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Questions and Answers
Which of the following is a goal of psychology?
Which of the following is a goal of psychology?
What type of research is designed to solve specific, practical problems?
What type of research is designed to solve specific, practical problems?
Which level of analysis examines how the brain and nervous system influence behavior?
Which level of analysis examines how the brain and nervous system influence behavior?
Who is associated with the idea that the mind and body interact through the pineal gland?
Who is associated with the idea that the mind and body interact through the pineal gland?
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Which perspective examines how the external environment influences behavior?
Which perspective examines how the external environment influences behavior?
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Who is associated with the concept of the 'tabula rasa', or the idea that the human mind is a blank slate?
Who is associated with the concept of the 'tabula rasa', or the idea that the human mind is a blank slate?
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What is the term for the process of keeping unacceptable impulses, feelings, and memories in the unconscious mind?
What is the term for the process of keeping unacceptable impulses, feelings, and memories in the unconscious mind?
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Which perspective emphasizes the role of free will, personal growth, and the search for meaning in one's existence?
Which perspective emphasizes the role of free will, personal growth, and the search for meaning in one's existence?
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Who is associated with the concept of self-actualization?
Who is associated with the concept of self-actualization?
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Which perspective examines how culture and social environment influence behavior, thoughts, and feelings?
Which perspective examines how culture and social environment influence behavior, thoughts, and feelings?
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Study Notes
Goals of Psychology
- Description: understanding human behavior and mental processes
- Explanation: identifying underlying causes and mechanisms of behavior
- Control: influencing or changing behavior through interventions
- Application: applying psychological knowledge to real-world problems
Types of Research
- Basic research: seeks knowledge for its own sake
- Applied research: aims to solve specific, practical problems
Levels of Analysis
- Biological level: examines the role of genetics, brain, and nervous system
- Psychological level: focuses on mental processes, such as cognition and emotion
- Environmental and social level: considers the impact of social and environmental factors
Perspectives on Behavior
Mind-Body Dualism
- The mind is a spiritual entity separate from the physical body
- Descartes: the mind and body interact through the pineal gland
Monism
- The mind and body are one, and the mind is not a separate entity
British Empiricism
- All ideas and knowledge are gained through the senses
Psychophysics
- The study of how psychologically experienced sensations depend on physical stimuli
Darwin's Theory of Evolution
- The mind is a product of biological continuity between humans and other species
Structuralism
- The analysis of the mind in terms of its basic elements
- Wundt and Titchener: used introspection to study the mind
Functionalism
- Psychology should study the functions of consciousness rather than its elements
- William James: emphasized the importance of functionalism
Psychodynamic Perspective
- Seeks to understand behavior by exploring the inner workings of the personality
- Sigmund Freud: emphasized the role of unconscious processes
- Psychoanalysis: the analysis of internal and primarily unconscious psychological forces
- Defence mechanisms: psychological techniques to cope with anxiety and traumatic events
- Repression: a primary defence mechanism that protects us by keeping unacceptable impulses, feelings, and memories in the unconscious
Behavioral Perspective
- Focuses on the role of the external environment in governing behavior
- John Locke: the human mind is a tabula rasa upon which experiences are written
- Ivan Pavlov: learning occurs through association of events
- Edward Thorndike: learning occurs through consequences of actions
- Law of effect: responses followed by satisfying consequences become more likely to recur
- Behaviorism (J.B. Watson): emphasizes environmental control of behavior through learning
- B.F. Skinner: social engineering and radical behaviorism
- Cognitive behaviorism: learning experiences and environment influence thoughts, which in turn influence behavior
Humanistic Perspective
- Emphasizes free will, personal growth, and finding meaning in life
- Abraham Maslow: self-actualization
- Positive psychology movement: emphasizes human strengths, fulfillment, and optimal living
Cognitive Perspective
- Examines the nature of the mind and how mental processes influence behavior
- B.F. Skinner: language is acquired through basic principles of learning
- Noam Chomsky: humans are biologically pre-programmed to acquire language
- Cognitive neuroscience: uses brain-imaging techniques to examine brain activity during cognitive tasks
Sociocultural Perspective
- Examines how social environment and cultural learning influence behavior, thoughts, and feelings
- Cross-cultural psychology: explores how culture is transmitted and examines psychological similarities and differences among diverse cultures
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Description
This quiz covers the basics of psychology, including the goals of psychology, types of research, levels of analysis, and perspectives on behavior.
