Psychology Ch 1 Introduction to Contemporary Fields in Psychology

biopsychology

(aka biological psychology or psychobiology); applies biology to study of mental processes/behavior; how structure & function of nervous system is related to behavior; fields: neuroscience and neuropsychology

to be subject to evolution by natural selection...

...a behavior must have a significant genetic cause

someone interested in how changes in the cells of the hippocampus are related to memory formation would be a...

...biological psychologist

In Milgram's controversial study on obedience, nearly ________ of the participants were willing to administer what appeared to be lethal electrical shocks to another person because they were told to do so by an authority figure.

2/3

forensic psychology

a branch of psychology that deals questions of psychology as they arise in the context of the justice system (asses person's competency to stand trail, assess the state of mind of a defendent, act as consultants on child custody, consult on sentencing, advise on issues such as eyewitness testimony)

sensation and perception

an area of psychology for scientists interested in physiological aspects of sensory systems as well as in the psychological experience of sensory information

agreeableness trait

are they cooperative, trustworthy, and good-natured?

openness trait

are they curious, imaginative, full of feelings, actions, and ideas?

extroversion trait

are they sociable, assertive, and expressing of emotions?

clinical psychology

area of psych that focuses on Dx & Tx of psych disorders and other problematic behavior

how does social psychology explain behavior?

behavior is explained as the result of the interaction of mental states and immediate social situations

which psychological domain would include the study of neuroscience?

biological

5 pillars of psychology

biological, cognitive, developmental, social and personality, mental and physical health

which field?: psychologists are interested in how certain types of brain injuries might lead to aggressive actions

biopsychology

(blank) psychology focuses on the causes, diagnosis, treatment, & prevention of diff types of behavioral/emotional disorders

clinical

evolutionary psychology is based on the hypothesis that...

cognition has functional structure that has a genetic bases, and therefore has evolved by natural selection (like abilities to infer others' emotions, discern kin from non-kin, identify and prefer healthier mates, cooperate with others and follow leaders)

which psychological domain would include the study of memory and intelligence?

cognitive

zoe is interested in the way ppl approach and solve problems - what field of psychology would you recommend she study?

cognitive (the study of thoughts & how these influence our experiences and behaviors, including the study of language

personality trait

consistent pattern of thought and behavior

which psychological domain would include the study of learning & conditioning?

developmental

Jean Piaget

developmental psychologist who demonstrated that very young children don't demonstrate object permanence (the understanding that physical things continue to exist, even if they are hidden from us)

the study of cognitive skills, moral reasoning, and social behavior across the lifespan is known as

developmental psychology

neuroticism trait

do they have a tendency toward unstable emotions?

what question would a biopsychologist most likely address when studying depression?

does stress or lack of exercise affect the nervous system and hormones to either cause or prevent depression?

which field?: psychologists are interested in how humans have learned to balance finding organisms that are the most nutritious and those that are the easiest to find

evoluationary psychology

health psychologist research

explores relationship between one's own genetic makeup, patterns of behavior, relationships, psychological stress, and health; research effective ways to motivate ppl to address patterns of harmful behavior

personality psychology

field in social & personality domain; focuses on construction of coherent picture of the individual & major psych. processes, investigation of individual psych differences, investigation of human nature & psych similarities between individuals

counseling psychology

focuses on emotional, social, vocational, and health-related outcomes in individuals (greatly influenced by Roger's ideas of pt centered therapy)

research for personality psychology

focuses on personality traits, measuring traits, & determining how these traits interact in a particular context to determine how a person will behave in any situation

cognitive psychology

focuses on studying cognitions (thoughts) and their relationship to our experience and actions

which type of psychologist would most likely be asked to serve as an expert witness during a court case?

forensic psychologist

conscientiousness trait

how competent, self-disciplined, thoughtful, and goal-driven are they?

health psychology

how health is affected by the interaction of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors (biopsychosocial model)

mental and physical health

includes abnormal psychology, therapy, and health psychology

developmental pillar of psychology

includes learning & conditioning, lifespan development, and language

biological pillar of psychology

includes: neuroscience, consciousness, and sensation

which factors influence health, according to a biopsychosocial model?

interaction of biological, psychological, and social factors

the approach taken by most evolutionary psychologists:

is to predict the outcome of a behavior in a particular situation based on evolutionary theory and then to make observations/experiments to determine accuracy of theory

personality

long-standing traits and patterns that propel individuals to consistently think, feel, and behave in specific ways; what makes us unique individuals

areas of human behavior for which evolution can make predictions:

memory, mate choice, relationships, friendship & cooperation, parenting, social organization, and status

which psychological domain would include the study of abnormal psychology?

mental and physical health

what field of psych includes the study of abnormal psychology, counseling, treatment methods, and recommendations for coping with stress & living a healthy life?

mental and physical health domain

which of the following topics are included in the biological domain of psychology?

neuroscience

Five Factor Model of personality

openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism

social psychology

scientific study of how people's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others

American Psychological Association (APA)

professional organization representing psychologists in the United States

developmental psychology

scientific study of development across a lifespan; interested in processes related to physical maturation (changes in aging, cognitive skills, moral reasoning, social behavior)

evolutionary psychology definition

seeks to understand human behavior as the result of psychological adaptation and natural selection

research interests of biological psychologists

sensory & motor systems, sleep, drug use/abuse, ingestive behavior, reproductive behavior, neurodevelopment, plasticity of nervous system, and biological correlates of psychological disorders

(blank) is the study of how people's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others

social

which psychological domain would include the study of motivation and gender?

social and personality

evolutionary psychology

studies the ULTIMATE biological causes of behavior; psychological traits evolve and are determined by natural selection; studies the extent that a behavior is impacted by genetics

cognitive pillar of psychology

study of perception, thinking, intelligence, memory

social and personality pillar of psychology

study of personality, emotion, motivation, gender, and culture

sport and exercise psychology

study the psychological aspects of sport performance, including motivation and performance anxiety, and the effects of sport on mental and emotional wellbeing

biopshycosocial model

suggests that health/illness is determined by the interaction of biological, psychological, and social facts

industrial-organizational psychology

the application of psychological concepts and methods to optimizing human behavior in workplaces

what do social psychologists examine?

they examine the factors that lead us to behave in a given way in the presence of others, as well as the conditions under which certain behaviors, actions, and feelings occur (attitudes, child-rearing, discrimination/prejudice, ethnic/racial identity, gender roles and norms, family structure, power dynamics, regions, religion, rituals, taboos)

behavioral psychology

under development domain; studies learning and behaviorism (learning is seen as behavior change molded by experience; accomplished thru classical or operant conditioning)