Introduction to Psychology

University of Phoenix Material

Introduction to Psychology Worksheet

Complete each part with 100- to 200-word responses. The word count for individual questions may vary but your responses should total 500- to 800-words for the entire worksheet.

Part I: Origins of Psychology

Within the discipline of psychology, there are several perspectives used to describe, predict, and explain human behavior. Describe three major psychological perspectives and name at least one leading theorist for each.

• Psychodynamic Perspective is the study of early life and unconscious influences explaining a persons certain behavior and psychological issues in the individual’s life. One leading theorist is Sigmund Freud.
• Behavioral Perspective is the changes in an individual’s behavior and adaption to environmental effects. It is the study of how animals, most importantly, have changed through time to adapt to living conditions. One leading theorist is John Watson
• Humanistic Perspective is the influence of previous relationships telling an individual to make certain decisions and leading the individual’s life to a distinct path. One leading theorist is Carl Rogers.

Part II: Research Methods

Provide a brief overview of some of the research methods used by psychologists. Include strengths and weaknesses of each method discussed.

• Naturalistic Observation – Strengths include reporting nature emotions and movements from better research. Weaknesses include researchers not having the answer for a lack of not having participation but witnessing and documenting the observation.
• Case Study – Strengths include understanding the medical record perspective to enhance actions, doctor notes, and clinical trials. Weaknesses include not witnessing firsthand the patients’ intentions or behavioral under surveillance.
• Surveys – Strengths include a participant will be documented in a group questionnaire structure varied with different or similar relations to the others. Weaknesses include the answers from the participants will be false or adjusted cause miscalculations.

Part III: Ethics in Research

Describe two ethical issues related to research. Why is informed consent necessary for ethical research?

• Two ethical issues related to research include one using young children in an experiment that seems torturous to any of the child’s functions and without consent of child’s parental. Another includes falsifying documentation on experiments to make the research more reliable or seem more interesting making it considerable with further research.
• Informed Consent is required for ethical research to provide the participant with the knowledge of the experiment and the terms of the experiment being perform. The participant must be able to dismiss the experiment at any time, must have permission to obtain information of the experience, and researchers must debrief about the experiment.

Part IV: The Brain and Mind

Identify three major structures of the brain and their respective functions in the human body.

• Functional plasticity enables the brain to send out an alert throughout the brain that communicates which certain movements can be performed due to a damaged area and movements capable in the undamaged.

• Structural plasticity allows to brain to change the outward appearance of the body to adjust to the learning new things, environment, and constant exercise.
• Neurogenesis has the ability to create new neurons and give the brain new information to save a memory. The brain is capable of producing new neurons to help the brain stay active and plays a huge part in adapting to environmental changes.

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