Tachelle Johnson

9/1/15
1. Define psychology. Why is psychology considered a field of science?
Psychology is the science of behavior and mental processes. The study of psychology is
considered a science because of the use of the scientific method. When using scientific method
there is a lot of research and empirical data and numbers. This helps with making hypotheses and
theories with science to back it back.
2. Compare and contrast the major perspectives discussed in Ch 1 by briefly describing the main
tenets of each.
Behaviorism- the idea that our behavior is learned by positive and negative
consequences.
Sociocultural- the idea that our behavior is affected by our culture and
surroundings as well as social factors.
Cognitive- the idea that our behavior is due to factors such as perception,
memory, problem solving ability/approach.
Biological/Neuroscience- the idea that our behavior is based on our genetics and
are evolutionary.
3. List the other 2 perspectives that we will review in Ch 8?
1.Humanistic
2.Psychoanalytic

4.What is the scientific method and how do psychologists use it?

a. The scientific method is a regulated way to make observations,
collect data, test predictions, analyze results. and make theories. Psychologist just
it for research. For examples they could observe the behaviors of thousands of
children that are the same age to try to prove a theory. They often also do the
same with rats.
5. What is experimental research?
When the use of humans and animals are needed for research to test things like
perceptions, learning and memory.
6.What is one advantage/disadvantage of experimental research?
a. Advantage: Many groups can benefit from the results such as
teachers and pharmacy companies.
b. Disadvantage: The length and cost of conducting an experiment
over a long period of time or to be able to do research to its full extent.

7. Indicate the IV and the DV in the following:

a. A researcher wants to examine whether a new drug increases the
maze running performance of older rats. Just like aging humans, older rats show
signs of poorer memory for new things. The researcher teaches two groups of
older rats to find a piece of tasty rat chow in the maze. One group of rats is given
the new drug while they are learning the maze. The second group is not given the
drug. One week after having learned the maze he retests the rats and records how
long it takes them to find the rat chow.
IV: the rat chow given
DV: maze running performance.
8. Indicate the experimental and control groups in the previous example:
Experimental Group: group given new drug
Control Group: group given nothing

9. Give an example of a positive and negative correlation (other than one used in the text or in
class).
Positve: the risk of cancer with smoking, as smoking increases so does the risk of cancer
Negative: sleep and performace, the less you sleep the less your performance ability.
1. What do the signs of a correlation coefficient indicate?
+ means there is a direct relationship between the variables
- means the two variables have an inverse relationship.