Preparing for the exam

Preparing for the exam.

Format of exam:

Forty multiple choice questions. 40%

Define ten terms.

30%

Answer an essay question.

30%

Multiple Choice Questions

You will have to answer forty multiple choice questions. There is no penalty for an incorrect answer. It would be a good strategy to attempt all questions. If you revise the handouts carefully you should be able to answer all the questions.

An example question:

Blood group is an example of

a)A qualitative polymorphism

b)A quantitative variation

c) A Gaussian distribution

d) A norm of reaction

Which of the following would you associated with Baron Cohens modular approach to theory of mind?

a)EDD

b) ID

c) SAM

d) All of the above

Defining Terms

You should be able to define the following words in the context of psychology. You will be asked to ask a range of these terms in the examination. You will have about four lines to explain each term.

Phylogeny

Ontogeny

Reductionism

Mechanism

Determinism

Cognitivism

Behaviorism

Positivism

Ultimate and proximate causation

Mind behaviour dualism

Empiricism

Nativism

Phenotype

Genotype

Realism

The Essay

You will have five questions to choose from. The questions are quite general in nature and are designed to reveal your understanding of the basics of the scientific approach to psychology. So think about how aspects of the standard scientific approach are used in particular psychological theories. The standard scientific psychological theories are mechanistic, reductionist and determinist. If I were to ask a question about whether you agreed with the central idea of Evolutionary Psychology i.e. that our psychology is determined by our evolutionary inheritance, you would need to make clear to me that you understood the key ideas within Evolutionary Psychology. Only by illustrating the key ideas can you criticise the approach (NOTE criticism is not always negative). I would expect you to explain the mechanisms that are thought to control behaviour from an evolutionary perspective; and it is very important that you give examples. Students never use enough examples. If you want to say that human behaviour is best understood as a set of adaptations that evolved during phylogeny, give me some examples of behaviours and explain their adaptive significance. You should also explain that Evolutionary Psychology is reductionist. It is reductionist because the gene is thought to control behaviour. Go through the various theories I have discussed (e.g. behaviourism, cognitivism, the brain behaviour approach, evolutionary psychology) and be clear how each one is mechanistic, reductionist and determinist. Be prepared to give examples to illustrate the nature of the mechanisms etc. Think about ways in which the standard scientific approach may be problematic for psychology, for example organisms have goals and intentions. I am genuinely curious about your views on the standard scientific approaches. However, remember that you must not make unsupported assertion. Always back up your arguments with evidence or a logical argument. My last point is that many students ask where they should express their view in an essay. The entire essay is your view. Your view is reflected in how you use the evidence you select and in how you construct the essay. You do not write an essay and then say and I think that... The essay is your view.

Best of luck

Paul