Questions and Answers
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.
Psychology is a multidisciplinary science subdivided into various disciplines such as social psychology, neuropsychology, cognitive psychology, and more.
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?
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Define ethnocentrism.
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What is the nature and nurture controversy?
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What is reductionism?
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Define determinism.
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What areas are covered by cognitive psychology?
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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.
