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)