Learn the basics of psychology, including what psychologists study, how they ask questions, and how psychology connects to everyday life.
Read each problem carefully. Answer in complete sentences and use examples when asked.
Exploring how people think, feel, learn, and behave
Psychology - Grade 6-8
- 1
Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behavior. In your own words, explain what psychologists study.
- 2
Write one example of a thought, one example of a feeling, and one example of a behavior.
- 3
A student says, "Psychology is just guessing what people are thinking." Explain why this statement is not accurate.
- 4
Match each psychology topic with the best example: learning, memory, emotion, social behavior. Examples: A person feels excited before a game. A student remembers a locker combination. A child learns to ride a bike. A group of friends influences what someone wears.
- 5
Look at the diagram of a person with labels for thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Describe how these three parts can be connected.
- 6
A psychologist wants to know whether students sleep more on weekends than on school nights. What is one question the psychologist could ask students in a survey?
- 7
Explain the difference between observing behavior and making an opinion about behavior.
- 8
Read the situation: Maya studies for 20 minutes each day for a week and scores higher on her quiz. What psychology question could this situation help someone explore?
- 9
The chart shows three ways psychologists may collect information: observation, survey, and experiment. Choose one method and explain what it means.
- 10
Why is it important for psychologists to protect people's privacy when they do research?
- 11
Give one example of how psychology can be useful in everyday life for a middle school student.
- 12
Create a simple concept map with the word psychology in the center. Add at least four connected ideas that psychology studies.