Psychology Basics
What is the primary focus of psychology?
The scientific study of behavior and mental processes.
What type of research design involves manipulating one variable to see its effect on another?
Experimental research.
What measure of central tendency represents the most frequently occurring value in a dataset?
Mode.
Who is considered the "father of psychology" for establishing the first psychological laboratory?
Wilhelm Wundt.
What measure of central tendency is most affected by outliers?
Mean.
Which perspective in psychology emphasizes the role of the unconscious mind?
Psychoanalytic perspective.
What research method is used to describe behavior without manipulating variables?
Descriptive research.
What is the range of a dataset?
The difference between the highest and lowest values.
Which psychologist is known for his work in classical conditioning?
Ivan Pavlov.
What is the term for the average of the squared differences from the mean?
Variance.
Name the two main types of variables in an experiment.
Independent variable (IV) and dependent variable (DV).
What is a major disadvantage of correlational research?
It cannot establish causation or determine the direction of relationships between variables.
What does a p-value indicate in hypothesis testing?
The probability that the observed results occurred by chance if the null hypothesis is true.
Which psychologist developed the theory of cognitive development in children?
Jean Piaget.
How is the median different from the mean in a skewed distribution?
The median is less affected by outliers and skewed data compared to the mean.
What is the main difference between structuralism and functionalism?
Structuralism focuses on breaking down mental processes into basic components, while functionalism examines how mental processes help individuals adapt to their environment.
What is the purpose of using a control group in an experiment?
To provide a baseline for comparison and control for extraneous variables.
How is standard deviation different from variance?
Standard deviation is the square root of variance, providing a measure of the dispersion of data in the same units as the mean.
Who is known for creating the hierarchy of needs in humanistic psychology?
Abraham Maslow.
What is the purpose of using descriptive statistics in research?
To summarize and describe the basic features of a dataset, making it easier to understand and interpret.
Which psychological perspective would be most concerned with how social interactions impact behavior?
Sociocultural perspective.
What is a double-blind study, and why is it used?
A study where both the participants and researchers are unaware of who is receiving the treatment or control; it helps prevent bias.
Explain the concept of a confidence interval.
A range of values within which we can be confident that a population parameter lies, with a certain level of confidence.
Which psychologist is famous for his theory of operant conditioning?
B.F. Skinner.
How would you explain the concept of a "z-score"?
A z-score measures how many standard deviations a data point is from the mean, indicating its relative position within a distribution.