Question 1

What is the basic goal for the approach of positive psychology?

Accepted Answer

The basic goal of positive psychology is to understand the positive aspects of human behavior and experience, such as happiness, well-being, and resilience. It seeks to focus on people's strengths and promote positive emotions and behaviors, rather than solely addressing weaknesses and problems. A, B, and C may be potential goals or outcomes of positive psychology, but they are not the central aim of the approach.

Question 2

Which of the following areas of research in psychology is concerned with understanding the role of the endocrine system in the regulation of behaviour?

Accepted Answer

Physiological psychology is concerned with understanding the biological bases of behavior, including the role of the endocrine system in regulating behavior through the release of hormones.

Question 3

Which of the following is one of the main areas of interest for positive psychologists?

Accepted Answer

Positive psychologists are primarily interested in studying situations and factors that facilitate health and well-being, as well as ways to enhance happiness and life satisfaction. Topics such as acquiring wealth and making first impressions are not considered central to the field of positive psychology. The study of symptoms of mania is generally within the realm of clinical psychology or psychiatry, and is not specifically associated with positive psychology.

Question 4

Which of the following is likely to be of most interest to a developmental psychologist?

Accepted Answer

Developmental psychologists are interested in how children grow, learn and develop over time. The effects of being raised in a single-parent home can have a significant impact on a child's development, including factors like emotional development, social skills, and academic achievement. Therefore, it is likely to be of most interest to a developmental psychologist.

Question 5

What is one of the key changes that has occurred in psychology over the past few decades?

Accepted Answer

The number of psychologists working in colleges and universities has decreased as more opportunities have arisen in applied settings, such as healthcare and private practice.

Question 6

Which of the following questions would a social psychologist be most likely to ask?

Accepted Answer

Social psychology focuses on understanding how individuals interact with and influence one another. The question "Why do we like some people and not others?" is a central theme in social psychology as it deals with social perception and attitudes. The other questions are more likely to be studied by personality psychology (A), educational psychology (C), and clinical psychology (D).

Question 7

How might the term "experimental psychologist" be somewhat misleading?

Accepted Answer

The term "experimental psychologist" suggests that their research is unique in being informed by experiments, when in reality, experiments are commonly used in other areas of psychology as well.

Question 8

What area of psychology would a psychologist most likely specialize in who is interested in the psychological effect of aging?

Accepted Answer

The study of aging falls under the purview of developmental psychology, which focuses on studying changes that occur across the lifespan from birth until death. This includes physical, psychological, and social changes that occur as an individual ages.

Question 9

Seligman believed that psychology was too focused on negative aspects of human behaviour, including pathology, weakness, damage, and suffering. Which new perspective within psychology did this inspire him to initiate?

Accepted Answer

Seligman's belief inspired him to initiate the new perspective of positive psychology, which focuses on studying positive aspects of human behaviour such as well-being, happiness, flourishing, and strengths.

Question 10

Phillip is a graduate student whose major area of interest is physiological psychology. What would Phillip be most interested in?

Accepted Answer

Physiological psychology is the study of how physical or genetic factors influence and determine behavior at a biological level such as hormones, neurotransmitters, and brain activity.

Question 11

What type of psychologist studies information processing and decision making?

Accepted Answer

Cognitive psychologists study mental processes such as perception, attention, memory, and decision-making. They are interested in how information is processed and how people make decisions based on that information.

Question 12

Likely what kind of psychologist is someone whose major interest focuses on how behaviour changes as a function of age?

Accepted Answer

The major interest of a developmental psychologist is to understand how behavior changes over the lifespan and how individuals develop intellectually, socially, and emotionally as they age. They look at the changes that occur from infancy through late adulthood. Therefore, a developmental psychologist would be the best choice for someone interested in how behavior changes as a function of age.

Question 13

What is psychology, according to the definition that appears in your text?

Accepted Answer

According to the text, psychology is defined as both a science and a profession. This means that it is both an academic discipline that follows scientific methods and a field where practitioners apply this knowledge to help individuals with various issues. Therefore, option B is the best choice.

Question 14

Which of the following is a criticism of the recent positive psychology approach?

Accepted Answer

The criticism that dividing human experience into "positive" and "negative" is oversimplified is valid because it fails to take into account the complexity of human emotions and experiences. Additionally, it overlooks the fact that negative experiences and emotions can often lead to growth and development.

Question 15

Chiwe is a graduate student whose major area of interest is social psychology. In which of the following would you expect that Chiwe is most interested?

Accepted Answer

Social psychology is the study of how people interact with one another and how they are influenced by their social environment. Choice A is the only option that directly relates to this area of study.

Question 16

Which of the following areas is considered an experimental area of psychology?

Accepted Answer

Perception is an experimental area of psychology as it involves studying how individuals perceive and interpret sensory information. This area often involves conducting experiments to better understand how perception works. Clinical, organizational, and education areas can also involve experimental research, but they are not exclusively experimental areas of psychology.

Question 17

What would be of greatest interest to a cognitive psychologist?

Accepted Answer

Information processing is the study of how people acquire, store, retrieve, and use information. This is a major field of study within cognitive psychology, and would likely be of greatest interest to a cognitive psychologist. Adolescent identity crisis, behavior in small groups, and interpersonal attraction are all areas of psychology that may be of interest to cognitive psychologists, but they are not the primary focus of the field.

Question 18

Dr. Andrus studies the factors that predict good sleep habits and the ability to relax. She believes that both sleep and relaxation are key to living a balanced life, as well as being happy and productive. Which psychological approach does Dr. Andrus appear to take?

Accepted Answer

Dr. Andrus's focus on the relationship between sleep, relaxation, and overall well-being suggests a positive psychology approach, which emphasizes promoting positive experiences and emotions to enhance mental health and well-being.

Question 19

Which of the following would a physiological psychologist be most likely to ask?

Accepted Answer

Physiological psychologists study the relationship between the brain and behavior, including the effects of hormones on behavior. Therefore, option B is the most relevant question for a physiological psychologist.

Question 20

Dr. Evoy does research that has examined the behaviour of individuals when they are in groups, as well as when they are alone. She has found that people tend to conform to the opinion of a dominant person within a group, and that this conforming behaviour is much different than the behaviour that would occur if the individual were alone. Based on this information, which sort of psychologist do you think Dr. Evoy is?

Accepted Answer

Dr. Evoy's research on how individuals behave within a group suggests that she is a social psychologist, as this is a key area of study within that field. Social psychology focuses on how individuals are influenced by their social environment, including how they interact with others and how they are affected by group dynamics.

Quiz 1: A: The Evolution of Psychology