What Is Psychology?
Which of the following is not considered a natural science? A. chemistry B. psychology C. biology D. physics
B
Psychologists only focus on how people think and feel.
False
Which of the following is not considered a behavior?
NOT heart rate NOT sleeping thinking
Goals of Psychology
1) Describe of gather information about the behavior of cognitive processes being studied 2) Explain the behavior of cognitive processes being studied 3) Predict future behavior and cognitive precesses by looking at a pool of knowledge 4) Control of influence behavior and cognitive precesses in helpful ways
Psychologists vs Psychiatrists
Both psychologists and psychiatrists can treat people with varying problems and disorders, diagnose, and practice psychotherapy. Psychologists obtain a doctoral degree while psychiatrists obtain a medical degree. Psychologists cannot generally prescribe medication while psychiatrists can prescribe medication.
A psychologist has to obtain a medical degree to diagnose and treat people with disorders.
False
One of the goals of psychology is to compile a list of characteristics about the behavior being studied.
False
Psychology vs Biology
Main similarity between psychology and biology: both study the functions of the different parts of the brain. Psychology studies humans and animals, biology studies all living organisms.
The goals of psychology are the same as the goals of science, except that in psychology, the focus is on __________ and __________.
NOT behavior . . . biological causes behavior . . . cognitive processes
cognitive processes
Private, unobservable mental processes. Thinking and dreaming are cognitive processes because they are private and unobservable.
Which of the following statements about psychological constructs is true?
Psychological constructs represent concepts that cannot be observed or measured directly.
Psychology vs Sociology
Psychology and sociology both study behavior and cognitive processes. Psychology is individual, sociology is society.
Science vs Pseudoscience
Science searches for failures and closely studies them while pseudoscience ignores, hides, of excuses failures. Science discards or revises theories if refuting evidence is found while pseudoscience disregards of ignores refuting information. Science attempts to develop solutions to problems while pseudoscience seldom attempts to develop solutions to problems.
Karl Popper
Sir Karl Raimund Popper CH FBA FRS was an Austrian-British philosopher and professor. He is generally regarded as one of the greatest philosophers of science of the 20th century.
psychology
Study of behavior and cognitive processes. Julie is studying psychology so that she can understand why people act, think, and feel the way they do.
phrenology
Study of the structure of the skull to determine one's mental faculties and character. Assumes that brain organs are located on surface of skull.
sociology
The study of social life and social change, as well as the social causes and consequences of human behavior. Focus is on the relationship between human behavior and society.
Love, which can't be observed or measured directly, is an example of a psychological construct.
True
Psychology is considered a science because it uses a systematic method of asking and answering questions.
True
Karl Popper, a 20th-century philosopher, claimed that genuine scientific theories are __________.
falsifiable
Social science is a branch of science that deals with the nature of __________.
human society
psychiatry
A branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. In the field of psychiatry, doctors diagnose and prescribe medication to treat people with varying disorders.
social science
A branch of science that deals with human society and the nature and interactions of individuals who make up society. Anthropology is the social science that studies the origin of humans and their social and cultural development.
pseudoscience
A set of theories, methods, or assumptions claimed to be scientific yet remaining unsubstantiated by empirical support. Astrology is a pseudoscience because its theories are not grounded in scientific research.
science
A systematic way of learning about the world through observations and experiments that leads to a pool of knowledge. Biology is a science that uses experiments and observations to learn about living organisms.
behavior
An action that can be observed or measured. Sleeping is a behavior because it can be directly observed or measured.
natural science
Branch of science that deals with the nature of the physical world. Chemistry is the natural science that studies the composition and properties of substances in the physical world.
constructs
Complex theoretical concepts used to discuss something that can't be observed, touched, or measured directly. Love is a psychological construct because it can't be seen, touched, or directly measured.
Why is psychology considered a science?
Psychology is considered a science because it uses a systematic method of asking and answering questions. It also attempts to develop solutions to psychological problems.
American Psychological Association
The mission of the American Psychological Association is to advance the creation, communication and application of psychological knowledge to benefit society and improve people's lives. They do this by encouraging the development and application of psychology in the broadest manner, promoting research in psychology, the improvement of research methods and conditions and the application of research findings, improving the qualifications and usefulness of psychologists by establishing high standards of ethics, conduct, education and achievement, and increasing and disseminating psychological knowledge through meetings, professional contacts, reports, papers, discussions and publications.
Which of the following is the most accurate definition of behavior?
Behavior is an action that can be observed and measured.
Which of the following best describes cognitive processes?
Cognitive processes are private and unobservable.