the morning squirrel - UNIT 1/EXAM #1

ON THIS PAGE YOU WILL FIND ALL OF YOUR DOCUMENTS FOR UNIT #1/EXAM #1.

IN ORDER, THEY ARE AS FOLLOWS: YOUR STUDY GUIDE, REGULAR GOOGLE SLIDES, PRINTER-FRIENDLY PDFs, AND THE RECORDED LECTURES. NOTE THAT THE RECORDED LECTURES UTILIZE THE SAME SLIDES, BUT THEY ARE BROKEN INTO SMALLER PARTS.

DO NOT USE A COLOR PRINTER!

Use the correct pair of words in the correct order to complete the following sentence:

Humanism is to _____ as behaviorism is to _____.

Behaviorism is to _____ as Cognitive is to _____.

STUDY GUIDE EXAM #1 FALL 2025

01. Know this instructor’s “bottom line” for each of the following perspectives: Behaviorism, Psychoanalysis, the Cognitive Approach, the Biological Perspective, Humanism, Gestalt, and Social-Learning Theory. Most of these will also have a “buzz word” or “buzz phrase” associated with them that will be useful in correctly responding to some items on the exam.

02. For each of the perspectives listed above know one unique advantage, AND one or more disadvantages.

03. Know the four goals of a “good” theory and what it should be able to adequately address. Are there any good theories?

04. Recognize the “bottom line” along with the advantages and disadvantages for each of the following descriptive methodologies: Case Study, Naturalistic Observation, Laboratory Observation, and Survey Research.

HINT: Be conscious of the disadvantages that are COMMON to three or all four descriptive methodologies.

05. Be able to recognize the advantages and disadvantages of psychological assessment (“testing”) as a methodology.

06. With respect to the Correlational Method: know advantages and disadvantages, be able to identify a correlation as either positive or negative, and given a list of correlation coefficients be able to recognize the strongest or the weakest.

07. The Experimental Method: Be able to define the Independent Variable, Dependent Variable, Experimental Groups, Control Group, Placebo, Placebo Effect, “Blind” Research Design and “Double Blind” Research Design. Know the advantages and disadvantages.

There will be AT LEAST eight items on your first exam from the information covered in the experimental method; much (but not all) of it will be terminology.

08. Distinguish between Longitudinal and Cross-Sectional research designs. What kinds of behavior do we study with these? What’s the easiest way to tell them apart?

Exam #1 is probably the most difficult because it is the first exam...in spite of any hints or tips I may provide, you still lack first-hand experience with what my exams are like.

Additionally, the amount of content, and the novelty of that content can sometimes cause anxiety.

Test items WILL NOT appear in the same order that the information appears on the Study Guide. Study accordingly.

Google Slide Decks and Recorded Lectures will be made available ASAP. They will be posted on the Squirrel Power page of The Morning Squirrel. They frequently contain slightly different information as no two lectures are ever exactly the same. You will need to adjust the volume and expect barkage.

What is a “bottom line?” This phrase refers to ½ to ¾ of a sentence that sums up an idea or concept. These are shorter, more concise ways to grasping new(er) ideas.

What is a “buzz phrase?” Buzz words or buzz phrases are terms that are associated with one concept, and one concept only (even if only for the current Unit). This makes them really handy when narrowing down which answer (on a multiple-choice exam) is actually the correct answer.

Print out the Google Slide PDFs before coming to class and before listening to the Recorded Lectures. They provide you with a place to take notes.

Have these printouts with you as you listen to the Recorded Lectures and take notes on the printouts. Resist the temptation to skip ahead.

What files do I need for the first exam?

Google Slide Deck UNIT 1.1

Google Slide Deck UNIT 1.2

Google Slide Deck UNIT 1.3

Google Slide Deck UNIT 1 Stuff I Forgot

Recorded Lectures 1A through 1J