ch 2 - early psychological knowledge Flashcards
what are 2 examples of 2 early civilizations that produced documented but very fragmented histories of peoples’ searches for answers about the nature of the world, the role of human beings in it, and supernatural forces
Mesopotamia and egypt
in the civilization of the greeks, what were some early concepts of the soul
materialism and idealism
materialism
view of the human soul that holds that the facts of mental life can be sufficiently explained in physical terms by the existence and nature of matter
-believes souls originated from the same matter as any other material object
-believed matter created the world
idealism
view that holds that the facts of mental life can be explained in MENTAL terms
- believed ideas created the world
what are 2 examples of materialism?
atomism and material monism
atomism
notion that matter is made up of small, indivisible particles
material monism
holds that all things and developments including psych processes, no matter how complicated they are, have one similar material origin
what does idealism say a bout the soul?
The soul is nonmaterial, immortal, and can exist alone, separated from the body
who was the biggest advocate for idealism
plato
what 3 dimensions did plato believe the world could be described in?
- world of the ideal forms: which is the primary reality)
- the material world created by God.
- The third is psychological, which is a reflection of the ideal through material.
hylomorphism
a theory created by Aristotle regarding the soul and its relationship with the body:
1. Soul is an active, creative influence in the body—the body’s form but not the body itself
2. Body and the soul coexist and the existence of the living organism is impossible without the soul, and conversely that the soul cannot exist without the living body
what capacities or faculties did Aristotle believe the soul possess
- nutrition (growth and reproduction)
- reason (highest function associated w/ thinking)
- perception (reflection of reality)
epistemology
branch of psych that studies the nature of knowledge, its foundations, extent and validity
emanation theory
objects release a substance/discharge that makes an impression on human senses, thus evoking sensation then thought
who supported emanation theory?
materialists, greek materialists, democritus
democritus and Epicurus believed that atomic movements cause emotion. How?
- Positive emotions are associated with the movement of round and smooth atoms
- Negative emotions are associated with the movement of atoms with small hooks and the atoms that do not have to travel in smooth trajectories
melancholy
most common label in Ancient Greece for symptoms today called depressive. Was believed to be bile, the liver generated bitter liquid stored in the gallbladder
what are the 2 types of melancholy
athymia: depressive states
extaisis: depressive states
what were the 5 major areas of influence the greek had
1.The study of the soul
2.The teachings about the mechanisms of human cognition
3. suggestions about the biological foundations of mental activities
4.The initial inquiry in the fields of the clinical psych
5.The rich observations of social behavior
hinduism
religion that believes in dharma (the ultimate law or universal order governing objects and people) and Karma (universal rules of cause and effect)
androcentrism
placing men or masculine POVs at the enter of a theory or narrative
castes
positions and roles attached to them of Hinduism
transcendence
knowledge beyond empirical experience
-a key in indian theories of mind
yoga
a way to transcend and a means to control/unite the mind and sense
chakras
bodily centers and channels thru which energy flows
Buddhism
system of values based on the belief that although suffering is inevitable, liberation from suffering is possible
asceticism
a lifestyle of restraint or abstinence from worldly pleasures
nirvana
a state of profound peace of mind and perfect enlightenment is achievable
what does Confucianism’s psycholgical views in china uphold
Holism and harmony
holism
concept holding that everything is interconnected in the world and body
- based on yin and yang
yin
dark, feminine, soft and hidden
yang
bright, masculine, firm and open
ren
a lifelong determination of a human being to become a truthful and caring person.
taoism
philosophical religious views challenging the Confucian tradition, but coexisting alongside it for centuries
pneuma
the fundamental force of life according to Galen which exists in 3 forms
what are the 3 kinds of pneuma
1st pneuma is located in the brain responsible for imagination
2. vital pneuma, is located in the heart, regulates blood flow
3. 3rd pneuma, resides in the liver, and is responsible for nutrition and metabolism
what are the 2 kinds of bodily activities distinguished by Galen
automatic: stomach, heart, lungs
voluntary: controlled by the soul
Scholasticism
a dominant Christian school of thought focused on neo-Platonism held that the soul is divine and has three functions
what are the 3 functions of the soul according to scholasticism?
1.The soul is connected to eternity and to the perfect soul
2.the soul is connected to the body and feelings
- the soul connects to self-reflection; one’s sense of past and present.
what view of two wills did Christians adopt believing to be responsible for their decisions
Caritas: good intentions, ethical actions, self-restraint and virtue
cupiditas: responsible for sinful behavior and it stands for excessive desire, violence, and greed.
