Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

PSY 166 > Chapter 1 - What is Psychology? > Flashcards

Chapter 1 - What is Psychology? Flashcards

(69 cards)

Start Studying
1
Q

Define: psychology

A

Psychology is the discipline concerned with behavior and mental processes, and how they are affected by a person’s physical state, mental state and external environment.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Define: empirical

A

Relying on or derived from observation, experimentation or measurement.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Define: phrenology

A

The theory that different brain areas account for specific character and personality traits, which can be “read” from bumps on the skull.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Define: functionalism

A

An early psychological approach that emphasized the function or purpose of behavior and consciousness.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Define: psychoanalysis

A

A theory of personality and a method of psychotherapy that emphasizes unconscious motives and conflicts. Founded by Sigmund Freud.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What are the five perspectives of psychology?

A
  • Biological
  • Learning
  • Cognitive
  • Sociocultural
  • Psychodynamic
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What does the biological perspective of psychology emphasize?

A

Bodily events and changes associated with actions, feelings and thoughts.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What does the field of evolutionary psychology emphasize?

A

Evolutionary mechanisms that may help explain human commonalities in cognition, development, emotion, social practices and other behaviors.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What does the learning perspective of psychology emphasize?

A

The way the environment and experiences affect a person’s or animal’s actions. Includes behaviorism and social-cognitive learning theories.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What do behaviorists focus on?

A

Environmental rewards and punishments that maintain or discourage specific behaviors, because they believe that environmental events are observable and measurable while processes of the mind are not.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What do social-cognitive learning theorists focus on?

A

Research on thoughts, values and intentions, in addition to elements of behaviorism, as they believe that people learn not simply from adapting to their environment, but also by imitating others and thinking about the events surrounding them.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What does the cognitive perspective of psychology emphasize?

A

Mental processes in perception, memory, language, problem solving, and other areas of behavior.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What does the sociocultural perspective of psychology emphasize?

A

Social and cultural influences on behavior.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What is basic psychology?

A

The study of psychological issues for the sake of knowledge rather than for its practical application

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What is applied psychology?

A

The study of psychological issues that have direct practical significance; also, the application of psychological findings.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Define: psychotherapist

A

Does any kind of psychotherapy.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Define: psychologist

A

Diagnoses, treats, and/or studies mental and emotional problems, both mild and severe; has a Ph.D., an Ed.D., or a Psy.D.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Define: psychoanalyst

A

Practices psychoanalysis; has specific training in this approach after an advanced degree (M.D. or Ph.D.); may treat any kind of emotional disorder or pathology

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Define: psychiatrist

A

Similar to a clinical psychologist, but more likely to take a biological approach, and therefore has a medical degree (M.D.) which a specialty in psychiatry.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Define: LCSW, marriage, family, and child counselor (MFCC)

A

Treats common individual and family problems, but may also deal with more serious problems like addiction or abuse; generally has at least an M.A. in psychology or social work, though licensing requirements vary.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Define: critical thinking

A

The ability and willingness to assess claims and make objective judgements on the basis of well-supported reasons and evidence rather than emotion or anecdote.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Define: hypothesis

A

A statement that attempts to predict or to account for a set of phenomena; scientific hypotheses specify relationships among events or variables and are empirically tested.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Define: operational definition

A

A precise definition of a term in a hypothesis which specifies the operations for how the independent variable will be manipulated, and how the dependent variable will be measured.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Define: assumptions

A

Beliefs that are taken for granted.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Define: biases
Assumptions that keep us from considering the evidence fairly or that cause us to ignore the evidence entirely.
26
Define: principles of falsifiability
The principles that a scientific theory must make predictions that are specific enough to expose the theory to the possibly of disconfirmation; that is, the theory must predict not only what will happen, but also what will not happen.
27
Define: confirmation bias
The tendency to look for or pay attention to only the information that confirms one;s own belief, and ignore, trivialize, or forget information that disconfirms that belief.
28
Define: descriptive methods
Methods that yield descriptions of behavior but not necessarily causal explanations.
29
Define: case history/case study
A detailed description of a particular individual being studied or treated.
30
Define: observational study
A study in which the researcher carefully and systematically observes and records behavior without interfering with the behavior; it may involve either naturalistic or laboratory observation.
31
Define: naturalistic observation
An observation of how people or animals act in their normal social environments.
32
Define: laboratory observation
An observation of how people or animals act in controlled situations.
33
Define: psychological tests
Procedures used to measure and evaluate personality traits, emotional states, aptitudes, interests, abilities, and values.
34
Define: objective tests/inventories
Tests which measure beliefs, feelings or behaviors of which and individual is aware.
35
Define: projective tests
Tests which are designed to tap into unconscious feelings or motives.
36
Define: standardize (in test construction)
To develop uniform procedures for giving and scoring a test
37
Define: norms (in test construction)
Established standards of performance
38
Define: reliability (in test construction)
The consistency of test scores from one time and place to another
39
Define: validity (in test construction)
The ability of a test to measure what it was designed to measure
40
Define: surveys
Questionnaires and interviews that ask people directly about their experiences, attitudes or opinions
41
Define: volunteer bias
A shortcoming of findings derived from a sample of volunteers instead of a representative sample; the volunteers may differ from those who did not volunteer.
42
Define: correlational study
A descriptive study that looks for a consistent relationship between two phenomena
43
Define: correlation
A measure of how strongly two variables are related to each other
44
Define: variables
Characteristics of behavior or experience that can be measured or described by a numeric scale
45
Define: positive correlation
An association between increases in one variable and increases in another; or between decreases in one and decreases in the other
46
Define: negative correlation
An association between increases in one variable and decreases in another
47
Define: uncorrelation
No association between one variable and another
48
Define: coefficient of correlation
A measure of correlation that ranges from -1.00 to +1.00
49
Define: theory
An organized system of assumptions and principles that purports to explain a specified set of observations and their interrelationships
50
Define: argument by anecdote
Oversimplification by generalizing from a personal experience or a few examples to everyone
51
Define: archival study
Study based on data collected by other people and for different purposes; often labelled as 'secondary data analysis'
52
Define: representative study
A group of individuals selected from a population for study which matches that population on important characteristics such as age or sex
53
Define: random sampling
Every member of the population has an equal chance of being selected for the sample
54
What does the psychodynamic perspective of psychology emphasize?
Emphasizes unconscious dynamics within the individual, such as inner forces, conflicts, or the movement of instinctual energy
55
What are the four goals of psychology?
- Describe the behavior as empirically as possible: - Explain the causes of the behavior - Predict events based on a knowledge of relationships between variables - Control or change the behavior
56
Define: social desirability bias
When subjects answer surveys in a way that make themselves look "better" or more in harmony with social standards than they actually are
57
Define: experiment
Provide a controlled test of a hypothesis
58
Define: independent variable
The variable that the researcher is manipulating
59
Define: experimental group
The group that actually receives whatever is being tested
60
Define: control group
The group that does not receive what is being tested
61
Define: dependent variable
The outcome variable at the end of the study
62
Define: random assignment
Everyone in the sample has an equal chance of being in any of the groups
63
Define: placebo
Substance or treatment with no real benefit
64
Define: Hawthorne effects/observer effects
When a subject perceives they are being watched, they may behave differently
65
Define: metaanalysis
Combines and analyzes data from many studies
66
Define: metaanalysis
Combines and analyzes data from many studies for the same topic
67
Define: metaanalysis
Combines and analyzes data from many studies for the same topic
68
Define: measures of central tendency
Mean, median and mode
69
Define: measures of variability
Standard deviation and/or range

PSY 166 (5 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions