AP Psych: Ch.1Q1

In the definition of psychology, mental means:

• internal, covert processes

• unconscious processes

• outward or overt actions and reactions

• only human behavior

Answer explanation

There are many layers of the mental world. Behaviorists would only look at overt or behavior that can be observed. Psychoanalists(Freudians) would look at the influences in your life that are causing you to act or think a specific way and these may be unconscious, subconscious or conscious mental processes. We will learn more as we go through the course.

Which early psychologist was the first to try and bring objectivity and measurement to the concept of psychology?

• Wilhelm Wundt

• John Watson

• William James

• Sigmund Freud

Answer explanation

Wilhelm Wundt opened the Institute for Experimental Psychology at the University of Leipzig in Germany in 1879.  This was the first laboratory dedicated to psychology, and its opening is usually thought of as the beginning of modern psychology. Indeed, Wundt is often regarded as the father of psychology.

Wundt was important because he separated psychology from philosophy by analyzing the workings of the mind in a more structured way, with the emphasis being on objective measurement and control.

Which of the following early psychologists would have been most likely to agree with the statement, “The study of the mind should focus on how it functions in everyday life”?

• Wilhelm Wundt

• William James

• John Watson

• Sigmund Freud

Answer explanation

William James (1842 – 1910) was a leading figure in both psychology and philosophy at the turn of the 19th century, whose contributions laid the groundwork for many modern philosophers and behavioral psychologists.

James’ two main schools of thought: pragmatism and functionalism shape his theories on the world and his mission to seek out both the practical value and function of behaviors.

According to pragmatism, the truth of an idea can never be proven. James proposed we instead focus on what he called the "cash value," or usefulness, of an idea.

According to functionalism, mental activity (e.g. perception, memory, feeling) is to be evaluated in terms of how it serves the organism in adapting to its environment.

James also made notable contributions beyond pragmatism and functionalism, namely the James-Lange theory of emotion and the theory of self.

In addition to being a theorist and publishing many books, James was also a highly-esteemed professor at Harvard University and was the first to teach a psychology course in the United States.

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Who was the first woman to complete the coursework for a doctorate at Harvard University?

• Mary Whiton Calkins

• Mary Cover Jones

• Margaret Washburn

• Ruth Howard

Answer explanation

Margaret Floy Washburn was the first woman to earn a doctoral degree in American psychology (1894) and the second woman, after Mary Whiton Calkins, to serve as APA President. Ironically, Calkins earned her doctorate at Harvard in 1894, but the university trustees refused to grant her the degree.

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Which early perspective tried to return to a focus on scientific inquiry by ignoring the study of consciousness?

• behaviorism

• functionalism

• psychoanalysis

• Gestalt

Answer explanation

Behaviorism is a systematic approach to understanding the behavior of humans and animals. It assumes that behavior is either a reflex evoked by the pairing of certain antecedent stimuli in the environment, or a consequence of that individual's history, including especially reinforcement and punishment contingencies, together with the individual's current motivational state and controlling stimuli. Although behaviorists generally accept the important role of heredity in determining behavior, they focus primarily on environmental events.