Psychology Experimentation and Freud's Theories

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Questions and Answers

Which statement best describes dispositional attributions?

They emphasize the influence of socialization.

They rely on external factors and contexts.

They ignore individual free will.

They focus on internal factors like personality. (correct)

What motivates a person to reduce cognitive dissonance?

A need for emotional validation.

The influence of peers and authority figures.

The desire to uphold social norms.

The psychological tension from mismatched attitudes and behaviors. (correct)

Which factor did NOT contribute to obedience in Milgram's experiments?

Closeness and legitimacy of the authority.

Emotional distance of the victim.

Institutional authority.

Presence of peers opposing the authority. (correct)

At what stage in Piaget's cognitive development does a child demonstrate object permanence?

Sensorimotor Signup and view all the answers

Which characteristic is NOT typical of the preoperational stage of cognitive development?

Thinking logically about abstract concepts. Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes a psychological disorder?

Patterns of behavior causing emotional distress and functional impairment Signup and view all the answers

Which perspective emphasizes physiological factors in abnormal behavior?

Biological / Medical perspective Signup and view all the answers

What does the humanistic perspective suggest about abnormal behavior?

It occurs when individuals cannot achieve their full potential Signup and view all the answers

How is abnormal behavior distinguished from normal behavior?

Abnormal behavior involves a disconnect in interpreting reality and causes personal distress Signup and view all the answers

Which statement about the likelihood of psychological disorders is accurate?

1 in 4 people are likely to encounter a psychological disorder Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes an independent variable from a dependent variable in an experiment?

The independent variable is what the scientist changes. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes a confounding variable?

A variable that influences the dependent variable. Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes an experimental group in a scientific study?

It receives the treatment or intervention. Signup and view all the answers

How does correlation differ from experimentation?

Correlation observes relationships without interventions. Signup and view all the answers

In Freud's psychosexual development stages, what fixation might occur from the oral stage?

Smoking or overeating. Signup and view all the answers

What is centration in the context of children's cognitive development?

The tendency to focus on just one feature of a problem. Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary characteristic of the personality trait 'extraversion' according to the Five-factor Model?

Outgoing and friendly. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes unconscious motivation in Freud's theories of personality?

Actions driven by hidden desires and wishes. Signup and view all the answers

In Piaget's theory, during which operational stage can children recognize that the amount of substance remains unchanged despite changes in appearance?

Concrete operational stage Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a component of the Five-factor Model of Personality Traits?

Aggressiveness. Signup and view all the answers

What occurs during the alarm stage of Seyle's General Adaptation Syndrome?

Heart rate and blood pressure increase to prepare for a response. Signup and view all the answers

Why does Seyle's theory of stress fall short in explaining the role of psychological factors?

It does not consider the subjective experience of stress. Signup and view all the answers

What does the Formal Operational stage of cognitive development allow individuals to do?

Think abstractly and reason about hypothetical problems. Signup and view all the answers

What is the importance of appraisal according to Lazarus & Folkman's Psychological Theory of Stress?

It is necessary for recognizing a situation as stressful. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement describes decentration as it relates to cognitive development?

The ability to manage multiple perspectives simultaneously. Signup and view all the answers

What does the exhaustion stage of Seyle's General Adaptation Syndrome indicate?

A failure to cope with the stressor leading to depletion. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Experimentation

An experiment is a structured method of investigation where researchers manipulate one variable (the independent variable) to observe its effect on another variable (the dependent variable).
Independent variable: The variable that is manipulated by the experiment.
Dependent variable: The variable that is observed and measured.
Extraneous variable: Any outside factor that might affect the outcome.
Confounding variable: A type of extraneous variable that specifically distorts the relationship being studied.
Control conditions: Experimental group receives the treatment, control group receives no treatment/placebo.
Correlation: Shows how two variables are related without changing anything.
Experiment: Changing one variable to see how it affects another, allowing determination of cause and effect.

Freud's Contributions to Theories of Personality

Unconscious motivation: Behavior is determined by unconscious desires and wishes.
Conflict: Societal demands are in direct conflict with unconscious urges.
Psychosexual development stages:
Oral (0-2 years): Gratification through the mouth. Fixation can lead to smoking, etc.
Anal (2-3 years): Gratification through defecation. Fixation can lead to messy or uptight adult behavior.
Phallic (3-7 years): Gratification through genitals. Oedipus/Electra complexes (boys/girls competing with parent and desire for other parent).

Five-Factor Model of Personality Traits

Openness to experience: Curious, flexible, imaginative, artistic sensibilities.
Conscientiousness: Disciplined, organized, dependable.
Extraversion: Outgoing, upbeat, friendly, assertive.
Agreeableness: Sympathetic, trusting, cooperative, straightforward.
Neuroticism: Anxious, hostile, self-conscious.

Attribution Theory

Dispositional attribution: Internal factors like personality and free will.
Situational attribution: External factors like social influence or socialization.

Cognitive Dissonance Theory

When attitudes and behaviors don't match, psychological tension motivates individuals to make them match (e.g., quitting smoking to alleviate tension).

Milgram's Obedience Experiments

Participants (teachers) were instructed to administer electric shocks to a learner (confederate) for incorrect answers, with shock levels increasing.
65% of participants continued to the highest shock level despite the learner's distress, demonstrating high levels of obedience.
Factors influencing obedience: emotional distance of the victim, closeness and legitimacy of the authority figure, institutional authority.

Piaget's Stages of Cognitive Development

Sensorimotor: Learning through senses and actions, object permanence.
Preoperational: Using symbols and language, egocentrism, centration, conservation.

General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

Alarm stage: Increased heart rate, blood pressure, and sugar levels.
Resistance stage: Intense physiological efforts to resist stressors.
Exhaustion stage: Occurs when the body's resources are depleted.

Lazarus and Folkman's Theory of Stress

Appraisal: People must perceive a situation as stressful to feel stress.

Psychological Disorders

Likely affected in a person's lifetime: 1 in 4.
Psychological disorder: Patterns of behavior or mental processes that cause emotional distress or impair daily functioning
Distinguishing normal from abnormal behaviors: unusual, socially unacceptable, causing personal distress, disconnect from reality, and dangerous.
Perspectives in psychological disorders: biological/medical, psychoanalytic, behavioral/learning, cognitive, humanistic.

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Description

This quiz explores the key concepts of experimentation in psychology, focusing on independent and dependent variables, control conditions, and the role of extraneous variables. It also covers Freud's significant contributions to personality theories regarding unconscious motivations and conflicts. Test your understanding of these essential psychological principles.