Introductory psychologyLesson 1 of 2 in the course Introduction to Psychology

Psychology’s Scientific Foundations and the Value of Studying It

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

Psychology investigates questions about the mind and behavior, from how people think to why they act as they do. This lesson introduces psychology’s scientific approach and explains how researchers develop and test ideas.

Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behavior. Its questions include how people experience consciousness, how prejudice develops, and what influences creativity. The field examines both internal processes—such as thoughts and feelings—and observable actions.

All flashcards

What does psychology study?
Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behavior, including internal processes and observable actions.
What is a hypothesis?
A hypothesis is a tentative explanation of a phenomenon that can be tested through observation or research.
What is a scientific theory?
A scientific theory is a broad explanation, or group of explanations, consistently supported by evidence over time. It is the best-supported understanding currently available.
What does empirical mean?
Empirical means based on observation and evidence that can be examined or measured, rather than relying only on logic or authority.
Why is psychology both a natural and social science?
Behavior has biological roots, connecting psychology to natural science, and interactions with other people shape behavior, connecting it to social science.

Quiz questions

  1. What is psychology?Answer: The scientific study of the mind and behavior.
  2. What is a hypothesis in psychological research?Answer: A tentative explanation of a phenomenon that can be tested.
  3. Why do researchers share their findings with other researchers?Answer: So others can scrutinize the findings, replicate them, or build on the work.
  4. Why is the claim that a bird sings because it is happy difficult to test scientifically as stated?Answer: The bird’s happiness is not directly measurable in the stated claim.
  5. A researcher measures whether participants remember more words after categorizing them. What makes this an empirical approach?Answer: The researcher tests the idea using observation and measurable results.

Based on Psychology 2e by Rose M. Spielman, William J. Jenkins, Marilyn D. Lovett (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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