating that variables move in the same direction.

What indicates a negative correlation?

When r < 0, indicating that variables move in opposite directions.

What does r = 0 signify?

It signifies no relation between the variables.

What is a scatterplot?

A graphical representation where each dot represents an individual's data point.

What is the key distinction between correlation and causation?

Correlation does not imply causation.

What is the third variable problem?

It refers to the possibility that a third variable influences both variables being studied.

What is the only type of research that allows for cause-and-effect inferences?

Experimental research.

What is the role of random assignment in experimental research?

It ensures that participants are randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group.

What is the independent variable (IV)?

The variable that is manipulated in an experiment.

What is the dependent variable (DV)?

The variable that is measured in an experiment.

What does external validity refer to?

The degree to which an experimental design reflects real-world issues.

What is internal validity?

The degree to which changes in the dependent variable are due to the manipulation of the independent variable.

What is experimenter bias?

It occurs when a researcher's expectations influence the outcome of the study.

What is the placebo effect?

It is when participants experience changes simply because they believe they are receiving treatment.

What is a random sample?

A sample where each individual has an equal chance of being selected.

What are descriptive statistics?

Mathematical procedures used to describe and summarize sets of data.

What are measures of central tendency?

Mean, median, and mode.

What does the mean represent?

The average score of a dataset.

What is the median?

The midpoint score in a dataset, with half above and half below.

What is the mode?

The most frequently occurring score in a dataset.

What does the range measure?

The distance from the lowest to the highest score.

What is standard deviation?

It measures the average squared deviation from the mean.

What is the role of the Institutional Review Board (IRB)?

To evaluate the ethical nature of research conducted at an institution.

What are APA guidelines for research ethics?

Informed consent, voluntary withdrawal, confidentiality, minimize harm, avoid deception, and debriefing.