Introduction to Psychology and Research Methods Part 1
Introduction and Objectives
Introduction
How do we perceive color? How do the brains of
men and women differ? These are some of the
fascinating topics studied by psychologists.
In the first half of Chapter 1, Introduction and
Research Methods, we will learn how
psychologists approach these topics.
We will study the history of psychology, how the
science of psychology began as a field of study,
and the disciplines that have influenced it.
We will review the founders of psychology and
Wilhelm Wundt, the founder of Psychology
important early figures, such as Sigmund Freud,
Ivan Pavlov, John Watson and Carl Rogers.
Chapter 1 also describes contemporary psychology, with discussions of modern perspectives,
such as biological, behavioral, humanistic and cognitive.
Specialty areas of psychology, such as clinical, forensic, health, and biological will also be
explored.
For information on careers in psychology, visit the Careers page on the American
Psychological Association web site. Check out the Specialty Areas in Psychology and
employment opportunities in those areas.
Objectives
After completing the learning activities for this topic, you will be able to:

Define psychology.

Identify the two disciplines that were most influential in the development of psychology.

Identify the founder of psychology and the event that marks the beginning of psychology
as a science.

Describe the following early schools of psychological thought: Structuralism,
Functionalism, Psychoanalysis, Behaviorism, and Humanistic Psychology.

Describe the following contemporary psychological perspectives: Biological,
Psychodynamic, Behavioral, Humanistic, Positive, Cognitive, Cross-cultural, and
Evolutionary Psychology.

Identify important specialty areas in psychology, such as counseling, health, forensic,
industrial/organizational, personality, and social psychology.
Activity Checklist
To meet the learning objectives for this topic, you will complete these activities. Print this page
and use it as a checklist.

Review the Introduction and Objectives page.

Read pages 1-15 of Chapter One - Introduction and Research Methods in your textbook.

Complete the assignments on the Learning Activities page.

Complete the Interactive Lesson: Specialty Areas if Psychology

Start working on your Quiz One Study Guide.

Complete the assignment: PsychSim 5 Reflection Questions - Psychology Timeline
Learning Activities
Visit the American Psychological Association (APA) web site and
review the information on careers in psychology.
Watch this video on Nature vs Nurture: Twins: Nature or Nurture?
Interactive Lesson: Speciality Areas in Psychology
For this assignment, you will read a flipbook presentation that
contains descriptions and photos of specialty areas in
psychology.
For each photo and description, determine which specialty area
of psychology it demonstrates, and select your answer from the
choices.
Open the flipbook on Specialty Areas of Psychology.
Quiz One Study Guide
Please note: When you take the quiz, you will be given 30 random questions from the test
bank, so your test may not contain all of the topics covered in this study guide. However, you
should know all of the topics in this study guide. Also, you should be able to recognize examples
of the concepts listed on the study guide below, as many of the test questions involve the
application of course material.
Use these questions to study for Quiz One.
Chapter One
1. Define the term Psychology
2. Identify the contributions of Wilhelm Wundt to the field of Psychology.
3. Identify the founder of Psychoanalysis.
4. Identify the fields that contributed to the development of psychology.
5. Identify the founder of behaviorism.
6. Identify the people associated with the development of humanistic psychology.
7. Discuss the basic principles of humanistic psychology. Describe the factors this discipline
emphasizes as important to understanding behavior.
8. Explain the principles of the psychodynamic perspective and how it explains behavior.
9. Describe the focus of the cognitive perspective and how thoughts influence behavior and
emotions.
10. Discuss the focus of the biological perspective and the techniques used to understand the
functions and structures of the brain.
11. Describe the field of cross cultural psychology.
12. Discuss the fields of forensic and industrial organizational psychology and identify the
topics studied by this area of psychology.
13. Identify the steps in the scientific method.
14. Identify the various descriptive research methods and discuss their goals and techniques.
15. Identify the goals of the experimental research method.
16. Describe what is meant by a double blind study.
17. Explain why a control group is necessary in experimental research.
18. Describe correlational research and identify its limitations.
19. Describe the concept of informed consent.
Chapter Two
1. Define "neuron" and describe its parts and functions.
2. Describe the process of the action potential.
3. Discuss the lock and key concept of how a neurotransmitter fits into a post synaptic
neuron.
4. Describe the functions of the following neurotransmitters: acetylcholine, dopamine,
serotonin, and GABA. Identify psychological disorders associated with these
neurotransmitters.
5. Describe the effects of antidepressants on the neurotransmitter serotonin.
6. Describe the subsystems and functions of the autonomic nervous system.
7. Describe the functions of the cerebellum, reticular formation, midbrain, temporal lobe,
occipital lobe, parietal lobe, hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus.
8. Identify the disorder associated with the degeneration of the myelin sheath.
Assignment: PsychSim 5 Reflection Questions - Psychology
Timeline
Instructions
Complete the PsychSim 5 Reflection Questions Assignment:
1. Read the PsychSim 5 Assignment Psychology Timeline on the publisher's companion site.
2. Type complete, comprehensive answers to all three Reflection Questions (listed below) in a
word processor file such as Word or Notepad. You must answer all three parts. The required
length for the answers is one page, including all three answers.
Please do not submit your answers to the publisher's companion site. Refer to How Grades are
Determined for detailed information.
Psychology Timeline Reflection Questions:
1. What year did psychology became a science? Identify the two disciplines from which psychology
gets its foundation. Describe the contributions of Wilhelm Wundt and Stanley Hall to the field of
psychology.
2. After completing the pioneers of psychology timeline, how many pioneers did you correctly
match to their accomplishments’? Discuss the limitations of the process of introspection.
Describe some of the 20th century contributions to the field of psychology that moved it from
the process of introspection to a more objective approach.
3. Describe how after the 1960’s the field of psychology returned to the study of mental processes.
After completing the twentieth century psychology timeline, how many individuals were you
able to match with their contributions to the field of psychology
Introduction to Psychology and Research Methods Part 2
Introduction and Objectives
Introduction
What methods do psychologists use to study
psychological topics? What role does ethics play
in psychological research?
In the second half of Chapter 1, Introduction
and Research Methods, we will learn about
the scientific study of behavior and mental
processes. We will examine the important topic
of psychological research. Throughout the
semester, you will be presented with the results
of psychological research. Chapter 1 provides us
with the necessary background information to
become critical consumers of psychological
research.
Stanely Milgram's study on Obedience to
Authority was controversial and led to the
You will learn about the scientific method that
APA developing guidelines to protect the
guides psychologists as they conduct their
rights of experimental subjects.
investigations.
We will also examine descriptive and experimental research methods and the ethics of
conducting psychological research.
Objectives
After completing the learning activities for this topic, you will be able to:

List the four goals of psychological research.

Discuss the four steps in the scientific method.

Identify descriptive research methods such as naturalistic observations, surveys, and
correlational studies.

Describe the purposes and limitations of descriptive research methods.

Discuss experimental research, its purpose and its limitations.

Identify ethical principles and the importance of ethics in psychological research.
Activities Checklist
To meet the learning objectives for this topic, you will complete these activities. Print this page
and use it as a checklist.

Review the Introduction and Objectives page.

Read pages 16-39 of Chapter One - Introduction and Research Methods in your textbook.

Complete the assignments on the Learning Activities page.

Complete the assignment: PsychSim 5 Reflection Questions - What's Wrong with this
Study?
Learning Activities
Printer-friendly version
Watch the videos linked below on Ethics in Psychological Research. This video, in three parts, is a
video of the controversial Psychological research performed by Stanley Milgram. Due to the
debate generated by this study, the American Psychological Association later developed
guidelines to protect the rights of experimental subjects. The ethical guidelines developed by the
APA are covered in Chapter 1 of your textbook.

Migram's Obediance to Authority Experiment 2009 1/3

Migram's Obediance to Authority Experiment 2009 2/3

Migram's Obediance to Authority Experiment 2009 3/3
Assignment: PsychSim 5 Reflection Questions - What's
Wrong with This Study?
Instructions
Complete the PsychSim 5 Reflection Question Assignment:
1. Read the PsychSim 5 Assignment: What's Wrong With this Study? on the publisher's companion
site.
2. Type complete, comprehensive answers to all three Reflection Questions below in a word
processor file such as Word or Notepad. The required length for the answers is one page,
including all three answers.

What's Wrong with this Study? Reflection Questions:
1. Discuss some of the most common design or interpretation flaws found in psychological
research.
2. Discuss how researchers can design studies to prevent the flaws you have identified in question
one.
3. What is the benefit of conducting an experiment rather than using a different type of study?