Psychology Chapter 1 Flashcards

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Questions and Answers

What is the placebo effect?

A placebo is anything that seems to be a 'real' medical treatment but isn't.

Define culture.

Culture is the set of ideas, behaviors, attitudes, and traditions within large groups of people.

What does the humanistic perspective emphasize?

The human capacity for choice and growth.

What is the cognitive perspective?

A viewpoint that focuses on how people process, store, and retrieve information. Signup and view all the answers

What does behaviorism stress?

Psychology should be an objective science based on observable events. Signup and view all the answers

What is the psychodynamic perspective?

A psychological perspective that emphasizes the unconscious components of behavior. Signup and view all the answers

What does the evolutionary perspective in psychology focus on?

How evolutionary biology principles are applied to understanding human behavior and the mind. Signup and view all the answers

Define biological perspective.

A branch of psychology that links biology and behavior. Signup and view all the answers

What is cognitive neuroscience?

The study of biological factors underlying thought and understanding. Signup and view all the answers

What is meant by behavior?

Actions taken by an organism to adjust to its environment. Signup and view all the answers

Explain confirmation bias.

A tendency to search for information that confirms one's preconceptions. Signup and view all the answers

What is a case study?

An observational data collection technique studying one individual in depth. Signup and view all the answers

Define confound variable.

An extraneous variable that affects the variables being studied. Signup and view all the answers

What is a control group?

A group that is identical to the treatment group but does not receive the treatment. Signup and view all the answers

What is the correlation coefficient?

A measure of the direction and extent of the relationship between two sets of scores. Signup and view all the answers

Define psychology.

The science of the mind and behavior. Signup and view all the answers

What are the goals of psychology?

To describe, explain, predict, and influence or control mental processes and behavior. Signup and view all the answers

What is debriefing?

The process where researchers explain the purpose of a study to participants after its completion. Signup and view all the answers

Define dependent variable.

The variable that is being measured in an experiment. Signup and view all the answers

What is an independent variable?

The experimental variable manipulated by the researcher. Signup and view all the answers

What is a double-blind study?

An experimental procedure where both participants and staff are unaware of the treatment condition. Signup and view all the answers

Define experimental condition.

The group of participants receiving the independent variable in an experiment. Signup and view all the answers

What is introspection?

The process of examining one's own thoughts and feelings. Signup and view all the answers

What is meta-analysis?

A research strategy that examines results from previous studies for greater confidence. Signup and view all the answers

What does Gestalt psychology emphasize?

The tendency of the mind to perceive unified wholes and patterns. Signup and view all the answers

Define functionalism.

A psychological school of thought concerned with how the conscious relates to behavior. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Psychology Definitions and Concepts

Placebo Effect: A response to a treatment that has no therapeutic effect, often due to the belief that one is receiving actual treatment.
Culture: A collective set of ideas, behaviors, attitudes, and traditions shared by groups, passed down through generations and typically resistant to change.
Humanistic Perspective: Emphasizes personal growth and free will, focusing on subjective human experiences; popularized by Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.
Cognitive Perspective: Examines mental processes like how information is processed, stored, and retrieved, as well as reasoning and problem-solving skills, primarily in humans.
Behaviorism: Introduced by John Watson, it advocates for psychology as an objective science focused solely on observable behavior rather than the conscious mind.
Psychodynamic Perspective: Derives from Freud's psychoanalysis, highlighting the role of unconscious conflicts and instincts in behavior.
Evolutionary Perspective: Applies principles from evolutionary biology to psychology, positing that the mind evolved to solve adaptive problems of early human ancestors.
Biological Perspective: Investigates the connection between biological processes and psychological events, including neurological activity, genetics, and hormonal effects on behavior.
Cognitive Neuroscience: Studies underlying biological factors that contribute to cognitive functions, linking brain activity and mental processes.

Key Research Concepts

Behavior: Actions performed by organisms to adapt and survive in their environments.
Confirmation Bias: The tendency to seek out information that supports existing beliefs while ignoring contrary evidence.
Case Study: An in-depth examination of an individual to reveal broader insights into behavior, emotions, or cognition.
Confound Variable: An extraneous variable that can skew the results of an experiment, affecting the relationship between the independent and dependent variables.
Control Group: A baseline group in experiments that does not receive the treatment, ensuring that any effects in the treatment group can be attributed to the treatment itself.
Correlation Coefficient: A statistical measure ranging from -1 to +1 that indicates the strength and direction of a relationship between two variables.
Goals of Psychology: Aims to describe, explain, predict, and influence mental processes and behavior.
Debriefing: Required follow-up by researchers that informs participants about the study's purpose and addresses any potential harm.

Experimental Design Principles

Dependent Variable (DV): The variable being measured in an experiment to assess the effect of the independent variable.
Independent Variable (IV): The variable that is manipulated in an experiment to observe its effect on the dependent variable.
Double-Blind Study: An experimental design where both participants and researchers are unaware of group assignments, minimizing bias.
Experimental Condition: The specific group in an experiment that receives the treatment or IV to observe its effects.
Introspection: An early psychological method involving self-examination of thoughts and feelings, criticized for altering the experience being studied.
Meta Analysis: A research method that evaluates existing studies to draw conclusions from a larger dataset, enhancing confidence in findings.

Psychological Schools of Thought

Gestalt Psychology: Focuses on perceiving whole patterns rather than individual components, emphasizing how we organize visual experiences.
Functionalism: Shifts attention from the structure of the mind to its functions, exploring how mental processes influence behavior and adapt to the environment.

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Explore the foundational concepts of psychology with these flashcards covering key terms like the placebo effect and culture. Perfect for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of psychological principles. Use these cards to quiz yourself and reinforce your knowledge.