KEY TAKE-AWAYS

Psychology is defined as the study of human behavior and human mental processes.
Psychology saw its first use of experimental methods when Wilhelm Wundt devised a machine
that could measure human reaction times.
The development of our psyche depends on both our genetics and our environment.
Overview and Highlights
The first chapter of this textbook answers three main questions about psychology: Why do we
need to study psychology? How do we study psychology? How do we measure psychological
findings? To answer the first question, the authors refer to many examples of human beings
thinking that their intuitions, or gut feelings, aid in their judgment-making processes. In reality,
their intuitions are actually hindering their abilities to make reasonable judgments. Then the
authors discuss how science can aid humans in their critical-thinking skills and their overall
perspectives on the world. To answer the second question, the authors refer to the scientific
method and the ways in which it is used to conduct worthwhile experiments. Finally, the authors
answer the third question by explaining some of the statistical methods utilized to quantify and
test experimental data in organized and efficient manners.

KEY TAKE-AWAYS
Psychology is not only about explaining that which we already know; it is also about actually
discovering the underlying mechanisms as to why we truly think and behave the way we do as
human beings.
Theories lead to hypotheses, hypotheses lead to experiments, and the collected data leads to
confirming, rejecting, or revising the initial theory.
Statistics aid in the overall organization and interpretation of experimental data.