Psych 421 Exam 1 Question and
answers already passed 2025/2026
Definition of Psychology - correct answer ✔Historically defined as study of:
The psyche, or mind
The spirit
Consciousness
Behavior
Historiography - correct answer ✔Study of the proper way to write history
Presentism - correct answer ✔Attempt to understand the past in terms of present
knowledge and standards
Historicism - correct answer ✔Study of the past without addressing the relationship
between past and present
Zeitgeist (spirit of the times) - correct answer ✔Zeitgeist (spirit of the times) approach emphasizes
the influences of developments in other sciences,
political climate, technological advancements, and
economic conditions on the development of
psychology
Great-person - correct answer ✔emphasizes the works of individuals
Serendipitous discoveries
,Historical development - correct answer ✔Illustrates how individuals and/or events contributed
to changes and development of ideas and concepts
Eclectic approach - correct answer ✔combines these three approaches and is the
approach used in the book
Perspective - correct answer ✔Historical perspective allows for viewing
current psychological ideas in terms of
contributions of historical roots through
past philosophers/scientists.
-Allows for a more full appreciation of
modern psychology
Deeper understanding - correct answer ✔Allows for a greater awareness of where
psychology's subject matter came from
and why it is considered important
Recognition of fads and fashions in psychology - correct answer ✔The ability to recognize that a current
avenue of research or body of knowledge
may be affected by subjective and
arbitrary factors of society
"Those who cannot remember the past are
condemned to repeat it." - correct answer ✔George Santayana
, Curiosity - correct answer ✔To become familiar with the history of
psychology for personal interest
Definition of science - correct answer ✔Developed as a way to answer questions about
nature by directly examining nature, in contrast
to unquestionable acceptance of church
dogma, past authorities, superstition, or by
using abstract thought alone.
Combination of rationalism and empiricism
Empirical observation - correct answer ✔direct observation of nature
The two major components of science - correct answer ✔empirical observation and theory
Rationalism - correct answer ✔mental operations or principles (rules of
logic) must be employed to attain true knowledge.
Emphasizes logical, systematic, and intelligent
thought processes in explanations of behavior
Agrees that sensory information is important, but
that the mind then actively transforms the
information in some way before knowledge is
answers already passed 2025/2026
Definition of Psychology - correct answer ✔Historically defined as study of:
The psyche, or mind
The spirit
Consciousness
Behavior
Historiography - correct answer ✔Study of the proper way to write history
Presentism - correct answer ✔Attempt to understand the past in terms of present
knowledge and standards
Historicism - correct answer ✔Study of the past without addressing the relationship
between past and present
Zeitgeist (spirit of the times) - correct answer ✔Zeitgeist (spirit of the times) approach emphasizes
the influences of developments in other sciences,
political climate, technological advancements, and
economic conditions on the development of
psychology
Great-person - correct answer ✔emphasizes the works of individuals
Serendipitous discoveries
,Historical development - correct answer ✔Illustrates how individuals and/or events contributed
to changes and development of ideas and concepts
Eclectic approach - correct answer ✔combines these three approaches and is the
approach used in the book
Perspective - correct answer ✔Historical perspective allows for viewing
current psychological ideas in terms of
contributions of historical roots through
past philosophers/scientists.
-Allows for a more full appreciation of
modern psychology
Deeper understanding - correct answer ✔Allows for a greater awareness of where
psychology's subject matter came from
and why it is considered important
Recognition of fads and fashions in psychology - correct answer ✔The ability to recognize that a current
avenue of research or body of knowledge
may be affected by subjective and
arbitrary factors of society
"Those who cannot remember the past are
condemned to repeat it." - correct answer ✔George Santayana
, Curiosity - correct answer ✔To become familiar with the history of
psychology for personal interest
Definition of science - correct answer ✔Developed as a way to answer questions about
nature by directly examining nature, in contrast
to unquestionable acceptance of church
dogma, past authorities, superstition, or by
using abstract thought alone.
Combination of rationalism and empiricism
Empirical observation - correct answer ✔direct observation of nature
The two major components of science - correct answer ✔empirical observation and theory
Rationalism - correct answer ✔mental operations or principles (rules of
logic) must be employed to attain true knowledge.
Emphasizes logical, systematic, and intelligent
thought processes in explanations of behavior
Agrees that sensory information is important, but
that the mind then actively transforms the
information in some way before knowledge is
