Chapter 1 Study Guide: What is Psychology?
Vocabulary
Test Date: _______________
You will TURN IN your Vocabulary Log on the day of the test. It is a graded assignment.

psychology

biological perspective

learning perspective

cognitive perspective

sociocultural perspective

psychodynamic perspective

case study

observational study

test

survey

representative sample
Big Ideas

Know the difference between psychology and common sense (pg. 4-5).

Know why drawing a conclusion about behavior from a collection of anecdotes is problematic in
psychology (pg. 15-16).

Know the definitions of the 5 perspectives AND be able to apply them to everyday situations (for
example, how would each of the 5 perspectives explain anxiety or aggression?) (pg. 7-8).

Know the definitions of the 5 descriptive methods AND be able to apply them to everyday
situations (for example, which methods are most appropriate for studying a particular topic?)
(pg. 17-21).

Know why psychologists often observe people in laboratories instead of everyday situations (pg.
18-19).

Know why you should be skeptical about psychological tests in newspapers and magazines (pg.
19-20).