Textbook Quiz 1

What is the term for an electrochemical signal that enables a neuron to communicate with other cells?

a neural impulse

The ability to arrive at broad conclusions based on smaller ones is known as __________. It requires that the sample under investigation be representative of the larger population from which it was drawn.

generalizability

The degree to which a study allows unambiguous causal inferences has ________.

internal validity

_______ was an 18 th century philosopher who, in the early years of psychology, argued that human observers acquired knowledge through their senses?

Thomas Reid

Which noted psychologist developed the first modern intelligence test?

Alfred Binet

________ refers to a policy of selective breeding founded on the belief that society can be improved by promoting reproduction among the most highly intelligent of its citizens.

Eugenics

Why is Wilhelm Wundt often credited as being responsible for the initial development of modern psychology?

He promoted the idea that psychology could be studied scientifically and provided classes, textbooks, and a laboratory for training students.

When researchers take special care to include and control for every possible variable, the study is likely to have high ___________, even though the results may not generalize to a more realistic situation.

Internal Validity

Which of the following is the best statement regarding the relationship between different forms of validity in psychology research?

It is difficult to achieve high levels of both internal and external validity in the same research study.

In what way did the behavioral perspective in psychology differ with almost every other perspective to come before it?

NOT It emphasized how attention, emotion and memory influenced individual behaviors.

The degree to which a study finding has been obtained under conditions that are typical for what happens in everyday life is called ___________.

NOT generalizability

The belief that knowledge is best acquired as a direct result of experience is called ________.

NOT interactionism

Darla is a student studying the relationship between physical stimuli and peoples' perceptions of those stimuli. In which academic area is Darla earning her degree?

NOT neurocognition

Mathilda is being asked by a researcher to think about things that happened to her yesterday. "Start with getting up in the morning," she is told, "and try to recount what happened step by step until I ask you to stop." Mathilda is taking part in a study that utilizes the __________ method.

day reconstruction

The __________ method is a research approach in which participants describe their experiences and behavior of a given day through systematic recollection on the following day

day reconstruction

Dr. Sharma wants to study the extent to which stress is related to suicidal ideation in people who suffer from depression. She gathers information about the level of stress, depressive symptoms, and suicidal thoughts a set of participants experience the day after they attend the funeral of a loved one. Because this study is assessing people under conditions that are not typical of everyday life, it is lacking in __________ validity.

ecological

The famous Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe observed and charted the movement of the stars across the night sky. His approach to astronomy was different than many earlier astronomers whose theories were informed by religion, philosophy and politics. Brahe was clearly a proponent of ________, which emphasizes observation and personal experience.

empiricism

The degree to which a study ensures that potential findings apply to settings and samples other than the ones being studied refers to:

external validity

Emilio has taught himself to savor each bite of his meals. He closes his eyes, focuses intensely on the flavors of his food, and maximizes his enjoyment of every bite. His ability to focus intently on the sensation and perception of taste is similar to Wilhelm Wundt's procedure of ________.

introspection

Imagine that you are part of a study that measures your heart rate and breathing throughout the day. For the most part, your heart rate and breathing only changes when you exercise or are very excited. However, it seems like every time you visit the researcher to get your equipment updated, your heart rate and breathing spike for seemingly no reason. This phenomenon is referred to as:

white coat hypertension