IB-MYP Humanities
Unit Test: Psychology Time: 50 minutes
Name: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Grade: Criteria A: Knowledge & understanding . . . . . . . . Criteria C: Thinking critically . . . . . . . .
1. What is Psychology? How people think, feel, behave How the mind works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2. List at least 5 different fields of study (or ‘perspectives’) in Psychology, and briefly describe what they are about: Biological -‐ this point of view emphasizes the physical and biological bases of behaviour. might look at how genetics influence different behaviors or how damage to specific areas of the brain influence behavior and personality. Things like the nervous system, genetics, the brain, the immune system, and the endocrine systems Cognitive – focuses on mental processes such as memory, thinking, problem solving, language and decision-‐making. Cognitive psychologists often utilize an information-‐processing model, comparing the human mind to a computer, to conceptualize how information is acquired, processed, stored, and utilized. Psycho-‐dynamic – originated with the work of Freud. Focus on the role of the unconscious mind, early childhood, and tension between id and super ego eg defense mechanisms Socio-‐cultural – suggests that human behavior is influenced by social context, environmental cues, social pressures and cultural influences. Eg, researchers have looked at how social behaviors differ in individualistic and collectivistic cultures. In individualistic cultures, such as the U.S., people tend to exert less effort when they are part of a group, a phenomenon known as social loafing. In collectivistic cultures such as China, however, people tend to work harder when they are part of a group. Behavourial – focus on learned behaviours, and ‘conditioning’. Uses scientific method on observable behavior. Eg Pavlov’s dog. Sees people as an ‘empty organism’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 3. Why are there different ‘perspectives’ within Psychology?
The major perspectives represent fundamental assumptions and conclusions that underlie the research questions and methods that are used in order to answer the questions of psychology. Eg Behavourism assumes an ’empty organism’ and that scientific approaches are the only way to understand human behaviour, whereas the cognitive approach suggests the opposite – humans can be thoughtful and control their thinking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
4. In class we have done some Psychology experiments. For each experiment, say which ‘perspective’ is relevant, and why: Squeeze chain Biological / Biopsychological – looked at measuring mental processing time and neural transmission time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Interview 2 family members or friends about the same thing Cognitive – memory and how it is constructed (rather than automatic) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Hopping Behavourial – classical conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Drawing clocks Bioological (may be Cognitive) – drawing is a ‘motor skill’. Drawing clock uses ‘old learning’ from when we were young . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 5. What is the central idea for Freud’s Defense Mechanisms? We unconsciously protect ourselves from things we don’t want to think about o deal with. Our unconsicious mind has 3 parts – the id the ego and the superego. The id is strong and emotional, the superego is intellectual and calculating – when there is a a clash between these 2 parts – and the ego can’t handle it – a defense mechanism can result. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 6. What is the difference between a Defeise Mechanism and a coping strategy? Defense mechanism is mostly unconscious – we don’t directly control it or decide it. A coping strategy is conscious – we decide and control it . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 7. Use the ‘SEE-‐I’ format for any 2 of the Defense Mechanisms: Defense Mechanism #1: See handout – ‘Defense mechanisms and ego anxiety’ A note on Exemplify – an example that clearly shows the defense mechanism Implications – is this a pathological, immature or mature defense mechanism? – What are the consequences for the person and the people around them?
8. Case study #1: Samantha is a 15 year old school student. Both of her parents died in a car crash when she was 10 years old. Samantha works hard at school and attends extra tutorials after class too, but also makes time play the piano and guitar (because her mother played these instruments) and tennis (because her father played tennis). She misses her parents very much but often jokes that at least her parents aren't always telling her what to do. a. Identify 2 Defense Mechanisms that this person may be using, and why. b. Also, identify what, and why, is the root cause of these behaviours. Defense mechanisms: Sublimation – she is channeling her grief into hard work to do well at school Humour – she jokes about her parents’ death Root cause: Cannot cope with the reality of losing her parents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 9. Case study #2: Kevin is a 19 year old university student. His mother is a white-‐skinned and English, and his farther is black-‐skinned and from Kenya. His father left when Kevin was born. Kevin lives in the United Kingdom, has white skin and identifies as a white male, and never discusses his father. He has joined a neo-‐Nazi group at university and believes that black people should not be allowed in his country. a. Identify 2 Defense Mechanisms that this person may be using, and why. b. Also, identify what, and why, is the root cause of these behaviours. Defense mechanisms: Reaction formation – a black man becoming a racist against other black men, because father was black Denial – denying he is black, joining anti-‐black group, saying black men should not come to his country Repression – not acknowledging or remembering his father Projection – feeling weak and unwanted, but saying others are weak and unwanted Displacement – putting his anger on all blacks, a weaker minority Root cause: Cannot cope with the loss of his father . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Mr Woods’ notes from marking: – Generally strong. Clear idea about perspectives and DFs. Good response from 15 year olds! – Q6 – many correct, but is the diff understood between conscious and unconscious? – DFs: – Root cause not really grasped – unconscious and due to high anxiety – Examples – not often strong or significant or compelling or ‘exemplifying’ – Implication – mature, immature, pathological – Slight difference in Criteria A & C grades indicates good general knowledge (what it is) but not so strong implications/impacts (what it does, why it is)