Chapter 1 Flashcards
The term psychology comes from
two Greek words, psyche, meaning the soul, and logos, referring to the study of a subject.
Wilhelm Wundt
Mounted a campaign to make psychology an independent discipline rather than a stepchild of philosophy or physiology
Founder of psychology. First lab and psychology journal
Structuralism
□ The notion that the task of psychology is to analyze consciousness into its basic elements and investigate how these elements are related.
□ Depends on introspection
Introspection
The careful, systematic self-observation of one’s own conscious experience.
Stream of consciousness
The flow of elements of consciousness
William James
Founder of Functionalism
Functionalism
The belief that psychology should investigate the function or purpose of consciousness, rather than its structure
Sigmund Freud
Founder of psychoanalytic theory
Psychoanalytic theory
Suggests that people have unconscious thoughts, desires, memories, and feelings that can cause clinical symptoms
According to Freud, the unconscious contains thoughts, memories, and desires that are well below the surface of conscious awareness but that nonetheless exert great influence on behavior
John B. Watson
Founder of Behavioralism
Behaviorism
□ Theoretical orientation based on the premise that scientific psychology should study only observable behavior.
□ Watson believed the power of the scientific method rested on the idea of verifiability.
□ He discounted the importance of heredity. He maintained that behavior is governed entirely by the environment.
B. F. Skinner’s principle
□ Organisms tend to repeat responses that lead to positive outcomes, and they tend not to repeat responses that lead to neutral or negative outcomes.
He asserted that all behavior is fully governed by external stimuli and that free will is an illusion
Carl R. Rogers and Abraham Maslow
Founders of Humanism
Humanism
□ Theoretical orientation that emphasizes the unique qualities of humans, especially their freedom and their potential for personal growth.
Human behavior is governed primarily by each individual’s sense of self, or “self-concept”
When did psychology gain support by the government?
After WWII when many psychologists became clinicians helping soldiers after traumatic experiences
Cognition
□ The mental processes involved in acquiring knowledge. In other words, cognition involves thinking or conscious experience.
□ Cognitive theorists argue that psychology must include the study of internal mental events to fully understand human behavior
Biological perspective
Thought that much of human and animal behavior can be explained in terms of the brain structures and biochemical processes that allow organisms to behave
Psychologists are seeking to understand psychological principles in different cultures because of 2 reasons
- Global interdependence/interconnection
- Mixing of cultures as people move across the world
Evolutionary psychology
□ The basic premise of evolutionary psychology is that natural selection favors behaviors that enhance organisms’ reproductive success—that is, passing on genes to the next generation
Martin Seligman
founder of Positive psychology
Positive psychology
□ Uses theory and research to better understand the positive, adaptive, creative, and fulfilling aspects of human existence
Development after Seligman recognized how negatively-focused the field of Psychology was
3 areas of interest of positive psychology
- positive subjective experiences
- positive individual traits
- positive institutions and communities
Psychology definition
□ The science that studies behavior and the physiological and cognitive processes that underlie behavior, and it is the profession that applies the accumulated knowledge of this science to practical problems
9 Main domains of research in psychology
- developmental psychology
- social psychology
- experimental psychology
- physiological psychology
- cognitive psychology
- Personality
- Psychometrics
- educational psychology
health psychology
4 Main domains of applied psychology
- Clinical psychology
- Counseling psychology
- School psychology
- Industrial/organizational psychology
Psychiatry
□ A branch of medicine concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of psychological problems and disorders
□ In contrast, clinical psychology takes a nonmedical approach to such problems.
7 Unifying Themes of Psychology
Psychology is empirical
Psychology is theoretically diverse
Psychology evolves in sociohistorical contexts
Behavior is determined by multiple causes
Behavior is shaped by cultural heritage
Heredity and environment jointly influence behavior
People’s experience of the world is highly subjective
Elder Maxwell’s seven basic truths
- Man is created in the image of God
- Environment and hereditary by themselves do not account for all human differences
3.Free agency is an exceedingly important element in the growth and development of individuals; indeed, as president Marion G. Romney has said, “the preservation of this free agency is more important than the preservation of life itself” - Life’s design is such that God, speaking of us, has said with reference to this mortal estate,” Let us prove them herewith”(Abraham 3:25), a truth that is rich with implications.
- Life’s Divine design also involves “ an opposition in all things” (2 Nephi 2:11-16)
- This is a world of law, the breaking or keeping of which brings misery or blessings, respectively
- That “almost all men” misuse authority and power (D&C 121:39)
What does ACh do?
Released by motor neurons controlling skeletal muscles
Contributes to the regulation of attention, arousal, and memory
Some ACh receptors stimulated by nicotine
What are the three monoamines?
Dopamine
Norepinephrine
Serotonin
What does dopamine do?
Contributes to control of voluntary movement
Cocaine and amphetamines elevate activity at DA synapses
Dopamine circuits in medial forebrain bundle characterized as “reward pathway”
What does norepinephrine do?
Contributes to modulation of mood and arousal
Cocaine and amphetamines elevate activity at NE synapses
What does serotonin do?
Involved in regulation of sleep and wakefulness, eating, aggression
Prozac and similar antidepressant drugs affect serotonin circuits
What does GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) do?
Serves as widely distributed inhibitory transmitter, contributing to regulation of anxiety and sleep/arousal Valium and similar antianxiety drugs work at GABA synapses
What do endorphins do?
Resemble opiate drugs in structure and effects
Play role in pain relief and response to stress
Contribute to regulation of eating behavior
What is oxytocin’s nickname?
The love hormone
Released when you’re:
Hugging your love ones
Playing with a dog
Playing with a baby
Holding hands
