Psychology

1.1 Psychology—Behave Yourself!
LO 1.1.1 – (a.) Describe the origin of the word psychology and its current definition AND (b.) differentiate between overt and covert behaviors.
LO 1.1.1 ANSWER: The word psychology comes from Greek words, psyche; which means “mind” and logos; which means “knowledge or study.” “Overt” behaviors are actions that are observable, such as; brushing one’s teeth, sneezing, laughing, and spreading jelly on your toast. “Covert” behaviors are things we do that cannot be seen; such as; sleeping, dreaming, and thinking.

LO 1.1.2 – Explain how psychologists can be both scientists who conduct research to discover new knowledge as well as professionals who apply knowledge to solve problems.
LO 1.1.2 ANSWER: Psychologists are scientists in that they observe and assess behavior in humans and animals but also study them to understand why we think and do the things that we do and they take their research and information and apply what they’ve discovered to figure out solutions on the best possible way to react or be.

LO 1.1.3 – (a.) Explain the problems in using the commonsense approach to understanding behavior and why more accurate information can be obtained by engaging in critical thinking and the systematic gathering and analysis of empirical evidence, AND (b.) define the following terms as they relate to this approach:
1. scientific observation- An empirical investigation structured to answers questions about the world in a systematic and intersubjective fashion (observations can be reliably confirmed by multiple observers).
2. Intersubjective method- means more than one observer can confirm them.
3. Research method-A systematic approach to answering scientific questions.
LO 1.1.3 ANSWER: Problems surrounding the common sense approach is that we cannot assume there is one specific reason to daily life that is why things happen or are the way that they are. Psychologist hope to achieve humanity by being able to describe, understand, predict, and control behavior so that humanity also, describe, understand, predict, and controls their behaviors.
LO 1.1.4 – Describe the four goals of psychology.
LO 1.1.4 ANSWER:
1. Description is typically based on making a detailed record of scientific observations.
2. Understanding means we can state the causes of a behavior.
3. Prediction is the ability to forecast behavior accurately.
4. Control, the ability to alter the conditions that affect behavior.
1.2 Critical Thinking—Take It with a Grain of Salt
LO 1.2.1 – Explain why critical thinking is central to (a.) the scientific method, (b.) the study of psychology, and (c.) the everyday understanding of behavior.
LO 1.2.1 ANSWER:
Critical thinkers ask the hard questions, critical thinking is important in the scientific method because it evaluates idea by probing for weaknesses and calls for resonating and analyzing evidence to support beliefs. The study of psychology requires critical thinking because it investigates the “common sense” belief and tries to refute or support the “common sense” belief through observation, surveys, experiments and case studies. Critical thinking by seeking to falsify common beliefs; including one’s own common beliefs, is going to help the general population understand the reactions and consequences of human behavior and without psychologists, we would be lost.

LO 1.2.2 – Describe the process of critical thinking.
LO 1.2.2 ANSWER: The process of critical thinking begins with the willingness to actively reflect on ideas. Critical thinkers will evaluate ideas by probing for weaknesses in their reasoning and analyzing the evidence supporting their beliefs. They will question assumptions and look for alternate conclusions. Critical thinkers can recognize and constantly revise the understanding of the world.
LO 1.2.3 – Explain how the validity of beliefs can be judged by using critical thinking principles.
LO 1.2.3 ANSWER: One will ask questions such as, “What claims are being made? What are their implications? Are the claims understandable? Do they make logical sense? Is there another possible explanation? Is it a simpler explanation? What tests (if any) of these claims have been made? What was the nature and quality of the tests?” These several questions are asked and investigated to confirm the validity of beliefs.
LO 1.2.4 – Explain why critical thinkers must actively seek to falsify beliefs and why they do not automatically accept an idea as true or false based solely on claimed expertise.
LO 1.2.4 ANSWER: Critical thinkers seek to find the truths in general ideas and principles by applying the rules of logic, evidence, and the scientific method to ideas and principles. In addition, trust only those that survive through the falsification process.
1.3 Pseudopsychologies—Palms, Planets, and Personalities
LO 1.3.1 – (a.) Define pseudopsychology, AND (b.) list examples of belief systems that would be classified as pseudopsychologies.
LO 1.3.1 ANSWER: pseudopsychology is any unfounded system that resembles psychology. Phrenology, Palmistry and graphology.
LO 1.3.2 – Explain why pseudopsychologies continue to survive and even attain popularity when they have no scientific basis.
LO 1.3.2 ANSWER: Because of uncritical acceptance, the tendency to believe claims because they seem true or because it would be nice if they were true.
LO 1.3.3 – (a.) Explain how uncritical acceptance, (b.) the confirmation bias, AND (c.) the Barnum effect have led many people to believe in various pseudopsychologies.
LO 1.3.3 ANSWER: they all tie together that people want to accept truths even if there are many negatives or falsies. They will focus on the positives or the correct answers and ignore the negative or wrong answers.
1.4 Scientific Research—How to Think Like a Psychologist
LO 1.4.1 – (a.) Describe the scientific method, AND (b.) explain how systematic observations are utilized within the scientific method to provide the highest quality of information about behavior.
LO 1.4.1 ANSWER: The scientific method is a form of critical thinking based on careful collection of evidence, accurate description and measurement, precise definition, controlled observation, and repeatable results. One might video record their subject or subjects to examine their subjects for their scientific research.
LO 1.4.2 – Explain the beginning steps of psychological research.
LO 1.4.2 ANSWER: The beginning steps are 1) Making an observation. 2) Defining a problem.
LO 1.4.3 – Explain how researchers gather evidence to test hypotheses and the importance of theory building,
LO 1.4.3 ANSWER: Researchers will decide the process they are going to take test try to prove or disprove their theory and then they have to find a way to measure or sum up their theory by doing more to their research to try and get the most accurate answer as possible.
LO 1.4.4 – Discuss the following three areas of ethical concern in behavioral research: 1. the use of deception, 2. invasion of privacy, and 3. the risk of lasting harm.
LO 1.4.4 ANSWER: The concern in using deception is that the subjects might react differently if they knew the truth behind the research. In addition, not informing the subjects that their actions and answers are going to be used for scientific research may make one feel as though their privacy has been invaded. Lastly, not being honest and ethical may lead one to do something they are not okay with and they may suffer from their actions as result of not being properly informed.
1.5 A Brief History of Psychology—Psychology’s Family Album
LO 1.5.1 – Explain why psychology became recognized as a science 130 years ago.
LO 1.5.1 ANSWER: Because Wilhelm Wundt “the father of psychology” wondered, when we experience sensation, images, and feelings, what happens? Then he systematically observed and measured stimuli of lights, sounds and weights.
LO 1.5.2 – (a.) Identify the first psychological laboratory, (b.) including when AND where it was established, (c.) its founder, (d.) the type of experiments conducted, AND (e.) the technique called introspection.
LO 1.5.2 ANSWER: Because Wilhelm Wundt “the father of psychology” wondered, when we experience sensation, images, and feelings, what happens? Then he systematically observed and measured stimuli of lights, sounds and weights. Introspection is looking inward to probe reactions to various stimuli.
LO 1.5.3 – (a.) Identify the first school of thought in psychology, (b.) whose ideas this school of thought was based on, (c.) who brought these ideas to America, AND (d.) why their main technique of introspection proved to be a poor way to answer most questions.
LO 1.5.3 ANSWER: The school of thought is analyzing and research ever part of human existence on all the little pieces that tie it together. Max Wertheimer was the man behind the Gestalt school of thought. Edward Titchener brought to the United States Wilhelm Wundt’s ideas.
LO 1.5.4 – Regarding the following schools of thought in psychology include each school’s 1. founder(s),
2. reason(s) why it was founded, 3. its goal(s)/main focus(es), and 4. its impact on modern psychology:

LO 1.5.4 ANSWER: (a.) functionalism, Williams James broadened psychology to include animals behavior, religious experience, abnormal behavior, and other interesting topics. The term functionalism comes from James’s interest in how the mind functions to help us adapt to the environment. Functionalism brought the study of animals into psychology. It also promoted education psychology, (studying learning, teaching and classroom dynamics).
(b.) behaviorism, John B. Watson brought behaviorism into the school of thought. He believed that introspection in unscientific because there is no way to settle disagreements between observers. Behaviorism focuses on the behaviors and actions in psychology. Today behaviorism helped to make psychology a natural science, rather than just a branch of philosophy.
(c.) Gestalt psychology, Gestalt psychology was introduced by Max Wertheimer; it studied thinking, learning, and perception as whole units. Because of the Gestalt psychology, studies of perception and personality have been especially influenced by the Gestalt viewpoint.
LO 1.5.5 – Discuss the psychodynamic approaches and their emphasis on the unconscious origins of behavior,
LO 1.5.5 ANSWER: psychotherapy helps one to realize their own wellbeing and psychoanalysis, which is analyzing the cognitive mind and its reactions to behaviors.
LO 1.5.6 – (a.) Explain humanistic psychology, (b.) including its founders, (c.) how it differs from other approaches,
LO 1.5.6 ANSWER: Humanistic is a view that focuses on subjective human experience focusing in human potentials, ideas and problems. Carl Rogers, Abraham Maslow, and other humanists rejected the Freudian idea that we are ruled by unconscious forces. They were also uncomfortable with the behaviorist emphasis on conditioning. Humanists believed that regardless of one’s past a human can still choose to live a more creative, meaningful and satisfying life.
LO 1.5.7 – Identify notable persons and events within the history of psychology, (a.) including the first woman (b.) the first African Americans to receive doctorates in psychology; AND (c.) explain how the predominance of early psychologists being Caucasian men inadvertently introduced bias into psychological research and how a lack of diversity in research participants can place limitations on research results.
LO 1.5.7 ANSWER: The first woman is Margaret Washburn. The first African American man is Francis Cecil Sumner and the first African American woman is Inez Beverly Prosser. Because most of the first psychologists were men they were gender biased in their conclusions and findings, it was found out that sometimes they didn’t even include women into their research and therefore the finding now fall under assumptions.
1.6 Psychology Today—Three Complementary Perspectives on Behavior
LO 1.6.1 – Identify the major components of the following contemporary and complementary perspectives in psychology: (a.) the biological perspective (b.) the psychological perspective, AND (c.) the sociocultural perspective.
LO 1.6.1 ANSWER: the biological perspective seeks to explain our behavior in terms of biological principles such as brain processes, evolutions, and genetics. Contemporary perspective is that human and animal behavior is the result of internal physical, chemical, and biological processes.
The psychological perspective views behavior as the result of psychological processes within each person. Contemporary view is behavior is shaped and controlled by ones environment.
The socialcultural perspective stresses the impact that social and cultural contexts have on our behavior. The contemporary view is that behavior is related to the social and cultural environment within which a person is born, grows up, and lives from day to day.
(Side note: if there is any way possible can you explain to me the difference in the complementary and contemporary views? I read it several times and still was unable to truly grasp what they were trying to say.)
LO 1.6.2 - Name the topics that have recently begun to be studied as part of positive psychology.
LO 1.6.2 ANSWER: Love, happiness, creativity, wellbeing, self-confidence, and achievement.
LO 1.6.3 – Describe the eclectic blending of viewpoints that has occurred in psychology today.
LO 1.6.3 ANSWER: Cultural relativity.
1.7 Psychologists—Guaranteed Not to Shrink
LO 1.7.1 – Describe five (5) of the following specialties in psychology: biopsychology, clinical, cognitive, community, comparative, consumer, counseling, cultural, developmental, educational, engineering, environmental, evolutionary, forensic, gender, health, industrial-organizational, learning, medical, personality, school, sensation and perception, and social psychology.
LO 1.7.1 ANSWER: Gender, does research between females and males, the acquisition of gender identity, and the role of gender throughout life. Cognitive, studies human thinking and information processing abilities. Learning, studies how and why learning occurs; develops theories of learning. Social, Investigates human social behavior, including attitudes, conformity, persuasion, prejudice, friendship, aggression, helping, and so forth. Consumer, Researches packaging, advertising, marketing methods, and characteristics of consumers.
LO 1.7.2 – Explain the difference in basic and applied research.
LO 1.7.2 ANSWER: Basic research is seeking knowledge on a subject or topic just for the sake of knowing it. Applied research is seeking knowledge on a subject or topic in order to analyze it, make it better, or solve the problem, which lies within the subject or topic.
LO 1.7.3 – Describe why psychologists study animal behavior.
LO 1.7.3 ANSWER: Some animals studies have helped to better understand stress, learning, obesity, aging, sleep, and many other things.
LO 1.7.4 – Explain the differences in training, emphasis, methods, and sources of employment among (a.) psychologists, (b.) psychiatrists, (c.) psychoanalysts, and (d.) psychiatric social workers.
LO 1.7.4 ANSWER: To work as a psychologist, you must have a license issued by a state examining board. Many practice therapies in which to help humans and many give back to their communities. Psychiatrists are medical doctors who treat patients with mental disorders. Psychiatrists can prescribe drugs. To be a psychoanalyst one must have an M.D. or PhD degree plus further training in Freudian psychoanalysis. A physician or psychologist may become an analyst by learning a specific type of psychotherapy. Psychiatric social workers apply social science principles to help patients in clinics and hospitals. Most hold a Master of Social Work.
1.8 The Psychology Experiment—Where Cause Meets Effect
LO 1.8.1 – List the three essential variables of the experimental method, AND explain the purpose of the experimental/control group in an experiment.
LO 1.8.1 ANSWER: Three variables are independent variables, dependent variables, and extraneous variables. The purpose of these groups is because one cannot get the entire population or population in that specific area to agree to participate or find them in a study or research so they gather participants that best match the subject and base their findings on the control group.
LO 1.8.2 – Explain the importance of randomly assigning subjects to experimental and control groups and making all conditions (except the independent variable) exactly alike for both groups.
LO 1.8.2 ANSWER: Because the experiment would be, inaccurate if the conditions were not exactly the same.
LO 1.8.3 – (a.) Explain what is meant when research results are statistically significant, (b.) why research should be replicated, and (c.) the value of the statistical technique called meta-analysis.
LO 1.8.3 ANSWER: Statistically significant means that if this were to occur on its own it would be unlikely the same conclusion would be reached. Research should be replicated because the more it can be done with the same findings it becomes more reliable as a true conclusion. Meta-analysis is valuable in that it takes scores of many tests and experiments that have been done by professionals to help to support or disprove conclusions.
1.9 Double Blind—On Placebos and Self-fulfilling Prophecies
LO 1.9.1 – (a.) Define research participant bias, (b.) explain how the placebo effect is a source of this bias in drug studies, AND (c.) how this bias can be controlled by using a single-blind experiment.
LO 1.9.1 ANSWER: Research participant bias is the changes in the behavior of research participants’ cause by the unintended influence of their own expectations. The placebo effect is the source of this bias in drug studies because if one is told they have received pain medicine they will tell their brain they should stop feeling pain shortly and therefore the placebo effect has actually reduced the brain activity linked with the pain so their feelings are not imaginary. This can be controlled by giving one group of unsuspecting participants the real drug and give the other group of unsuspecting participants the placebo.
LO 1.9.2 – Define researcher bias AND how researcher expectations can create a self-fulfilling prophecy.
LO 1.9.2 ANSWER: Researcher bias, the changes in behavior cause by the unintended influence of a researcher. This can occur when humans are sensitive to hints about what is expected of them. Even though the teachers may not be aware, they hinted towards what was the right answer the students unknowingly develop a self-fulfilling prophecy in which a prediction that prompts people to act in ways that make the prediction come true.
LO 1.9.3 – Describe the double blind experiment.
LO 1.9.3 ANSWER: The double-blind experiment is when the students and the researchers are not aware that they are an experimental or control group
1.10 Nonexperimental Research Methods—Different Strokes
LO 1.10.1 – Briefly describe the following non-experimental methods used in research:
LO 1.10.1 ANSWER:
a.) naturalistic observation, observing behavior as it unfolds in natural settings.
(b.) the correlation method, making measurements to discover relationships
(c.) case studies, an in depth focus on a single subject.
(d.) the survey method. Allows information about large numbers of people to be gathered; can address questions not answered by other approaches.

LO 1.10.2 – Explain the difference in the type of information provided by controlled experiments and the nonexperimental methods.
LO 1.10.2 ANSWER: Controlled experiments are the “what” we do and non-experimental are the “why” we do.
LO 1.10.3 – Regarding naturalistic observation; (a.) list the advantages and limitations of this method, AND (b.) define the terms observer effect, observer bias, anthropomorphic error, and observational record.
LO 1.10.3 ANSWER: the advantages of this method are that behavior is observed in its natural setting. The disadvantage however is that we may not be able to conclude the action may be done the same in another setting.
Observer effect refers to changes in a subjects behavior cause by an awareness of being observed. Observer bias, observer bias is a related problem in which observers see what they expect to see or record only selected details. Anthropomorphic error is the error of attributing human thoughts, feelings, or motives to animals—especially as a way of explaining their behavior. Observational record, detailed summary of data and observations.
LO 1.10.4 – (a.) Explain when a correlation study would be conducted, (b.) its advantages and limitations, and (c.) how a correlational coefficient is interpreted.
LO 1.10.4 ANSWER: correlation studies are conducted to find associations between subjects. Its advantages are that if you can correlate amount of studying to success in class then one could figure how long they needed to study to succeed. Correlation coefficient is interpreted as a number falling somewhere between +1.00 and -1.00.
LO 1.10.5 – (a.) Describe the case study or clinical method, (b.) including when it is used, (c.) what information it provides, AND (d.) its advantages and limitations.
LO 1.10.5 ANSWER: A case study is an in-depth focus on a single subject. Case studies can be used when researching a freak accident or medical phenomena. It can provide information as to what helped healing or made things worse. Its advantages are what are learned however; in most case studies, the findings have been different in each case.
LO 1.10.6 – (a.) Describe how the survey method is used in research (b.) identify the advantages and limitations of this method; AND (c.) explain the importance of obtaining a representative sample of people.
LO 1.10.6 ANSWER: Survey methods are used to answer psychological questions. The advantages are that it allows information about large numbers of people to be gathered and the disadvantage is that obtaining a representative sample is critical and can be difficult to do. A representative sample of people is important because it would be impossible to do a survey on the entire population.
1.11 Psychology in Action: Psychology in the Media—Are You Fluent in Klingon?
LO 1.11.1 – Explain why information in the mass media should be approached with skepticism and caution.
LO 1.11.1 ANSWER: Media is basically a giant echo chamber and only half of what is reported is the truth.
LO 1.11.2 – Explain why one should consider the source of information and critically evaluate this information in order to separate facts from fallacies.
LO 1.11.2 ANSWER: Because the wording in information can be tricky. In addition, one should consider the source because they could be reporting a false or a negative story that could persuade consumer or population to their advantage monetarily.

Sarah Czyznikiewicz