Comprehensive Psychology Review Guidance

Study Guide - Smart Notes

Tailored notes based on your materials, expanded with key definitions, examples, and context.

Q1. What is the literal definition of Psychology?

Background

Topic: Psychology as a Science

This question tests your understanding of the foundational definition of psychology and its scope as a scientific discipline.

Key Terms:

Psychology: The scientific study of the mind, behaviour, and mental processes.
Psyche: Refers to the mind.

Step-by-Step Guidance

Consider what psychology aims to study: the mind, behaviour, and mental processes.
Think about how psychology uses scientific methods to investigate these areas.
Try to phrase a definition that includes both the subject (mind/behaviour) and the method (scientific study).

Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!

Final Answer:

Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behaviour.

This definition highlights both the subject matter (mind and behaviour) and the scientific approach used in psychology.

Q2. Name and define the ABCs of Psychology.

Background

Topic: Core Components of Psychology

This question tests your knowledge of the three main domains that psychology examines: affect, behaviour, and cognition.

Key Terms:

Affect: Feelings, moods, and emotions.
Behaviour: Observable actions.
Cognition: Thought processes.

Step-by-Step Guidance

Recall what each letter stands for: A, B, and C.
Think about how each component relates to psychological study (e.g., affect = emotions, behaviour = actions, cognition = thinking).
Write a brief definition for each component.

Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!

Final Answer:

A is for Affect (feelings, moods, emotions), B is for Behaviour (actions), and C is for Cognition (thought processes).

These are the three main domains studied in psychology.

Q3. What are the 6 scientific principles discussed in class?

Background

Topic: Scientific Thinking in Psychology

This question tests your understanding of the core principles that guide scientific inquiry in psychology.

Key Terms:

Rival hypotheses
Correlation vs. causation
Falsifiability
Replicability
Extraordinary claims
Occam's razor

Step-by-Step Guidance

List each principle and briefly consider what it means in scientific research.
Think about examples of how each principle might apply to psychological studies.
Write a short definition for each principle.

Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!

Final Answer:

Ruling out rival hypotheses: Considering alternative explanations.
Correlation vs. causation: Correlation does not imply causation.
Falsifiability: Claims must be testable.
Replicability: Findings should be repeatable.
Extraordinary claims: Require extraordinary evidence.
Occam's razor: Simpler explanations are preferred.

Q4. Freud established which perspective? What is the defining characteristic of that perspective?

Background

Topic: Psychodynamic Perspective

This question tests your knowledge of Freud's contributions to psychology and the main focus of the psychodynamic perspective.

Key Terms:

Psychodynamic perspective: Focuses on the unconscious mind.
Unconscious: Mental processes not in conscious awareness.

Step-by-Step Guidance

Recall which perspective Freud is associated with.
Think about what makes this perspective unique (e.g., focus on unconscious processes).
Write a brief description of the defining characteristic.

Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!

Final Answer:

Freud established the psychodynamic perspective, which is defined by its focus on the impact of the unconscious on behaviour and development.

Q5. What is the difference between structuralism and functionalism? They are associated with which perspective?

Background

Topic: Early Schools of Thought in Psychology

This question tests your understanding of structuralism and functionalism, and their relationship to the cognitive perspective.

Key Terms:

Structuralism: Focuses on the elements/structures of the mind.
Functionalism: Focuses on how the mind works/functions.
Cognitive perspective: Concerned with mental processes.

Step-by-Step Guidance

Recall what structuralism and functionalism each emphasize.
Think about how they differ in their approach to studying the mind.
Identify which perspective they are part of.

Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!

Final Answer:

Structuralism focuses on the elements of the mind, while functionalism focuses on how the mind works. Both are associated with the cognitive perspective.

Q6. What is the difference between an independent and dependent variable?

Background

Topic: Research Methods

This question tests your understanding of experimental design and the roles of variables in experiments.

Key Terms:

Independent variable: Manipulated by the experimenter.
Dependent variable: Measured outcome.

Step-by-Step Guidance

Recall which variable is manipulated and which is measured.
Think about how changes in the independent variable affect the dependent variable.
Write a brief definition for each.

Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!

Final Answer:

The independent variable is manipulated or controlled by the experimenter, while the dependent variable is the outcome measured to see the effect of the independent variable.

Q7. What is the difference between a between-subjects and a within-subjects experimental design?

Background

Topic: Experimental Design

This question tests your understanding of how participants are assigned to conditions in experiments.

Key Terms:

Between-subjects design: Different groups for each condition.
Within-subjects design: Same group for all conditions.

Step-by-Step Guidance

Recall how participants are assigned in each design.
Think about the advantages and disadvantages of each design.
Write a brief definition for each.

Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!

Final Answer:

In a between-subjects design, different groups of participants are used for each condition. In a within-subjects design, the same group of participants experiences all conditions.

Q8. What is a correlation coefficient? What kind of information is available from the correlation coefficient?

Background

Topic: Correlational Studies

This question tests your understanding of how relationships between variables are measured statistically.

Key Terms:

Correlation coefficient: Statistical measure of relationship.
Direction: Positive or negative relationship.
Strength: How strong the relationship is.

Step-by-Step Guidance

Recall what a correlation coefficient represents.
Think about how the sign and absolute value of the coefficient provide information.
Write a brief explanation of what you can learn from the coefficient.

Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!

Final Answer:

A correlation coefficient tells you the direction (positive or negative) and strength (absolute value) of the relationship between two variables.

Q9. Name and describe the three measures of central tendency.

Background

Topic: Descriptive Statistics

This question tests your understanding of how data is summarized in psychology.

Key Terms:

Mean: Average score.
Median: Middle score.
Mode: Most frequent score.

Step-by-Step Guidance

Recall how each measure is calculated.
Think about what each measure tells you about a dataset.
Write a brief definition for each.

Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!

Final Answer:

Mean: The average score, calculated by adding all scores and dividing by the number of participants.
Median: The middle score, with half above and half below.
Mode: The most frequent score in the dataset.

Q10. Define reliability and validity. Explain the relationship between them.

Background

Topic: Measurement in Psychology

This question tests your understanding of how psychological measures are evaluated.

Key Terms:

Reliability: Consistency of a measure.
Validity: Accuracy of a measure.

Step-by-Step Guidance

Recall what reliability and validity mean.
Think about how a measure can be reliable but not valid.
Write a brief explanation of their relationship.

Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!

Final Answer:

Reliability is the consistency of a measure. Validity is the extent to which a measure assesses what it is meant to measure. A test must be reliable to be valid, but a reliable test can still be invalid.