Psy Exam 1

Front 1

How do we develop scientific knowledge?

Back 1

Based on historical necessity. If we need a cure for something we put money toward that. Discoveries build upon the past.

Front 2

What is the relationship between genes and environment in determining behavior?

Back 2

Nature v. Nurture.

Front 3

What are the basic principles of evolutionary psychology

Back 3

A theory that emphasizes the inherited, adaptive value of behavior and mental activity throughout the history of a species. The brain has evolved over millions of years to solve problems related to survival and reproduction.
Evolutionary forces- adaption, underpins behavior(idea), humans special (frontal lobe makes personality, problem solving in the brain.)
Humans develop through natural selection and adaptation(psychologically as well as physically).

Front 4

Understand what is meant by levels of analysis and how each perspective interprets behavior?

Back 4

Biological Level- Focus: Brain systems, Neurochemistry, Genetics. What is studied: Neuroanatomy, animal research, brain imaging neurotransmitters and hormones, animal studies, drug studies, gene mechanisms, heritability, twin and adoption studies.
Individual Level- Focus: Individual differences, perception and cognition, behavior. What is studied: personality, gender, developmental age groups, self concept, thinking, decision making, language, memory, seeing, hearing, observable actions, responses, physical movements,
Social Level- Focus: Interpersonal behavior. What is studied: groups, relationships, persuasion, influence, workplaces, attitudes, stereotypes, perceptions.
Cultural Level- Focus: Thoughts, actions, behaviors--in different societies and cultural groups. What is studied: norms, beliefs, values, symbols, ethnicity.

Front 5

What is the difference between structuralism vs functionalism?

Back 5

Structuralism- an approach to psychology based on the idea that conscious experience can be broken down into its basic underlying components and elements.
Functionalism- an approach to psychology concerned with the adaptive purpose, or function, of mind and behavior.

Front 6

What are the basic principles of behaviorist; understanding of the mind?

Back 6

Behavior determined by stimulus and response connections. The idea that you go through life trying to find patterns to things, and based off those patterns you can assume something is going to happen. Only observable behavior, no consideration of mind and internal conflict. You base patterns off a stimuli. Pavlov’s experiment with dogs. Driven by stimulus, no consideration of the mind or the internal conflicts of emotions.

Front 7

What are the basic assumptions of psychodynamics (Freudian); limitations

Back 7

Psychodynamic: Behavior= internal forces/conflict. Assumes that behavior is directly related to heredity and early experiences. Everyone is driven by the Id, Ego, Super ego. Id- Primal desires, disregards morals. Ego- acting with the sense of morals. Super Ego- in the middle, morals integrated with the sense of necessity. Moral imperatives. Dreams show manifestation of inner conflict. “Iceberg Analogy”: can see tip, but bulk remains hidden.

Front 8

What are the basic assumptions of  humanism?

Back 8

Behavior is determined by the goal of striving toward growth and also by the obstacles encountered. Highly optimistic.

Front 9

How do we develop scientific knowledge. Is it the result of sudden discoveries?

Back 9

Yes, science develops based on historical necessity. In WWII psychologists tried to understand the ideals of the Nazi party, so psychological research has been opened up in that field.

Front 10

What are the basic principles of evolutionary psychology?

Back 10

Adaption, underpins behavior(idea), humans special, frontal love (personality, problem solving) (brain)

Front 11

Levels of analysis?

Back 11

Biological level, Individual level, Social level, Cultural level

Front 12

Biological Level

Back 12

deals with how the physical body contributes to mind and behavior, as in the neurochemical and genetic processes occurring in the body and brain. Brain systems, neurochemical, genetic.

Front 13

Individual Level

Back 13

focuses on individual differences in personality and in the mental processes that affect how people perceive and know the world. Individual differences, perception and cognition, behavior.

Front 14

Social Level

Back 14

involves how group contexts affect people’s ways of interacting and influencing each other. cultural, interpersonal

Front 15

Cultural Level

Back 15

deals with how different cultures shape the thoughts, feelings, and actions of the people in them.

Front 16

What is the cognitive perspective?

Back 16

Behavior determined by thoughts. Understanding behavior influences the information process. Miller, Simon, Chomsky, Piaget. Concerned with higher-order mental functions such as intelligence, thinking, language, memory, and decision making.

Front 17

What is the neuroscience approach to mind?

Back 17

New technology, different genetic make ups (genomes), drugs ineffective, schizophrenia. Environmental or born with?

Front 18

What is the most common career choice for psychologist?

Back 18

Neuroscientist

Front 19

What are the steps in scientific method?

Back 19

Focus on a theory-->Formulate a hypothesis-->Conduct research--> Analyze whether the data support or refute the theory-->Report results and embark on further inquiry.

Front 20

Theory

Back 20

explanation based on observations

Front 21

Hypothesis

Back 21

prediction based on the theory

Front 22

Research

Back 22

test of the hypothesis; yields data, which either...

Support the theory or refute/fail to support the theory.

Front 23

Support the theory

Back 23

--> Which you then refine with new hypotheses and research

Front 24

Refute or fail to support the theory

Back 24

-->Which you either discard or revise and then test the revised theory.

Front 25

What are the characteristics of experimentation?

Back 25

control, random assignment, variables

Front 26

Control

Back 26

part of the experiment you keep the same for all subjects.

Front 27

Random assignment

Back 27

making sure each test group is comprised of random subjects. Does work, get up to larger numbers. With any variable, there is going to be that difference. It assures the things you can’t control becomes equivalent in all groups.

Front 28

Variables

Back 28

he part of an experiment which the experimenter changes for each test group. Anything that can be measured and that can vary. Independent variables(subject variables) and dependent variables.

Front 29

Confounds

Back 29

A confound is anything that affects a dependent variable and may unintentionally vary between the study’s different experimental conditions.

Front 30

Sources of bias

Back 30

Selection bias- when participants in different groups in an experiment differ systematically.

Observer bias

Front 31

What is the difference between experimentation and correlation?

Back 31

Correlational study- examines how variables are naturally related in the real world, without any attempt by the researcher to alter them. (not a causal relationship) positive and negative. Positive correlation- does not mean good. When measuring high school and college, as HS GPA increases so does college GPA(same with opposite). Negative correlation- Does not mean bad. Inverse relationship. As absences increase, exam scores decrease. Third variable.
Experiment- a study that tests causal hypotheses by measuring and manipulation variables. Control, control, control.

Front 32

What limitations are there in observational data?

Back 32

Observer bias- bias on the observer, try to make them naive. Bias on the observed, change answers, most people will do this when people are watching. Hawthorne effect- productivity increases when they are watched, after a while people revert back to their own ways.

Front 33

What is the difference between a positive and negative correlation

Back 33

Positive correlation- does not mean good. When measuring high school and college, as HS GPA increases so does college GPA(same with opposite). Negative correlation- Does not mean bad. Inverse relationship. As absences increase, exam scores decrease.

Front 34

Regarding self-report: questionnaires, surveys what are the sources of bias in the data?

Back 34

Sources of data (what we measure and how). Questionnaires and surveys- answers appropriate even though anonymous, social desirability.

Front 35

What is archival data? Physiological data?

Back 35

An example of physiological data is heart rate. Archival data- problem: form changes, issue from mining old documents.

Front 36

IRB

Back 36

IRB- institutional review boards. Groups of people responsible for reviewing proposed research to ensure that it meets the accepted standards of science and provides for the physical and emotional well-being of research participants.

Front 37

Know the basic principles of inferential statistics, i.e. why do we use statistics?

Back 37

Inferential statistics- a set of procedures use to make judgements about whether differences actually exist between sets of numbers. Infer causality and differences in levels of independent variables. We use statistics to determine if the differences among the sample means are (probably) chance variations or whether they reflect differences in the populations. The role of stats- descriptive measures, inferential stats.

Front 38

What are the Freudian stages of psychosexual development and how does fixation affect personality?

Back 38

Oral (Birth-18 months)
Anal(18 months-3 years)
Phallic(3-6 years)
Latency(6-Adolescence)
Genital (Adolescence-Adulthood)

Front 39

Oral (Birth-18 months)

Back 39

Interest in oral gratification (sucking, eating, etc.)

Front 40

Anal(18 months- 3 years)

Back 40

Gratified by expelling/withholding forces. Coming to terms with society’s controls in toilet training.

Front 41

Phallic (3-6 years)

Back 41

Interest in genitals. Come to terms with Oedipal conflict. Desire opposite-sex parent. Fear interception by father

Front 42

Latency (6-Adolescence)

Back 42

Sexual concerns largely unimportant

Front 43

Genital (Adolescence-Adulthood)

Back 43

Reemergence of sexual interests.

Front 44

What are the three components of the personality (ala Freud) and how do they relate to consciousness?

Back 44

Everyone is driven by the Id, Ego, Super ego.
Id- Primal desires, disregards morals.
Ego- acting with the sense of morals.
Super Ego- in the middle, morals integrated with the sense of necessity.

Front 45

What is meant by “basic anxiety (Horney) and inferiority complex (Adler)  (lecture only)

Back 45

Karen Horney- All humans alone, seeking acceptance.
Afred Adler- Inferiority Complex- those seeking to bully have IC, those afraid of being bullied have IC.

Front 46

Understand the different types defense mechanisms.

Back 46

Repression
Displacement
Rationalization
Projection
Reaction Formation
Denial
Regression

Front 47

Repression

Back 47

withholding conflict in attempt to forget.

Front 48

Displacement

Back 48

redirect emotional conflict.

Front 49

Rationalization

Back 49

use of logic to convince.

Front 50

Projection

Back 50

blaming an outside party for one’s faults.

Front 51

Reaction Formation

Back 51

profess reality that is not one’s own.

Front 52

Denial

Back 52

Rejecting apparent conflicts.

Front 53

Regression

Back 53

Returning to childlike state in attempt to cope to adverse situations.

Front 54

What are the basis assumptions of humanism? How did humanism changed the view of personality?

Back 54

(Carl Rogers, Abraham Maslow) Unconditional positive regard, parental support. Need stability in order to realize oneself.

Front 55

What are type theories? (lecture info only)

Back 55

Type A: Angry, competitive, hostile
Type B: Easy-going
Type T: Sensation-seeking
Individual differences in challenges vs threat. Hardiness: Control, commitment, challenge. Optimism: Regardless of status, looking forward to new events.

Front 56

What are traits? To what degree are they biologically and genetically based?

Back 56

Allport’s thoery: Hierarchy of traits.
Cardinal Traits: basic trait around which an individual organizes their life.
Central Traits: major characteristics.
Secondary Traits: idiosyncratic traits.

Eysneck: Biological based trait theory
Introversion/Extroversion- introverted=quiet+passive, extroverted=outgoing
Stable/Unstable-Stable=calm+leadership, Unstable=anxious

Front 57

What are the Big Five? What factors are genetically influenced?

Back 57

Openness to Experience
Conscientiousness
Extraversion
Agreeableness
Neuroticism

Front 58

Openness to Experience

Back 58

Sharing vs Closed off. Imaginative vs. down to earth. Like variety vsl likes routine. Independent vs. conforming.

Front 59

Extraversion

Back 59

Social vs. Reserved. Fun-loving vs. sober. Affectionate vs. reserved.

Front 60

Conscientiousness

Back 60

Organized vs Disorganized (disciplined). Careful vs. careless. Self-disciplined vs. weak-willed.

Front 61

Agreeableness

Back 61

Easygoing vs Stubborn. Soft-hearted vs. ruthless. Trusting vs. suspicious. Helpful vs. uncooperative.

Front 62

Neuroticism

Back 62

Worried vs. Calm. Insecure vs. Secure. Self-pitying vs. self-satisfied.

Front 63

How is personality measured? What are projective measures? What aspect of personality do they reveal?

Back 63

Projective measures- personality tests that examine unconscious processes by having people interpret ambiguous stimuli. The general idea is that people will project their mental contents onto the ambiguous items, thereby revealing hidden aspects of personality such as motives, wishes, and unconscious conflicts. Psychologists use inkblots to reveal unconscious conflicts and asses psychopathology.

Front 64

How stable is personality over the lifespan?

Back 64

Generally, people become less neurotic, less extraverted, and less open to new experiences. They also tend to become more agreeable and more conscientious. These effects are not large, but they are consistent. Age-related changes in personality occur independently of environmental influences and therefore that personality change itself may be based in human physiology. Personality change has a genetic component.

Front 65

What is a sensation seeking personality?

Back 65

Type T

Front 66

What is self-monitoring?

Back 66

Involves being sensitive to cues of situational appropriateness.

Those high in self-monitoring alter their behavior to match the situation, so they exhibit low levels of consistency.

Low self-monitoring are less able to alter their self-presentations to match situational demands, so they tend to be much more consistent across situations.

Front 67

What evidence do we have of the connection between brain chemistry and personality? (Specifically the effects of dopamine, seratonin on personality and recreational psychotropics)

Back 67

When diagnosed with conditions such as depression, seratonin (Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, Lexapro, or Celexa) brighten or stabilize moods, presumably as a result of the increased availability of serotonin in certain crucial places in the brain. It’s a neurotransmitter, released from one neuron to activate another.
Some people are low on dopamine and seek out novel experiences to increase the release of dopamine.

Front 68

What is the difference between nomothetic vs ideographic views of personality?

Back 68

Nomothetic approaches- approaches to studying personality that focus on how people vary across common traits.
Idiographic approaches- person-centered approaches to studying personality that focus on individual lives and how various characteristics are integrated into unique persons.