Seminar 1 - Psychology and Pseudo-Psychology

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Questions and Answers

Which perspective in psychology focuses on internal unconscious mental processes and desires?

Cognitive Perspective

Psychodynamic Perspective (correct)

Humanistic Perspective

Sociocultural Perspective

Which perspective examines how societal and cultural factors influence behavior?

Behavioral Perspective

Eclectic Approach

Cognitive Perspective

Sociocultural Perspective (correct)

Which goal of psychology is primarily focused on the forecast of behavior based on evidence?

Describe

Explain

Control

Predict (correct)

What does the Eclectic Approach in psychology integrate?

Various perspectives to explain behavior Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes psychology from pseudopsychology?

Psychology is based on research and evidence. Signup and view all the answers

Which psychological perspective emphasizes the influence of mental processes like memory on behavior?

Cognitive Perspective Signup and view all the answers

Which psychological approach emphasizes the function of behavior in adapting to the environment?

Functionalism Signup and view all the answers

In which goal of psychology might one seek to manage their time better to address anxiety before an exam?

Control Signup and view all the answers

What method did Wilhelm Wundt primarily use to explore consciousness?

Introspection Signup and view all the answers

Which perspective in psychology is primarily concerned with external causes of behavior?

Behavioral Perspective Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a branch of contemporary psychology mentioned?

Cognitive neuroscience Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT considered a main perspective in psychology?

Neuroscientific Perspective Signup and view all the answers

Which statement about the principles of pseudopsychology is true?

Pseudopsychology may resemble psychology but is based on flawed methods. Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary focus of the structuralism approach proposed by Wilhelm Wundt?

Components of consciousness and their interactions. Signup and view all the answers

Which psychological school of thought paved the way for applied psychology?

Functionalism Signup and view all the answers

What misleading attribute is associated with pseudopsychology?

It is often considered 'pop psychology'. Signup and view all the answers

Which perspective emphasizes observable behavior rather than mental processes?

Behavioural Signup and view all the answers

What does the Humanistic perspective emphasize about individuals?

The uniqueness of each person Signup and view all the answers

Which psychological perspective stresses the influence of both heredity and environment on behavior over time?

Developmental Signup and view all the answers

How does the Cognitive perspective view mental processes?

Similar to how a computer processes information Signup and view all the answers

What aspect does the Socio-cultural perspective focus on?

Social influences and cultural differences Signup and view all the answers

What does Psychoanalysis primarily focus on?

The interaction between conscious and unconscious processes Signup and view all the answers

Which perspective assumes that humans have free will and strive for personal growth?

Humanistic Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the Behavioural perspective's view on mental processes?

They should be ignored in favor of observable actions. Signup and view all the answers

What does forensic psychology focus on?

Application of psychology to issues related to the justice system Signup and view all the answers

Which psychological perspective emphasizes innate human goodness?

Humanism Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of psychoanalytic theory?

Role of the unconscious in influencing behavior Signup and view all the answers

What is a personality trait?

A consistent pattern of thought and behavior Signup and view all the answers

In which area of psychology do mental and emotional factors interact with physical performance?

Sport and exercise psychology Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary aim of the study discussed in the article?

To investigate the effect of stress and warnings on memory accuracy Signup and view all the answers

What kind of participants were involved in the study?

126 individuals from various backgrounds Signup and view all the answers

Which condition did stress significantly affect according to the study's findings?

True recognition Signup and view all the answers

What effect did warnings provided after the DRM lists have on participants?

Decreased the frequency of false memories Signup and view all the answers

What was concluded about the interaction between stress and warnings in the study?

No significant interaction was found Signup and view all the answers

What might the implications of this study be relevant for?

Legal contexts where memory accuracy is crucial Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following was NOT a method used in the study?

Implementing a control group without any intervention Signup and view all the answers

How did the researchers' hypotheses hold up according to the study findings?

None of the hypotheses were confirmed Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Psychology and Pseudo-Psychology

Psychology is the study of behavior and mental processes.
It is based on research, evidence, and testable ideas.
Pseudo-psychology is similar to psychology but is not founded on research and evidence.
Pseudo-psychology is based on fraudulent methods and is sometimes referred to as ‘pop psychology’.

Common Sense

"Birds of a feather flock together", “Absence makes the heart grow fonder”, “Two heads are better than one”, & “Action speaks louder than words” are examples of common sense sayings but are not always true.

Contemporary Psychology

Biological psychology - study of the relationship between the brain and behavior
Sensation and perception - study of how we detect sensory information and how our brains process it.
Cognitive psychology - study of mental processes such as memory, attention, and language.
Personality psychology - study of individual differences in personality.
Industrial and organizational psychology - study of people in the workplace
Health psychology - study of the relationship between health, behavior, and the environment.
Sport and exercise psychology - study of the psychological factors that influence performance in sports and exercise.
Clinical psychology - study of the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental illnesses.
Forensic psychologists - apply psychology principles to legal issues, such as criminal profiling.

History of Psychology

Wilhelm Wundt (1832–1920) founded structuralism.
Structuralism aimed to scientifically study conscious experience in psychology.
It focused on the components and combination of mental processes to form conscious experiences.
Structuralism focused on identifying the basic elements of conscious experience.
It employed controlled methods like introspection, or self-observation, to break down consciousness into its basic elements.
William James (1842–1910) emphasized the practical function of the mind and behavior in adapting to the environment.
Functionalism is the study of the function of behavior in the world.
Functionalism focused on how mental activities helped an organism fit into its environment.

Psychological Perspectives

Psychodynamic Perspective - focuses on internal unconscious mental processes, motives, and desires that may explain behaviors.
Behavioral Perspective - focuses on external causes of behavior.
Sociocultural Perspective - focuses on societal and cultural factors that may influence behavior.
Humanistic Perspective - focuses on how peoples’ view of themselves and the world influence behavior.
Cognitive Perspective - focuses on how mental processes, such as memory, expectations, beliefs, and problem-solving, influence behavior.
Eclectic Approach - integrates and combines several perspective to explain behavior.

Goals of Psychology

Psychology seeks to describe, predict, explain, and influence behavior (control).

Goals of Psychology Applied:

Describe - What you observe.
Predict - forecasting behavior based on the description.
Explain - why the behavior happens.
Control - altering conditions that influence behavior.

Six Main Perspectives in Psychology

Biological - All thoughts, feelings, and behaviors would have a biological cause.
Cognitive - Interpretation of experience by means of mental processing.
Behavioral - Focuses on what is observable, i.e., behavior.
Whole-person (Psychoanalysis, humanistic, trait & temperament) - Psychoanalysis: Focuses on the effects of thoughts and feelings on behaviour; mainly concerned with unconscious mental processes, and the constant interaction between conscious and unconscious forces. Humanistic: Assumes that humans have positive values, free will, deep inner creativity, and strive to achieve personal growth. Emphasizes the uniqueness of every person and every situation.
Developmental - Studies effects of nature and nurture on behaviour. People change in predictable ways as the influence of heredity and environment unfold over time.
Socio-cultural - Interpretation of human behaviour in a social context. Emphasises social influence, the power of the situation, on behaviour. Interested in cultural differences in social processes.

Abstract: Key Information

This article discusses a study examining the effects of stress and warning on false and true memories using the Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) paradigm.
Purpose: To investigate how stress and warnings about false memories jointly affect the occurrence of false and true memories.
Method: Involved 126 participants. Used word lists from the DRM paradigm to measure false and true recognition rates. Participants were exposed to either a stress condition or a no-stress condition. They were then given either a pre-warning, post-warning, or no warning about false memories.
Key findings: Stress had a significant effect on true recognition but not on false recognition. Warnings given after the DRM lists decreased the frequency of false memories. No significant interaction was found between stress and warning.
Implications: Stress and warnings have different effects on true and false memories in the DRM paradigm.

Glossary of Terms

Forensic psychology: Applies psychology principles within the justice system.
Humanism: Emphasizes the potential of humans to be good.
Introspection: Process of examining your own conscious experience.
Natural selection: Organisms with traits better suited to their environment will reproduce more successfully.
-ology: Denotes the scientific study of a subject.
Personality psychology: Study of patterns of thought and behaviour unique to individuals.
Personality trait: A consistent pattern of thought and behaviour.
Psychoanalytic theory: Focuses on the unconscious's role in affecting conscious behavior.
Psychology: Scientific study of the mind and behaviour.
Sport and exercise psychology: Focuses on the interaction of mental and emotional factors and physical performance in activities like sports and exercise.
Structuralism: Understanding conscious experience through introspection.

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Description

This quiz explores the fundamentals of psychology and its distinction from pseudo-psychology. It also covers key areas of contemporary psychology, including biological, cognitive, and personality psychology. Test your understanding of these concepts and their implications for human behavior.