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Perceptions of Psychology

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By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria:
- Competency 1: Apply foundational theories in psychology to current issues in the field of psychology.
- Competency 5: Communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations for professionals in the field of psychology.

This assignment is designed to help you differentiate between the professional definition of psychology and popular perceptions regarding the field. As you complete this assignment, reflect upon any misconceptions you may have had regarding psychology prior to beginning this course.

Directions
1. Read Chapter 1 of your text, paying careful attention to the textbook definition of psychology, the four goals of psychology, and the major theories and contemporary views in psychology.
2. Interview at least three different people regarding their definition of psychology. Ask each person to provide you with a brief statement defining what psychology is and what psychologists do. Be sure to choose people of various ages and educational backgrounds, and include both men and women as your subjects.
3. As you interview your subjects, pay careful attention to how your subjects match with the four goals of psychology (on pages 15-16 of your textbook), and the major theories in psychology (listed in Table 1.4 on page 29 of the textbook).
4. Record your subjects' responses in Section 1 of the Perceptions of Psychology Interpretation Worksheet (link in Resources). Do not add to their responses.
5. Review the answers given by your subjects, noting the similarities and differences in their responses, as well as how the answers compare to the information contained in your text.
6. Carefully answer the questions provided in Section 2 of the Perceptions of Psychology Interpretation Worksheet.
7. Refer to Assignment Requirements for additional information.

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Solution Summary

The solution provides information, assistance and advise in tackling the task (see above) on the topic of psychology perceptions, including a discussion of the goals and theories of the science. Resources are listed for further exploration of the topic.

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Dear Student,
Hi and thank you for using Brainmass. The solution below should get you started. In this particular task, you are being asked to complete a particular assignment for what I believe is one of the earlier courses in your study of psychology. As you know, I cannot complete this assignment or you - I can however guide you in certain sections of your task based on the generally available knowledge. I suggest using this simple outline to complete your task:

1. Discuss the goals and the theories of psychology - 150 words
2. A quick interview (use one question, get an answer from 3 subjects) - 150 words
3. Reflecting the interview with the goals/theories - 150 words
4. A completion of tasks 4, 5 and 6.

Only you can complete numbers 4 to 7 as it requires use of course materials only made available to you. This part of your assignment is your exercise. But remember, it is not meant to be difficult - all you need to do is to read the information in your worksheet and match it with the results of your interview. For #6, answer the questions based on your understanding. Your answers do not need to be complicated as long as they reflect the ideas encountered in the goals and theories of psychology. Just let me know via the feedback section if you need further clarification. All the best with your studies and thank you for using Brainmass.

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The Goals and Theories of Psychology

The science of psychology is both an academic and an applied (put into practice for practical applications in the real world) discipline where the focus is the study of human behavior, mental functions and thought mechanisms. Studying individuals and groups, the science finds application in helping individuals find treatment for psychological, behavioral and emotional disorders while socially, knowledge about psychology of groups and social dynamics find application in solving social and organizational issues, among others. According to Cherry (2014), the 4 major ...

Solution provided by:
Xenia Rochelle Jones, MA, PhD (IP)
Education
  • MPhil/PhD (IP), Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
  • MA, Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
  • Certificate, Geva Ulpan (via Universita Tel Aviv)
  • BA, University of the Philippines
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