Short-Answer Option 1: Your friend believes their anxiety is…
Short-Answer Option 1: Your friend believes their anxiety is caused by “bad energy” from their apartment and wants to perform a cleansing ritual. Another friend insists that anxiety is simply a chemical imbalance that requires medication to correct brain neurotransmitters. Identify which etiological theory each friend represents and describe the key differences between these two approaches to understanding mental illness. Short-Answer Option 2: A college student explains their depression by saying “I learned these negative thought patterns from my critical parents, and now I catastrophize every situation.” A psychologist responds that the student’s depression likely involves genetic predisposition, cognitive patterns, and social stressors all interacting together. Identify which etiological approach each perspective represents and explain how they differ in their understanding of causation and treatment implications. Short-Answer Option 3: Your psychology professor assigns students to observe and report their own thought processes during a problem-solving task. Explain how this connects to Wundt’s introspection method and why Gestalt psychologists would object to this approach.
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