Question 1

Health psychologists are interested in how lifestyle choices and other behaviors combine with genetics and environment to affect physical health.

Accepted Answer

Health psychologists study the interplay between biological, psychological, and social factors and their impact on health and well-being. They examine how lifestyle choices, behavior patterns, social networks, and environmental factors can affect physical health outcomes.

Question 2

Humanistic psychology is an approach emphasizing that psychologists need to focus on the whole of the perception and experience, rather than its parts.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Humanistic psychology is an approach emphasizing that...

Question 3

Sigmund Freud's work using hypnosis to cure patients made him realize that many of his patients' symptoms had mental, not physical, causes and this led to the development of psychoanalysis.

Accepted Answer

This statement accurately reflects the historical development of Freud's ideas and the emergence of psychoanalysis.

Question 4

The scientific method was applied to the study of physics, biology, and chemistry beginning in the 1600s, but it was almost 300 years later before it was used to study the mind. Explain why the zeitgeist of Western world in the 17^th century slowed the development of psychological science. Module: 1.2

Accepted Answer

The answer of The scientific method was applied to the...

Question 5

The cognitive perspective is an approach that emphasizes mental processes in thinking, memory, language, and other areas of behavior.

Accepted Answer

The statement accurately describes the cognitive perspective.

Question 6

Psychoanalysis emphasizes the influence of unconscious urges and memories on behavior.

Accepted Answer

This is a core principle of psychoanalysis, as developed by Sigmund Freud. Freud believed that the unconscious mind has a powerful influence on our behavior, and that bringing unconscious thoughts and memories to conscious awareness can facilitate healing and personal growth.

Question 7

Empiricism means that knowledge about the world is based on the careful observation, not common sense or speculation.

Accepted Answer

Empiricism is a philosophical approach that emphasizes the importance of observation and experience in gaining knowledge about the world. It holds that knowledge is based on evidence and sensory experiences, rather than intuition, speculation, or faith.

Question 8

In the 19^th and early 20^th centuries, many of the early contributions to psychology were made, not by psychologists, but by individuals from other professions. Identify how each of the following professions/areas contributed to the early development of psychology: physics, evolutionary theory, medicine, and the social sciences. Provide examples of individual contributions for each. Module: 1.2

Accepted Answer

The answer of In the 19^th and early 20^th centuries,...

Question 9

Psychology became a scientific discipline in the 1600s.

Accepted Answer

Psychology did not become a scientific discipline until the late 1800s/early 1900s, with the establishment of experimental psychology by Wilhelm Wundt in Germany.

Question 10

Structuralism was an early psychological approach that emphasized the purpose of behavior and consciousness.

Accepted Answer

Structuralism emphasized the analysis of the basic elements that constitute the mind, rather than the purpose of behavior and consciousness. This approach was popular in the late 19th and early 20th century, and was later replaced by functionalism.

Question 11

To most people, the word psychologist conjures up an image of a therapist listening intently to a client. But not all psychologists do clinical work. Describe the different professional activities of psychologists.
Module: 1.3

Accepted Answer

The answer of To most people, the word psychologist conjures...

Question 12

The majority of students who study psychology do not go on to become psychologists. Analyze the claim that individuals with psychology training could contribute to virtually any field of work. Include examples of jobs that require skills and knowledge associated with psychology.
Module: 1.3

Accepted Answer

The answer of The majority of students who study psychology...

Question 13

Only a small percentage of this year's bachelor-level psychology graduates will go on to work in psychological fields.

Accepted Answer

According to the American Psychological Association, only about 25% of bachelor-level psychology graduates go on to work in psychological fields.

Question 14

Most of the helping professions in psychology require graduate degrees and state licensure or certification.

Accepted Answer

Most professions in psychology, such as clinical psychology, counseling psychology, and school psychology, require a graduate degree (usually a Ph.D. or Psy.D.) and state licensure or certification to practice. Some professions, such as research or industrial-organizational psychology, may only require a graduate degree but not licensure.

Question 15

Programs leading to a Psy.D. are usually designed to prepare a person both as a scientist and as a clinical practitioner.

Accepted Answer

Programs leading to a Psy.D. are primarily designed to prepare individuals for clinical practice rather than for both clinical practice and research (the scientist-practitioner model is more closely associated with Ph.D. programs).

Question 16

Many non-scientists confuse the terms hypothesis and theory. Explain the difference between the two terms and the interaction between hypothesis testing and the construction of theories in the scientific method.
Module: 1.1

Accepted Answer

The answer of Many non-scientists confuse the terms hypothesis and...

Question 17

Credit for establishing psychology as an independent field of science is generally given to William James.

Accepted Answer

Credit for establishing psychology as an independent field of science is generally given to Wilhelm Wundt, who founded the first experimental psychology lab in Leipzig, Germany, in 1879.

Question 18

Applied psychology is the study of psychological issues in order to seek knowledge for its own sake rather than for its practical application.

Accepted Answer

Applied psychology specifically focuses on the practical application of psychological knowledge and principles to real-world problems, whereas pure or academic psychology may be more focused on gaining knowledge for its own sake.

Question 19

Placebo effects occur when a person believes they are cured by a particular technique, even if there is no causal reason for a cure to have occurred.

Accepted Answer

Placebo effects are real and occur when a person's belief in a treatment or cure leads to actual improvements in their condition, even if the treatment is inert or has no direct causal effect.

Question 20

The goal of Wilhelm Wundt's trained introspection volunteers was to break down behavior into its most basic elements.

Accepted Answer

Wilhelm Wundt's trained introspection volunteers were instructed to break down behavior, thoughts, and emotions into their most basic elements using controlled observation and description. This allowed Wundt to study the structure of conscious experience and is considered a fundamental aspect of early psychology.

Quiz 1: Introducing Psychological Science