A History of Modern Psychology Practice Exam

A History of Modern Psychology Practice Exam

Covering foundational topics, key figures, movements, and concepts in psychology.

Q: What is modern psychology?
A: Modern psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes, emerging as a distinct discipline in the late 19th century.
Q: Who is considered the father of modern psychology?
A: Wilhelm Wundt, who established the first psychology laboratory in 1879 in Leipzig, Germany.
Q: What is structuralism?
A: An early school of psychology focused on analyzing the structure of the mind through introspection, founded by Edward Titchener.
Q: What is functionalism?
A: A school of psychology that emphasized the purpose of consciousness and behavior, influenced by William James.
Q: What is the significance of William James’s book The Principles of Psychology?
A: It laid the foundation for functionalism and modern psychological thought.

Q: What did Sigmund Freud contribute to psychology?
A: Freud founded psychoanalysis, emphasizing the role of unconscious processes in human behavior.
Q: What is Carl Jung known for?
A: Developing analytical psychology and introducing concepts like archetypes and the collective unconscious.
Q: What was Ivan Pavlov’s major contribution to psychology?
A: His research on classical conditioning, demonstrating how stimuli can be associated with reflexive responses.
Q: Who is John B. Watson, and what did he contribute?
A: Watson was a pioneer of behaviorism, emphasizing observable behavior over introspection.
Q: What is B.F. Skinner known for?
A: Advancing operant conditioning and the study of reinforcement in behavior.

Q: What is Gestalt psychology?
A: A movement emphasizing the perception of whole forms and patterns, founded by Max Wertheimer, Wolfgang Köhler, and Kurt Koffka.
Q: What is behaviorism?
A: A movement focused on observable behavior, rejecting introspection, and emphasizing environmental influence.
Q: What is humanistic psychology?
A: A movement emphasizing personal growth, self-actualization, and free will, led by Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow.
Q: What is cognitive psychology?
A: A field studying mental processes like perception, memory, and problem-solving.
Q: What is psychoanalysis?
A: A theory and method of treating mental disorders by exploring unconscious conflicts, founded by Freud.

Q: What is introspection?
A: A method used by early psychologists to examine thoughts and feelings by self-observation.
Q: What is the experimental method in psychology?
A: A research method involving controlled manipulation of variables to establish cause-and-effect relationships.
Q: What is naturalistic observation?
A: A research method involving observing subjects in their natural environment without intervention.
Q: What is the significance of the Stanford Prison Experiment?
A: It demonstrated the power of situational factors in influencing behavior.
Q: What is the importance of the Milgram experiment?
A: It studied obedience to authority, revealing how far individuals would go in following orders.

Q: How did psychology evolve from philosophy?
A: Psychology emerged as a scientific discipline by adopting empirical methods and separating from philosophical speculation.
Q: What is phrenology?
A: An early and discredited approach to psychology that claimed personality traits could be determined by skull shape.
Q: How did Darwin’s theory of evolution influence psychology?
A: It emphasized the adaptation of mental processes and behaviors to environmental demands.
Q: What is the significance of the nature vs. nurture debate in psychology?
A: It explores the relative influence of genetics (nature) and environment (nurture) on behavior and development.
Q: What role did René Descartes play in early psychology?
A: He proposed dualism, suggesting a distinction between the mind and body.

Q: What was the purpose of Pavlov’s dog experiment?
A: To study classical conditioning and the association between stimuli and reflexes.
Q: What is the Little Albert experiment?
A: A study by John B. Watson demonstrating that fear can be conditioned in humans.
Q: What did the Bobo doll experiment show?
A: Conducted by Albert Bandura, it demonstrated that children imitate aggressive behavior observed in others.
Q: What was the goal of the Asch conformity experiments?
A: To study the extent to which social pressure influences conformity.
Q: What is the significance of the Harlow monkey experiments?
A: They showed the importance of comfort and attachment in infant development.

Q: What is industrial-organizational psychology?
A: A branch of psychology that applies psychological principles to the workplace to improve productivity and employee well-being.
Q: What is educational psychology?
A: A field studying how people learn and the effectiveness of educational interventions.
Q: What is forensic psychology?
A: The application of psychology to legal and criminal justice systems.
Q: How is psychology used in sports?
A: Sports psychology focuses on improving athletic performance and addressing mental barriers in sports.
Q: What is health psychology?
A: A field exploring the relationship between psychological factors and physical health.

Q: What is The Interpretation of Dreams by Sigmund Freud about?
A: It introduces Freud’s theory of the unconscious mind and dream analysis.
Q: What is B.F. Skinner’s Beyond Freedom and Dignity about?
A: It argues for behaviorism’s role in understanding and shaping society.
Q: What is Carl Rogers’s On Becoming a Person about?
A: It outlines humanistic psychology and the concept of self-actualization.
Q: What is Jean Piaget’s The Psychology of Intelligence about?
A: It details his theory of cognitive development in children.
Q: What is Abraham Maslow’s Motivation and Personality about?
A: It introduces Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and theories of motivation.

Q: What is positive psychology?
A: A movement focusing on strengths, well-being, and flourishing rather than disorders.
Q: What is neuropsychology?
A: A branch of psychology studying the relationship between the brain and behavior.
Q: How has technology impacted psychology?
A: Through advancements like brain imaging, online therapy, and AI-driven assessments.
Q: What is the role of cultural psychology?
A: It examines how cultural factors influence behavior and mental processes.
Q: How does psychology contribute to public policy?
A: By providing insights into human behavior to shape policies on education, healthcare, and crime prevention.