What is Psychology? / Chapter 1 – Flashcards

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The cognitive perspective focuses on_______processes to explain human behavior.
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mental
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What is psychology and it's five goals?
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Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes. It's goals are to observe, describe, explain, predict, and control human behavior and mental processes
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If you conduct research unbiased you may cloud the study.
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False
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The focus of psychology is the study of interactions between people and groups of people.
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False
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Action that can be observed or measured
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Behavior
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Mental process, such as a dream or memory
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Cognitive Activity
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Along with history, anthropology, economics, political science, and sociology, psychology is one of the______.
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social sciences.
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The social sciences include history, anthropology, and sociology.
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True
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We are unable to observe and measure behavior.
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False
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Psychological ______ explain and predict what governs behavior and mental processes.
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theories
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B. F. Skinner's concept of ______ showed that an animal is more likely to repeat an action if rewarded for it.
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reinforcement
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The school of________ was concerned with studying how mental processes help organisms adapt to their environment.
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functionalism
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Define structuralism and functionalism and explain their similarities and differences.
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The early schools of psychology—structuralism and functionalism—were born after psychologists began applying the scientific approach to understanding human behavior and mental processes. Wilhelm Wundt founded structuralism, which divided experience into objective sensations and subjective feelings. Structuralists believed that the human mind functioned by combining these two elements. William James rejected the idea that experience could be broken down. He believed that experience was fluid and continuous. His school of functionalism studied how mental processes helped organisms adapt to their environment. The two schools differed in their methods, questions, and conclusions. Structuralists used only the method of introspection, or examining thoughts and feelings. Functionalists used observation of behavior in a laboratory as well as introspection. Structuralists tried to find the elements, or structures, of psychological processes, while functionalists asked about their purposes, or functions. Functionalists were more concerned with applying their findings to everyday situations. They concluded that adaptive behaviors are learned and maintained when successful.
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Freud believed that human behavior is motivated by conscious desires.
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False
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Watson believed that if psychology was to be a natural science, it must be limited to observable, measurable events, such as behavior.
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True
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Wrote the first modern psychology textbook
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William James
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The Gestalt School believed that perception is the sum of their parts rather than what gives shape to the parts.
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False
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During the Middle Ages, most Europeans believed that psychological problems were caused by
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Demons
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In Plato's quote, "Know thyself," what concept was he referring to?
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Plato was referring to the concept of introspection where one examines one's own thoughts and feelings by looking within.
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________-founded psychoanalysis.
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Sigmund Freud
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Contemporary psychological perspectives are very similar in approach and thought
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False
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The psychological perspective claiming that people learn through observing role models and through personal experience.
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Learning Perspective
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The psychological perspective that emphasizes the role of thought processes in determining behavior.
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Cognitive perspective
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Cultural differences have little effect on how behavior and mental processes are shaped.
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False
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Some psychologists believe that our brains operate like computers with storing and retrieving data.
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True
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The_____ perspective argues that people can learn by experience and by observing others.
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Learning
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According to cognitive psychologists, how do people store and retrieve information?
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According to cognitive psychologists, people's brains process information like computers. People process information in their "working memories" and retrieve information, or memories, from long-term storage much like computers do.
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The cognitive perspective focuses on ________ processes to explain human behavior.
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mental
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How did the sociocultural perspective broaden the subjects studied by psychology?
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The sociocultural perspective broadened psychology by studying ethnicity and gender. These psychologists include people from various ethnic groups in their studies to show how social forces affect the individual. The study of gender shows social differences and similarities between men and women.
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Why do biologically oriented psychologists study the nervous system and genes?
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Biologically oriented scientists study the nervous system to show what parts of the brain are involved in specific behavior and mental processes. They are also interested in studying the influence of genes on personality traits.
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School psychologists will often observe students in the classroom so they can see how they interact with their teachers and peers.
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True
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Personality psychologists look for the different traits people have, and study the ___ of those traits. a. development c. growth b. production d. evolution
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A. Development
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A social psychologist would study the reasons people tend to conform to group standards and expectations.
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True
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What is the difference between a clinical and counseling psychologist?
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Clinical psychologists treat a variety of psychological problems, including severe disorders. Counseling psychologists generally only treat those with emotional or behavioral adjustment problems.
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__________ psychologists help prepare achievement tests.
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School
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Experimental psychologists are less likely than other psychologists to engage in basic research
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False
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Industrial psychologists are most likely employed by ___. a. law practices c. business firms b. police departments d. school districts
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C. Business Firms
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________ psychologists typically treat people with emotional or behavioral adjustment problems, rather than those with serious psychological disorders
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Counseling
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__________ and ___________ psychologists offer suggestions on how to improve working conditions.
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Industrial . . . organizational
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Experimental psychologists perform research to understand the nature of human behavior.
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True
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Cultural, biological and psychological factors create individual differences.
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Sociocultrual Perspective
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Contemporary psychological perspectives are very similar in approach and thought.
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False
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The focus of psychology is the study of interactions between people and groups of people.
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False
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Wrote the first modern psychology textbook
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William James
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School of psychology that describes experience as a whole rather than broken down into parts
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Gestalt Psychology
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Consumer psychologists try to explain and predict the behavior of ___. a. shoppers c. the economy b. people d. animals
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Shoppers
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Which type of psychologists attempts to identify the relative influences of heredity and the environment on development? a. Clinical psychologists c. School psychologists b. Developmental psychologists d. Forensic psychologists
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B.
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Action that can be observed or measured
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Behavior
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Mental process, such as a dream or memory
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Cognitive Activity
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Belief in self, experience, and self-awareness are the main concerns of which of the following? a. The school of behaviorism. c. The humanistic perspective. b. Freudian psychoanalysis. d. The school of functionalism
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C.
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The school of psychology that looks at the basic elements of conscious experience, like sensations and feelings, the things an individual is fully aware of is _____.
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Structuralism
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Which word refers to examining our thoughts and feelings by looking within?
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Introspection
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The psychological perspective claiming that people learn through observing role models and through personal experience.
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Learning Perspective
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School psychologists will often observe students in the classroom so they can see how they interact with their teachers and peers.
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True
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A social psychologist would study the reasons people tend to conform to group standards and expectations.
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True
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Psychological _____ explain and predict what governs behavior and mental processes. a. commands c. theories b. processes d. goals
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C
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The main goals of psychology are to a. observe, describe, explain, predict, and control behavior. b. observe and describe feelings. c. observe and describe phenomena that science cannot explain. d. research and teach positive visualization.
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A
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Psychology helps to interpret ___. a. principles that are not clear c. individual interpretation of society b. mental process and behavior d. group behavior
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B
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Social sciences study the ___ between people and groups of people. a. family relationships c. interactions b. conversations d. tension
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C
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Psychology is defined as the a. humanistic study of emotions and feelings. b. sociological study of individual and group dynamics. c. scientific study of behavior and mental processes. d. study of supernatural phenomena.
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C
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If you were a psychologist, you would most likely do which of the following? a. Test theories about why individuals react in a certain way to receiving compliments. c. Conduct experiments with chemicals in a lab. b. Study why groups of people exist where they do in the world. d. All of the above.
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A
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Two research methods widely used by psychologists are a. precognition and the Ganzfeld procedure. b. surveys and experiments. c. water-float tests and lie-detector tests. d. introspection and reinforcement.
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B
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A ___ is a rule or law that acts as a guideline for future research. a. principle c. construct b. behavior d. theory
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A
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Emotions influence both behavior and cognitive activities.
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T
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The practice of psychology is closely related to the natural sciences by all of the following except __________? a. its concern with the biological functions of the brain b. the way it conducts research c. the way it analyzes data and draws conclusions d. the way it focuses soley on overt human behavior
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D
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William James was responsible for functionalism and focused on which of the following? a. How to help people adapt to their environment by understanding their own mental processes. b. Discovering the basic elements of consciousness. c. Observable behavior only. d. The effect of reinforcement on the behavior of individuals.
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A
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Functionalists are concerned with how mental processes help organisms ___ their environment. a. escape from c. learn from b. improve d. adapt to
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D
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According to Gestalt psychologists, much learning is accomplished by which of the following? a. Reinforcement. c. Active participation in society. b. Mechanical repetition. d. A slow, unconscious process.
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C
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In contrast to other early psychologists, how did Sigmund Freud gain his understanding of human behavior? a. In a chemical laboratory. c. Through systematic surveys. b. In consultations with patients. d. Through studies of the nervous system.
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B
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When did psychology begin to make a change toward modern psychology? a. 4th century B.C., with the Greek philosophers. b. 1800s, after the birth of modern science. c. 1900s, with the founding of psychoanalysis. d. Middle Ages, with tests to determine if a person was possessed.
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B
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The school of psychology that looks at the basic elements of conscious experience, like sensations and feelings, the things an individual is fully aware of is _____.
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Structuralism
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School of psychology that describes experience as a whole rather than broken down into parts
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Gestalt Psychology
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B.F. Skinner believed that people learn to ___ the same way animals learn. a. behave c. play b. act d. conduct
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A
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Which word refers to examining our thoughts and feelings by looking within?
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Introspection
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A psychologist who studied the effect of reinforcement on animals is _____.
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B.F. Skinner
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Evolutionary psychologists believe that ___ influence people to act in certain ways. a. cultural heritage c. inherited tendencies b. behavior patterns d. unconscious forces
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C
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The cognitive perspective was most influenced by ___. a. Abraham Maslow c. Carl Rogers b. Charles Darwin d. Jean Piaget
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D
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The psychological perspective that claims that people are driven by a need for self-fulfillment.
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Humanistic Perspective
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The current focus of the ___ perspective has shifted from the unconscious mind to conscious choice and self direction. a. psychoanalytic c. cognitive b. sociocultural d. biological
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A
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Studying how learning and experience effect behavior is the main focus of ___. a. sociocultural psychologists c. cognitive psychologists b. biological psychologists d. learning psychologists
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D
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Psychologists who study how we understand, store, and retrieve information follow the ___. a. humanistic perspective c. learning perspective b. cognitive perspective d. evolutionary perspective
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B
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The contemporary psychoanalytic perspective stresses the influence of a. heredity rather than environment. c. unconscious motives and conflicts. b. environment rather than heredity. d. conscious choice and self-direction.
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C
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Cultural, biological and psychological factors create individual differences.
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sociocultrual perpective
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Biological processes influence behavior and mental processes.
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Biological perpective
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Which of the following statements is true according to the Social Learning Theory? a. A child's actions will most likely be determined by culture and economical status. c. A child's actions will most likely be determined by what is observed from others in the surrounding environment. b. A child's actions will most likely be determined by inherited personality traits. d. A child's actions will be determined by internal guidance and emotions.
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C
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Developmental psychologists are especially concerned with a. testifying at legal trials b. developing aptitude tests for students c. changes that occur throughout the life span d. historical influences on behavior
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C
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Counseling psychologists encourage their clients to a. clarify their goals. c. meet challenges. b. overcome adjustment problems. d. all of the above.
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D
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Consumer psychologists try to explain and predict the behavior of ___. a. shoppers c. the economy b. people d. animals
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A
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Which type of psychologists attempts to identify the relative influences of heredity and the environment on development? a. Clinical psychologists c. School psychologists b. Developmental psychologists d. Forensic psychologists
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B
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Course planning and instructional methods for school districts are usually handled by a. school psychologists. c. personality psychologists. b. developmental psychologists. d. educational psychologists.
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D
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Psychologists who help create more effective organizations systems are ___. a. developmental psychologists c. environmental psychologists b. industrial psychologists d. social psychologists
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B
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Which of the following psychologists would help a person deal with a diagnosed depression disorder? a. Clinical psychologists. c. School psychologists. b. Counseling psychologists. d. Developmental psychologists
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A
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developmental psychologists
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research oriented
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Achievement tests that help measure intelligence are developed by ___. a. personality psychologists c. educational psychologists b. school psychologists d. developmental psychologists
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C
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Clinical psychologists work in hospitals, prisons, private practice, and ___. a. industries c. clinics b. schools d. crime labs
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C
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