C180 Introduction to Psychology Study Guide

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Competency 138.1.1: Research in Psychology

The graduate analyzes how the scientific method is used in psychology.

Topic: The Story of Psychology

Describe the functions of psychological science.

Topic: Psychological Research

Explain how the scientific method is applied to psychological research.
What is a hypothesis, and what is its relationship to theory?
What is the difference between an independent and dependent variable, and how
are they measured in general terms?
What is the relationship between population and sample?

Identify various research methods in the field of psychology.

What constitutes an experiment?

How is it different than a correlational study?

Identify the appropriate interpretations of psychological research design.

What is the difference in interpretations of correlational and experimental
designs?

Describe the functions of psychological science.

Explain the need for ethical guidelines within psychological research.

What are some requirements of ethical research?

Competency 138.1.2: Neurobiology

The graduate analyzes the role and function of the brain, nervous system, and endocrine
system in human psychology.

Topic: Biology of Mind

Identify the major functions and structures in the brain.

Cerebellum
Hypothalamus

Thalamus
Corpus callosum
Hippocampus
What are the four lobes of the brain and their major functions?

Identify the components and processes of neurons.

What are neurotransmitters?
Where are they released from and travel across?
List some neurotransmitters
What are the three parts of a neuron and their respective roles in neural
communication?
What is the myelin sheath, where is it, and what is its function?

Identify the components and functions of the endocrine system.

Pancreas
Testes
Ovaries
Pituitary gland

Topic: Science of Senses

Differentiate between sensation and perception.

What is the difference between sensation and perception?

Define absolute threshold
What is subliminal messaging, and how effective is it?

Identify factors that can influence the accuracy of human perception/sensation.

What is top-down perception?

What is inattentional blindness?

Topic: States of Consciousness

Identify the characteristics of each phase of a normal sleep cycle.

What are some features of REM sleep?

What are some features of NREM sleep?

Describe how people can alter consciousness and attention.

What is the difference between drug tolerance and dependence?

Analyze the consequences of altering consciousness and attention in a given

situation.

Competency 138.1.3: Stages of Development

The graduate examines key developmental milestones across the lifespan.

Topic: Prenatal and Newborn Development

Identify the key physical developments of prenatal and newborn development.

When is the zygotic stage in prenatal development?

When is the embryonic stage in prenatal development?

When is the fetal stage in prenatal development?

Identify the key cognitive developments of prenatal and newborn development.

Define and the give estimated age for developing object permanence?
What and when is the first stage in Piagets theory of cognitive development?

Identify the key social developments of prenatal and newborn development.

What and when is the first stage is Eriksons theory of psychosocial
development?

Topic: Infancy and Childhood Development

Identify the key physical developments of infancy and childhood.
Identify the key cognitive developments of infancy and childhood.

What and when is the second stage in Piagets theory of cognitive development?
What and when is the third stage in Piagets theory of cognitive development?

Identify the key social developments of infancy and childhood.

Explain attachment.
Identify and describe the second stage of Eriksons theory of psychosocial
development?
Identify and describe the third stage of Eriksons theory of psychosocial
development?
Identify and describe the fourth stage of Eriksons theory of psychosocial
development?

Topic: Adolescent Development

Identify the key physical developments of adolescence.

Distinguish primary and secondary sex characteristics.

Identify the key cognitive developments of adolescence.

What and when is the fourth stage in Piagets theory of cognitive development?
Explain Kohlbergs theory and how it relates to Piagets.

Identify the key social developments of adolescence.

How do parents and peers influence change during adolescence?
Identify and describe the fifth stage of Eriksons theory of psychosocial
development?

Topic: Adulthood and Aging

Identify the key physical developments of adulthood.

What are the effects of aging on immune function?

Identify the key cognitive developments of adulthood.

What happens to memory during adulthood?

Identify the key social developments of adulthood.

Identify and describe the sixth stage of Eriksons theory of psychosocial
development?
Identify and describe the seventh stage of Eriksons theory of psychosocial
development?
Identify and describe the eighth stage of Eriksons theory of psychosocial
development?

Competency 138.1.4: Social Cognition

The graduate examines the processes of social cognition and their effects on social interactions.

Topic: Social Thinking

Differentiate dispositional attribution and situational attribution.

Describe the Fundamental Attribution Error.

Differentiate between attribution and cognitive dissonance.

Describe cognitive dissonance, and provide an example.

Topic: Social Influences and Relations

Identify conditions that strengthen or weaken conformity and obedience.

What factors in Milgrams experiments influenced obedience?

Identify key aspects of group dynamics.

Describe social facilitation.

Describe ingroup bias.
Describe group polarization.
Describe groupthink.

Identify key aspects of prejudice, aggression, and conflict.

Describe the frustration-aggression hypothesis.

Describe relative deprivation.

Identify key aspects of attraction and altruism.

Describe Hatfields theory of love.

Competency 138.1.5: Behaviorism and Learning Theories

The graduate examines the relationships among classical, operant, and observational learning
theories.

Topic: Classical Conditioning

Identify the conditioned and unconditioned stimuli and response in classical
conditioning.

Provide an example that includes both.

Distinguish the condition and unconditioned response.

Identify the roles of extinction, generalization, and discrimination in conditioned

learning.

Provide an example of extinction.

Provide an example of generalization.

Analyze how Pavlovs early work in classical conditioning influenced the

understanding of theories of learned behavior for a given situation.

Provide an example.

Topic: Operant Conditioning

Examine the type of operant conditioning for a given situation.

Provide an example relevant to your work.

Examine the type of reinforcement schedule for a given situation.

Provide an example for

Fixed interval
Variable interval
Fixed ratio
Variable ratio

Differentiate between primary and secondary/conditioned reinforcers.

Provide an example of each.

Analyze the difference between positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement,

and punishment in a given situation.

Provide an example of each.

Topic: Learning by Observation

Compare and contrast observational learning and theoretical learning.

Provide an example

Identify the different types of operant conditioning reinforcement.

Competency 138.1.6: Intelligence and Memory

The graduate examines the relationships between intelligence and memory.

Topic: Memory
Differentiate between encoding, storage, and retrieval in memory.

What is the correct order?

Explain the capacities and functions of short-term memory.

What is the difference between short-term and working memory?

See also 8-6 for capacity and summarize.

Explain the difference between implicit and explicit memory.

What makes a memory explicit, and what is the nature of its processing?
What makes a memory implicit, and what is the nature of its processing?

Identify the variables that influence the accuracy of memories.

Define and provide an example of chunking.

What is the spacing effect and testing effect and their implications for studying?
What are flashbulb memories?
Provide an example of context-dependent memory.
Provide an example of state-dependent memory.
What is the serial position effect?
Contrast anterograde and retrograde amnesia.
Contrast proactive and retroactive interference.

Topic: Intelligence
Compare and contrast achievement and intelligence.

Provide examples of both.

Describe how validity and reliability are related to measuring intelligence.

Contrast validity and reliability.

Describe biological and environmental influences in the development of

intelligence in a given situation.
How heritable is intelligence?
What is a major environmental/sociological factor that influences the
development of intelligence?
What is the effect of Project Head Start

Describe how intelligence and stability change over the lifespan.

time.

Define and contrast crystallized and fluid intelligence and how they change over

Competency 138.1.7: Emotion, Motivation, and Personality

The graduate examines the significant characteristics of major theories of emotion, motivation,
and personality.

Topic: Emotion
Identify the major theories of emotion. (Briefly define and contrast the following.)

James-Lange
Cannon-Bard
Schachter-Singer
Zajonc-LeDoux

Identify ways that emotion is communicated.

Summarize findings on facial expression and emotion.

Identify the primary features of the bodys physiological responses to stress.

What are the phases of the General Adaptation Syndrome?

Differentiate between short term stress and chronic stress.

What are the immune effects of chronic stress?

Topic: Motivation
Identify the biological and psychological factors that underlie the primary human
motivations.

Give an example of each level of Maslows hierarchy of needs.

Identify characteristics of professional motivation.

Define flow in the context of work.

What factors inhibit flow?

Topic: Personality
Identify personality schools of thought.

Define each of the Big Five.

What are some shortcoming of Freuds theory of personality?

Competency 138.1.8: Psychological Disorders

The graduate examines the principle causes, prevalence, and basic treatments of psychological
disorders.

Topic: Disorders
Identify the various categories of psychological disorders.
Differentiate normal function and diagnosed disorders in a given situation.
Identify classifications of anxiety disorders.

Describe obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Distinguish panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder.

Identify classifications of mood disorders.

Describe major depressive disorder.

Identify classifications of personality disorders.

Distinguish histrionic personality disorder and narcissistic personality disorder.

Topic: Treatment of Disorders

Describe the principle features of psychodynamic, humanistic, behavioral, and
cognitive approaches to therapy.

Describe the goal of Carl Rogers person-centered therapy.

Describe how Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is used to treat and reduce
psychological disorders.

What are some techniques used in CBT?

Define the process of various treatment methods.

What neurotransmitter is targeted by common antidepressants, such as Prozac
or Zoloft, target?