Exam 1 Objectives / review
Chapter 1: Mind, Behavior, and Science
 Explain why psychology is a science.
 Name specialties in which psychologists are employed.
 Give a brief "timeline" for the history of psychology and identify the major historical figures in the
history of psychology.
 Discuss how the seven different perspectives of psychology explain behavior.
 Differentiate psychology as a science from pseudoscientific and non-scientific ideas that are
sometimes mistaken for psychological concepts.
 Name the five steps of the scientific method and describe how they are used in the processes of
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psychological investigation and discovery.
Describe the most common types of research design used in psychology.
Identify the elements of an experimental study.
Discuss the major ethical concerns a researcher must address.
Define bias and list the most common sources of bias in psychological research.
Chapter 2: Bio-Psychology
 Define the term neuroscience.
 Describe the role of evolutionary theory in psychology.
 Describe the fundamental components of genetic processes including DNA, genes and
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chromosomes.
Describe the overall structure and components of the nervous system.
Describe the essential anatomy of a neuron.
Describe the communication pathways in the brain.
Identify methods of studying the brain.
Name the important anatomical structures of the brain and identify their specific functions.
Discuss how the two hemispheres of the brain work together.
Explain how the endocrine and nervous systems interact.
Describe the influence of hormones on behavior.
Chapter 5: Sensation and Perception
 Define and distinguish between the terms sensation and perception.
 Describe the anatomy of vision and hearing.
 Define and discuss basic concepts from classical psychophysics and describe the significance of
these concepts in everyday psychological functioning.
 Name the seven senses and describe their basic anatomy and functioning.
 Describe how humans make perceptual judgments and what influences can cause these
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judgments to be inaccurate.
Explain the concept of sensory adaptation and its importance for humans.
Distinguish between bottom-up and top-down processing.
Describe what we can learn about sensation and perceptions from examining illusions.
Identify and discuss the major theoretical explanations of perception.
Define perceptual set and discuss its significance in understanding human behavior and
experience.