Chapter 1

What does psychology investigate?

The mind's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

What is naive realism?

The mistaken belief that we see the world as it truly is; perceptions can be deceiving.

What is scientific theory?

An account that ties multiple observations together and generates testable predictions.

What is confirmation bias?

The tendency to seek evidence supporting existing beliefs and dismiss contradictory evidence.

What defines pseudoscience?

Claims that appear scientific but lack the safeguards against bias that characterize true science.

What key principle distinguishes correlation from causation?

Avoid concluding causation from mere correlation; variables can have complex relationships.

Who is considered the founder of psychology and established the first lab in Germany?

Wilhelm Wundt.

What did E.B. Titchener focus on in psychology?

Identifying basic elements or 'structures' of experience through systematic observation.

What did functionalism, influenced by Darwin, explore?

The adaptive purpose and function of mental processes and behavior.

What does psychodynamic theory emphasize?

The role of unconscious psychological processes and early life experiences in behavior.

What do behaviorists focus on?

Observable behaviors and general principles of learning.

What is cognitivism in psychology?

The examination of the role of mental processes on behavior.

What are the three major areas involved in modern psychology?

Teaching, conducting and applying research, and providing mental health services.

What is the importance of falsifiability in a scientific theory?

A theory must be capable of being disproved for it to be meaningful.

What does replicability mean in scientific research?

A study's findings should be consistently duplicable.

What factors should be considered when evaluating psychological information online?

References to peer-reviewed literature and the presence of multiple credible articles.

What is belief perseverance?

The reluctance to abandon beliefs despite conflicting evidence.