PSYC290 FINAL EXAM REVIEW QUESTIONS WITH
COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
Theme 1 Psychology is empirical. - ANSWER-It is important to understand the
need to acquire knowledge through systematic observation rather than through
intuition, common sense, or speculation. Understanding this concept will allow
you to recognize the problems some psychologists have with such topics as
extrasensory perception (ESP) or with psychoanalytic suppositions.
Theme 2 Psychology is theoretically diverse - ANSWER-. This is an important
concept because many students of psychology expect "black and white"
solutions to their questions about psychology. The fact is that, in many areas,
one of several theoretical explanations can be correct.
Theme 3 Psychology evolves in a sociohistorical context. - ANSWER-Unless you
accept this concept, it is all too easy to ridicule or disparage previous
discoveries. For example, students often mock behaviourism in favour of
cognitive psychology because a strict behaviouristic interpretation of the world
"simply cannot be right." Without understanding the context of behaviourism
and its once dominant position in psychology, it is far too easy to be
deprecating. Simply stated, no single theory can easily explain everything that is
known about behaviour.
Theme 4 Behaviour is determined by multiple causes. - ANSWER-It is common
for introductory students to believe that there is a cause for a behaviour, rather
than accepting that complex behaviours are more typically a function of
multiple causation. The last 30 years have seen an increasing tendency for
,psychologists to accept this truism and to investigate several factors that might
affect behaviour within the design of a single experiment.
Theme 5 Behaviour is shaped by cultural heritage. - ANSWER-Although a
common definition of psychology is "the science that studies behaviour," a more
accurate perception is that, until recently, it has been largely the science of
Caucasian male behaviour. Much of the early experimental psychological
research was based on the findings derived from a restricted population:
undergraduate students who were usually male.
Theme 6Heredity and environment jointly influence behaviour. - ANSWER-While
this statement may seem obvious, there was, in previous years, a tendency to
believe that behaviour could be either 100% genetic or 100% environmental. For
example, it used to be asked whether instinct could be described as completely
genetic. Now it is recognized that all behaviours are a function of both
environmental and genetic factors.
Theme 7 People's experience of the world is highly subjective - ANSWER-.
Students of psychology often believe that their own interpretation of the world
is the correct one and that everyone else either does or should interpret the
world in this way. Only when one appreciates the need to overcome subjectivity
can one really understand the research approaches highlighted in Chapter 2 of
the text that are referred to throughout the course.
• applied psychology (p. 15) - ANSWER-The branch of psychology concerned
with the diagnosis and treatment of psychological problems and disorders.
,behaviour (p. 7) - ANSWER-Refers to any overt observable response or activity
by an organism
behaviourism (p. 7) - ANSWER-A theoretical orientation based on the premise
that scientific psychology should study only observable behaviour
clinical psychology (p. 15) - ANSWER-):The branch of psychology concerned with
the diagnosis and treatment of psychological problems and disorders
cognition (p. 16) - ANSWER-Refers to the mental processes involved in acquiring
knowledge counselling psychology (p. 27): Overlaps with clinical psychology in
that specialists in both area engage in similar activities interviewing, testing, and
providing therapy however, counselling psychologists usually work with a
somewhat different clientele, providing assistance to people struggling with
everyday problems of moderate severity. Thus, they often specialize in family,
marital or career conselling
critical thinking (p. 38) - ANSWER-Is the use of cognitive skills and strategies that
increase the probability of a desirable outcome
culture (p. 29) - ANSWER-Refers to the widely shared customs beliefs, values
,norms, institution and other products of a community that are transmitted
socially across generations
developmental psychologist (p. 26) - ANSWER-Looks at human development
across the life span. Developmental psychology one focused primarly on child
development but today devotes a great deal of research to adolescent,
adulthood and old age.
, empiricism (p. 28) - ANSWER-The premise that knowledge should be acquired
through observation
ethnocentrism (p. 18) - ANSWER-The tendency to view one s own group as
superior to others and as the standard for judging the worth of foreign ways,
evolutionary psychology (p. 20) - ANSWER-Examines behavioural processes in
terms of their adaptive values for members of species over the course of many
generations
experimental psychologist (p. 26) - ANSWER-Encompasses the traditional core of
topics that psychology focused on heavely in its half century as a science
sensation perception learning conditioning, motivation and emotion. The name
experimental psychology is somewhat misleading as this is not the only area in
which experiments are done psychologists working in all the area listed here
conduct experiments.
functionalism (p. 6) - ANSWER-Was based on the belief that psychology should
investigate the function or purpose of consciousness, rather than its structure.
humanism (p. 12) - ANSWER-A theoretical orientation that emphasizes the
unique qualities of humans especially their freedom and their potential for
personal growth
industrial/organizational psychologist (p. 27) - ANSWER-Psychologist in this area
perform a wide variety of tasks in the world of business and industry
COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
Theme 1 Psychology is empirical. - ANSWER-It is important to understand the
need to acquire knowledge through systematic observation rather than through
intuition, common sense, or speculation. Understanding this concept will allow
you to recognize the problems some psychologists have with such topics as
extrasensory perception (ESP) or with psychoanalytic suppositions.
Theme 2 Psychology is theoretically diverse - ANSWER-. This is an important
concept because many students of psychology expect "black and white"
solutions to their questions about psychology. The fact is that, in many areas,
one of several theoretical explanations can be correct.
Theme 3 Psychology evolves in a sociohistorical context. - ANSWER-Unless you
accept this concept, it is all too easy to ridicule or disparage previous
discoveries. For example, students often mock behaviourism in favour of
cognitive psychology because a strict behaviouristic interpretation of the world
"simply cannot be right." Without understanding the context of behaviourism
and its once dominant position in psychology, it is far too easy to be
deprecating. Simply stated, no single theory can easily explain everything that is
known about behaviour.
Theme 4 Behaviour is determined by multiple causes. - ANSWER-It is common
for introductory students to believe that there is a cause for a behaviour, rather
than accepting that complex behaviours are more typically a function of
multiple causation. The last 30 years have seen an increasing tendency for
,psychologists to accept this truism and to investigate several factors that might
affect behaviour within the design of a single experiment.
Theme 5 Behaviour is shaped by cultural heritage. - ANSWER-Although a
common definition of psychology is "the science that studies behaviour," a more
accurate perception is that, until recently, it has been largely the science of
Caucasian male behaviour. Much of the early experimental psychological
research was based on the findings derived from a restricted population:
undergraduate students who were usually male.
Theme 6Heredity and environment jointly influence behaviour. - ANSWER-While
this statement may seem obvious, there was, in previous years, a tendency to
believe that behaviour could be either 100% genetic or 100% environmental. For
example, it used to be asked whether instinct could be described as completely
genetic. Now it is recognized that all behaviours are a function of both
environmental and genetic factors.
Theme 7 People's experience of the world is highly subjective - ANSWER-.
Students of psychology often believe that their own interpretation of the world
is the correct one and that everyone else either does or should interpret the
world in this way. Only when one appreciates the need to overcome subjectivity
can one really understand the research approaches highlighted in Chapter 2 of
the text that are referred to throughout the course.
• applied psychology (p. 15) - ANSWER-The branch of psychology concerned
with the diagnosis and treatment of psychological problems and disorders.
,behaviour (p. 7) - ANSWER-Refers to any overt observable response or activity
by an organism
behaviourism (p. 7) - ANSWER-A theoretical orientation based on the premise
that scientific psychology should study only observable behaviour
clinical psychology (p. 15) - ANSWER-):The branch of psychology concerned with
the diagnosis and treatment of psychological problems and disorders
cognition (p. 16) - ANSWER-Refers to the mental processes involved in acquiring
knowledge counselling psychology (p. 27): Overlaps with clinical psychology in
that specialists in both area engage in similar activities interviewing, testing, and
providing therapy however, counselling psychologists usually work with a
somewhat different clientele, providing assistance to people struggling with
everyday problems of moderate severity. Thus, they often specialize in family,
marital or career conselling
critical thinking (p. 38) - ANSWER-Is the use of cognitive skills and strategies that
increase the probability of a desirable outcome
culture (p. 29) - ANSWER-Refers to the widely shared customs beliefs, values
,norms, institution and other products of a community that are transmitted
socially across generations
developmental psychologist (p. 26) - ANSWER-Looks at human development
across the life span. Developmental psychology one focused primarly on child
development but today devotes a great deal of research to adolescent,
adulthood and old age.
, empiricism (p. 28) - ANSWER-The premise that knowledge should be acquired
through observation
ethnocentrism (p. 18) - ANSWER-The tendency to view one s own group as
superior to others and as the standard for judging the worth of foreign ways,
evolutionary psychology (p. 20) - ANSWER-Examines behavioural processes in
terms of their adaptive values for members of species over the course of many
generations
experimental psychologist (p. 26) - ANSWER-Encompasses the traditional core of
topics that psychology focused on heavely in its half century as a science
sensation perception learning conditioning, motivation and emotion. The name
experimental psychology is somewhat misleading as this is not the only area in
which experiments are done psychologists working in all the area listed here
conduct experiments.
functionalism (p. 6) - ANSWER-Was based on the belief that psychology should
investigate the function or purpose of consciousness, rather than its structure.
humanism (p. 12) - ANSWER-A theoretical orientation that emphasizes the
unique qualities of humans especially their freedom and their potential for
personal growth
industrial/organizational psychologist (p. 27) - ANSWER-Psychologist in this area
perform a wide variety of tasks in the world of business and industry
