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Questions and Answers
Define psychology.
Define psychology.
The scientific study of mental processes and behaviors and how these are affected by internal processes and the environment.
Define psychology as a scientific discipline.
Define psychology as a scientific discipline.
Psychology is a multidisciplinary science subdivided into various disciplines such as social psychology, neuropsychology, cognitive psychology, and more.
What are ethics in psychology?
What are ethics in psychology?
The rules of conduct recognized in respect to a particular class of human actions or a particular group.
What is ecological validity?
What is ecological validity?
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Define ethnocentrism.
Define ethnocentrism.
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What is the nature and nurture controversy?
What is the nature and nurture controversy?
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What is reductionism?
What is reductionism?
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Define determinism.
Define determinism.
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What areas are covered by cognitive psychology?
What areas are covered by cognitive psychology?
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What is epistemology?
What is epistemology?
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Study Notes
Psychology Definition
- Psychology is the scientific study of mental processes and behaviors, influenced by internal processes and environmental factors.
- Key components:
- Controlled study of human behavior.
- Examination of mental processes (e.g., attention, memory, emotions).
- Focus on overt behaviors (e.g., aggression, helping) and covert behaviors.
Psychology as a Scientific Discipline
- Psychology is a multidisciplinary science with various categories including:
- Social psychology: studies group dynamics.
- Neuropsychology: investigates memory through brain scans.
- Cross-cultural psychology: looks at gender roles in different cultures.
- Cognitive psychology: explores decision-making processes.
- Developmental psychology: focuses on factors affecting children's health and learning.
- New fields can emerge by merging existing disciplines, such as neuroeconomics.
Ethics
- Established rules of conduct specifically relating to human actions and specific groups.
Ecological Validity
- Refers to how well laboratory conditions mimic real-life situations.
- Traditional cognitive psychology research often emphasizes rigor but may lack generalizability to everyday life.
- Valid results require studying humans in their natural environments.
Ethnocentrism
- The belief that one's own cultural group is superior to others, leading to the judgment of other groups as inferior.
Nature vs. Nurture
- A long-standing debate regarding the influence of genetics (nature) versus environment (nurture) on individual development, such as intelligence and personality.
- Examines whether behavior, such as violence, stems from genetic predispositions or life experiences.
Reductionism
- A theoretical approach suggesting that complex phenomena can be explained by analyzing their simplest components.
- In psychology, this involves simplifying behaviors and mental processes to understand underlying mechanisms.
Determinism
- The belief that all events, including physical, behavioral, and mental, are determined by identifiable causal factors.
Cognitive Psychology
- Areas of focus include sensation, perception, memory, language, and reasoning.
Epistemology
- The philosophical study of knowledge, deriving from the Greek words for knowledge (episteme) and theory (logos).
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Description
Explore the fundamental concepts of psychology, including its definition as a scientific discipline focused on mental processes and behavior. This quiz covers key components, various categories within psychology, and ethical considerations in the field.
