Define Psychology. Briefly Describe the Evolution of Modern Psychology. What Are the Meaning of Reliability and Validity Within Psychological Measurement? Describe Self-Report and Behavioral Measures.

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1. Define psychology. Briefly describe the evolution of modern psychology. Psychology, as defined by Psychology and Life (19th Edition), is the scientific study of the behavior of individuals and their mental processes (Gerrig, R. J. and Zimbardo, P. G. 2). My interpretation of this definition is that psychology, while unique to each person, is the culmination of all experiences which ultimately identifies a being and can at times predict or evoke certain behaviors. In the clinical sense, psychology can be a useful tool when controlling behavior, gathering data for an identified population or attempting to explain the what and why’s we encounter everyday of our lives. Psychology and Life (19th Edition) goes on to describe the evolution of modern psychology, which can trace its beginnings to ancient Greek philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle. Plato and Aristotle had opposing views that weighed heavily on modern psychology. On one hand Plato believed in more of a nativist view, in which assumes that people are preprogrammed for certain behavior due to their lineage from the time they are born (Gerrig, R. J. and Zimbardo, P. G. 6). Conversely, Aristotle led a belief that people are free from any hereditary constraints and are free to interpret their experiences as they saw fit (Gerrig, R. J. and Zimbardo, P. G. 6). William Wundt is credited with founding the first formal laboratory and is considered a critical figure in the evolution of modern psychology (Gerrig, R. J. and Zimbardo, P. G. 6). From his psychology laboratory in Leipzig, Germany, he taught many of the pioneers of modern psychology. Many of his graduates went on to define in depth versions which we now recognize as the many facets of psychology today. The first graduate of note, Edward Tichener, became one of the first psychologists in the United States (Gerrig, R. J. and

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