Chapter 1 Flashcards
Psychology
The scientific study of the mind and behaviour
Empirical Method
A method for acquiring knowledge based on observation or experimentation rather than forms of logical argument or previous authorities
Introspection
A process by which a person examines their own conscious experience as objectively as possible, also called internal perception
Wilhelm Wundt
First person to be referred to as a psychologist
Distinguished psychology as a discipline separate from physiology and philosophy
Believed in introspection and voluntarism
Believed the goal of psychology was to identify the components of consciousness and how those components combined to result in our conscious experience
Edward Titchener
Founder of structuralism
Student under Wilhelm Wundt
Functionalism
Psychological discipline focused on the the function of behaviour in the world
Interested in the operation of the whole mind rather than of its individual parts
Developed by William James (first American psychologist)
Structuralism
Psychological discipline focused on the contents of mental processes rather than their function
Sigmund Freud
Austrian neurologist fascinated with hysteria (symptoms with no physical cause)
Developed idea of unconscious mind
Father of psychoanalytic theory
Unconscious Mind
Repository of feelings and urges of which we have no awareness
Studied by analyzing dreams, slips of the tongue and the first words that come to mind
Psychoanalytic Theory
Theory focusing on the role of a person’s unconscious and their early childhood experiences
Gestalt Psychology
Developed by Wertheimer, Koffka and Kohler
Gestalt means ‘whole’
Argues that the individual parts of a sensory experience are less important to perception than how the parts relate to each other as a whole
Contradicts structuralism
Conditioned Reflex
Developed by Ivan Pavlov
An unconscious response to a stimulus that over time is associated with a different stimulus that the experimenter associated with the original stimulus
Dogs salivating at the sound of a bell
Classical conditioning
John B Watson
Focused on studying observable behaviour and trying to bring behaviour under control
Criticized study of consciousness
Father of behaviourism
Behaviourism
Shift in the focus of psychology from the mind to behaviour
Desire to observe and control behaviour
B.F. Skinner
Focused on how behaviour was affected by its consequences
Developed an operant conditioning chamber (chamber which allowed study of behaviour through reinforcement and punishment) also known as Skinner box
Humanism
Pioneered by Rogers and Maslow
Perspective within psychology that emphasizes the potential for good innate to all humans
Response to behaviourism (reductionist) and psychoanalysis (deterministic)
Noam Chomsky
Part of the cognitive revolution
Dissatisfied with behaviourism (short-sighted)
Believed psychology needed to re-incorporate mental functioning to understand behaviour
Feminist Psychology
Initially women were very underrepresented in the field of psychology
Re-evaluating the contributions of women to psychology
Studying psychological gender differences
Multicultural Psychology
WEIRD (western, educated, industrialized, rich, democratic) societies have been over studied
Theories and research on diverse cultures within one country
Cross-Cultural Psychology
Theories and research on diverse cultures in different countries
APA
American Psychological Association
Largest psychological association in the world
Goal is to advance psychological knowledge for the betterment
APS
Association for Psychological Science
Seeks to advance the scientific orientation of psychology
Biopsychology
Explores how biology influences our behaviour
Combine research from physiologists and psychologists
Evolutionary Psychology
Seeks to understand the ultimate biological causes of behaviour
Impact of genetics and environment on behaviour
Cognitive Psychology
Focuses on studying cognition/thoughts and their relationship to our experiences and actions
Created during the cognitive revolution
Developmental Psychology
The scientific study of development across a lifespan
Interested in physical maturation
Personality Psychology
Focuses on patterns of thought and behaviours that make each individual unique
Research involves quantitatively measuring personality traits
Social Psychology
Focuses on how people relate and interact with others
Research how we view our own actions versus the actions of others
Milgram’s study on authority figures
Industrial-Organizational Psychology
Field of psychology that applies psychological theories and findings in industrial/organizational settings
Health Psychology
Focuses on the effect of biological, psychological and sociocultural factors on health (the biopsychosocial model)
Sport and Exercise Psychology
Study the psychological aspects of sport performance (motivation, performance anxiety, etc.)
Clinical Psychology
Focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders and other problematic patterns of behaviour
Counseling Psychology
Similar to clinical psychology except for people considered psychologically healthy
Forensic Psychology
Psychology as it relates to the criminal justice system
PhD
Doctor of philosophy degree
Need to complete a dissertation
Emphasis on research
Employed at university
PsyD
Doctor of Psychology Degree
Individuals pursuing clinical psychology
Application of psychological principles
