Sample introductions from first-year essays (psychology) Essay title: Compare and contrast, using examples, how ‘knowing’ something has a different meaning for a psychologist compared to a member of the lay public. Introduction 1: According to the Heinemann English Dictionary, ‘knowing’ something simply means ‘to understand’. However, before actually looking at the difference between knowing something as a lay person and as a psychologist, it is paramount to establish what psychology actually is. The definitions of psychology have changed over its lifetime; nonetheless, it is considered a science which looks at part of human behaviour. Introduction 2: There are many facts in life that all people will lay claim to ‘knowing’.
Those theories examined behaviors, experiences, emotions, and the cognitive development of an individual (Goodman, 2008). The Exploration of Psychological Concepts and Theory Psychology is old, yet new, as the premodernism, modernism, and postmodernism eras are crucial times within the field of psychology. Psychology is a field of study that focuses on experimentation, the mental processes, and healing as well as the overall behaviors of an individual. Knowing the history of psychology is essential because knowing about the experiences of the past will help individuals understand how the present came to be (Goodman, 2008). Becoming familiar with the past also explains how individuals came to various conclusions about their field of study.
Introduction Since Alfred Binot first instrumented standardised intelligence tests in the schools of Paris to identify learning difficulties, there has been substantial questioning into the objectivity and validity of IQ testing. Intelligence testing has been wildly controversial for both scientific and political reasons because of the problem in the belief that intelligence is an entity which can be somehow captured or measured. This essay aims to address a number of assumptions put forward by the broader psychological community that intelligence testing can indicate fundamental intellectual ability, examine “racial differences”,
The debate over nature versus nurture has been argued since the early years of psychology, perhaps even earlier when Aristotle proposed that humans have “four different types of causation, formal causes, material causes, efficient causes, and final causes,” (Moore, 21) that can explain the adaptation of certain characteristics in individuals over time . Psychologists today are still debating whether human behavioral traits are acquired through learning (Nurture) or if we have a predisposition to behave a certain way because of genetics (Nature). The nature versus nurture debate has since been branched off into many other psychological aspects of human characteristics. Traits such as intelligence, athleticism, and even our own individual personalities are just some of the topics researched by psychologist. So are our behavioral traits and characteristics learned and capable of change?
However, it has no clear definition in which a mutual consensus has been agreed. Those definitions which have been offered forward have been developed to encompass many different aspects of what intelligence is, which is why it may seem there is so many different definitions. Jensen suggests that intelligence is a "general factor that runs through all types of different performances" in contrast to this thought, Anastasi (1992) suggests intelligence is "not a single unitary ability but rather a composite of several functions". These definitions represent two types of explicit theories that dominate thinking in intelligence research which will be discussed later in this essay. The way in which we perceive intelligence and what it means to us is often largely dependent on the culture we live in.
Can intelligence change? To what extent is intelligence malleable? Extended Essay: Psychology Name: Candidate number: School: Nörre Gymnasium Word count: 37811 Abstract This essay investigated the research question: To what extent is intelligence malleable? It was necessary to start by presenting the debate on defining intelligence since there is not a complete consensus among psychologists, however, this paper accepted a definition which is generally accepted by respected psychologists; that ‘intelligence is the ability to deal with cognitive complexity’ (Gottfredson, 1998). In presenting and analysing empirical evidence such as Howe (1997) supporting the thesis that intelligence can, in fact, change under the right conditions and given enough time, a strong indication of malleability is provided.
As the name implies, it uses the computer as a metaphor for explaining what intelligence is. Based on this metaphor, scientists made many attempts to figure out whether intelligence can be improved or not. They mainly focused on testing people’s cognitive competencies and thinking and problem-solving skills. However, this kind of studies is difficult to conduct because it requires long-term investment of research subjects. Most results of these attempts indicate that intelligence can be at least temporarily and partly improved.
As psychological research continues throughout the world, many theories are constructed based on hypotheses and different theories on how people learn, live, and grow. The disputes on these theories range about a vast number of entities of human development, but most of the arguments focus around the nature vs. nurture controversy. In this controversy, theorists believe that nature means “inborn biological givens—the hereditary information we receive from our parents at the moment of conception,” (7, Berk) and nurture means “the complex forces of the physical and social world that influence our biological makeup and psychological experiences before and after birth”. (7, Berk) Personally, I feel that this controversy should never have the word “versus” involved, because I feel that both nature and nurture play an integral role in human development. More specifically, I believe that Erik Erikson’s psychosocial theory most adequately explains my beliefs and philosophy on how we, as humans, develop.
Nature vs. Nurture Over the years, there has been a lot of controversy on whether or not genes that we inherit affect us and how we live, or if it is the environment that we have been raised in. There are many different reasons for why one is more correct than that other. But, all of the reasons can be backed up with very good evidence and reasoning. Personality, development, intelligence, behavior and ability to do certain things make us the individuals that we are. But what influences those things?
Running head: The Educational Implications of Piaget, Vygotsky, and Ericson Exploring the Educational Implications of Piaget, Vygotsky and Ericson John Doe University Exploring the Educational Implications of Piaget, Vygotsky, and Erikson In every field, there are certain individuals whose research and contributions to their discipline have set them apart. Child psychology happens to be a field that is very complex and expanding with new research and findings. Those influential individuals are Piaget, Vygotsky and Erikson. Piaget is known for his stage theory of cognitive development, Vygotsky for his concept of the zone of proximal development. Erikson for his theory of psychosocial development, who believed that personality develops in a series of stages.