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Psychology Key Terms > Approaches In Psychology Key Terms > Flashcards

Approaches In Psychology Key Terms Flashcards

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1
Q

What is psychology?

A

It is the scientific study of the human mind and its functions.

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2
Q

What is science?

A

A way to gain knowledge through systematic and objective investigation.

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3
Q

What is introspection?

A

It is the first systematic experimental attempt to study the mind.

They did this by breaking up the conscious awareness into basic structures of thoughts, images and sensations.

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4
Q

What is the behaviourist approach?

A

A way of explaining behaviour through observing and learning.

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5
Q

What is classical conditioning?

A

Learning by association.

It occurs when two stimuli are repeatedly paired together.

An unconditioned stimulus and a new neutral stimulus.

The neutral stimulus eventually produces the same response that was produced by the unconditioned stimulus alone.

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6
Q

What is operant conditioning?

A

It is a form of learning where behaviour is changed due to its consequences

Consequences could include:

  • Positive reinforcement.
  • Negative reinforcement.
  • Punishment.
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7
Q

What is reinforcement?

A

It is a consequence of behaviour that increases the chance of a behaviour being repeated.

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8
Q

What is the social learning theory?

A

It is a way of explaining behaviour that includes both direct and indirect reinforcement.

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9
Q

What is imitation?

A

Copying the behaviour of others.

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10
Q

What is identification?

A

When an observer associates themselves with a role model and wants to be like the role model.

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11
Q

What is modelling?

A

From observers perspective - modelling is imitating the behaviour of a role model.

From the role models perspective - modelling is the demonstration of a behaviour that may be imitated by an observer.

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12
Q

What is vicarious reinforcement?

A

Reinforcement which isn’t experienced directly but occurs due to seeing someone else being reinforced for a behaviour.

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13
Q

What are mediational processes?

A

They are cognitive factors that influence learning.

They come between the stimulus and the response.

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14
Q

What is the cognitive approach?

A

It is an approach that is focused on how our mental processes (e.g. thoughts, perceptions and attention) affect behaviour.

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15
Q

What are internal mental processes?

A

They are private operations of the mind such as perception and attention.

They occur between stimulus and response.

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16
Q

What is scheme ?

A

It is a mental framework of believes and expectations that influence cognitive processing.

They are developed from experience.

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17
Q

What is inference?

A

It is when cognitive psychologists draw conclusions about the way mental processes operate on the basis of observed behaviour.

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18
Q

What is cognitive neuroscience?

A

It is the scientific study of biological structures that underpin cognitive processes.

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19
Q

What is the biological approach?

A

It is a perspective that emphasises be importance of physical processes in be body such as genetic inheritance and neural function.

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20
Q

What are genes?

A

They make up chromosomes and consist of DNA which codes the physical and physiological features of an organism.

Genes are inherited from parents to offspring.

21
Q

What is a biological structure?

A

It is an arrangement or organisation of parts to form an organ,system or living thing.

22
Q

What is neurochemistry?

A

It is related to the chemicals in the brain that regulate psychological functioning.

23
Q

What is a genotype?

A

The particular set of genes that a person possesses.

24
Q

What is a phenotype?

A

The characteristics of an individual determined by both genes and the environment.

25
Q

What is evolution?

A

It is the changes in inherited characteristics in a population over generations.

26
Q

What is the psychodynamic approach?

A

It is a perspective that describes the different forces that operate on the mind and direct human behaviour and experience.

Most forces are unconscious.

27
Q

What is the unconscious?

A

It is the part of the mind that we are unaware of but continues to direct a lot of our behaviour in a certain way.

28
Q

What is the Id?

A

It is entirely unconscious.

It is made up of selfish and aggressive instincts that demand immediate gratification.

29
Q

What is the Ego?

A

It is the ‘reality check’ that balances the conflicting demands of the Id and Superego.

30
Q

What is the Superego?

A

It is the moralistic part of our personality and represents the ideal self: how we should be.

31
Q

What are defence mechanisms?

A

They are unconscious strategies that the Ego uses to manage the conflict between the Id and Superego.

32
Q

What are the psychosexual stages?

A

They are 5 developmental stages that all children pass through.

At each stage there is a different conflict where the outcome determines the future development of that child.

33
Q

What is the humanistic psychology approach?

A

It is an approach which emphasises the importance of subjective experience and each persons capacity for self-determination.

34
Q

What is free will?

A

It is the idea that humans can make choices and are not determined by biological or external forces.

35
Q

What is self actualisation?

A

It is the desire to grow psychologically and fulfil your potential.

36
Q

What is the hierarchy of needs?

A

It is a five levelled hierarchical sequence in which basic needs must be satisfied before higher psychological needs can be achieved.

37
Q

What is self?

A

It is the ideas and values that characterise “I” and “me” and includes perception and valuing of “what I am” and “what I can do”.

38
Q

What is congruence?

A

It is the aim of the Rogerian therapy.

It is when the self concept and ideal self are seen to match.

39
Q

What are conditions of worth?

A

It is when a parent places limits or boundaries on their love for their children.

40
Q

What is the nervous system?

A

It consists of the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system.

41
Q

What is the central nervous system?

A

It consists of the brain and spinal foes and is the origin of all complex commands and decisions.

42
Q

What is the peripheral nervous system?

A

It sends information to the CNS from the outside world.

It also transmits messages from the CNS to muscles and glands in the body.

43
Q

What is the somatic nervous system?

A

It transmits information from receptor cells in the sense organs to the CNS.

It also receives information from the CNS that directs muscles to act.

44
Q

What is the autonomic nervous system?

A

It transmits information to and from the internal bodily organs.

It is autonomic as the system operates automatically.

It has two main divisions:

  • sympathetic.
  • parasympathetic.
45
Q

What is a neuron?

A

It is the basic building blocks of the nervous system.

Neurons are nerve cells that process and transmit messages through electrical and chemical signals.

46
Q

What is the sensory neuron?

A

It carries messages from
The PNS to the CNS.

They have long dendrites and short axons.

47
Q

What is the relay neuron?

A

It connects the sensory neurons to the motor or other relay neurons.

They have short dendrites and short axons.

48
Q

What is the motor neuron?

A

It connects the CNS to the effectors such as muscles and glands.

They have short dendrites and long axons.

Psychology Key Terms (5 decks)

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