Ch. 1: An Introduction to Psychology Flashcards
applied psychologists
psychologists who extend the principles of scientific psychology to practical problems in the world
behavior
observable actions such as movie about, talking, gesturing, and so on; behaviors can also refer to the activities of cells and to thoughts and feelings
behaviorism
a school of psychology proposing that the only proper subject matter of psychology is observable behavior rather than immediate conscious experience
clinical psychologists
psychologists who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment pf psychological problems
cognitive psychologists
the shift away from strict behaviorism, begun in the 1950s, characterized by renewed interest in fundamental problems of consciousness and internal mental processes
culture
the shared values, customs, and beliefs of a group or community
eclectic approach
the idea that its useful to select information from several sources rather than to rely entirely on a single perspective or school of thought
empiricism
the idea that knowledge comes directly from experience
evolutionary psychology
a moment proposing that we’re born with mental processes and “software” that were acquired through natural selection in our ancestral past and help us to solve specific adaptive problems
functionalism
an early school of psychology; functionalists believed that the proper way to understand mind and behavior is to first analyze their function and purpose
Gestalt psychology
a movement proposing that certain organizing principles of perception are innate and cannot be altered by experience
humanistic psychology
a movement in psychology and approach to personality that focuses on people’s unique capacity for choice, responsibility and growth
mind
the contents and processes of subjective experience: sensations, thoughts, and emotions
nativism
the idea that some knowledge is innate, or present at birth
psychiatrists
medical doctors who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of psychological problems
psychoanalysis
a term used by Freud to describe his theory of mind and system of therapy; also Freud’s method of treatment that attempts to bring hidden impulses and memories, which are locked in the unconscious, to the surface of awareness, thereby freeing the client from distorted thoughts and behaviors
psychology
the scientific study of behavior and mind
research psychologists
psychologists who tru to discover the basic principles of behavior and mind
structuralism
an early school of psychology; structuralists tried to understand the mind by breaking it down into basic parts, much as a chemist might try to understand a chemical compound
systematic introspection
an early technique used to study the mind; systematic introspection required people to look inward and describe their own experiences
