Chapter 1 Flashcards
What are the four goals of psychologists?
Description, Explanation, Prediction, and Control of behavior.
What is psychology?
The scientific study of mental processes and behavior.
How is behavior different from mental processes?
Behavior is observable, while mental processes are internal.
What are the three levels of analysis in psychology?
The brain, the person, and the group.
What is analyzed at the brain level of analysis?
Brain structure and neural activity.
What is analyzed at the person level of analysis?
Mental processes such as thoughts, emotions, and ideas.
What is analyzed at the group level of analysis?
How behavior is shaped by social and cultural environments.
Who are considered the founding figures of philosophy that influenced psychology?
Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.
What did Hippocrates argue about the brain?
That the brain is the organ of mental life.
Who measured the speed of neural impulses?
Herman von Helmholtz.
What theory did Charles Darwin propose?
The theory of evolution.
What is natural selection?
The process where chance variations in genes are passed down and help an organism survive.
What is sexual selection?
A type of natural selection where physical features and behaviors attract a mate.
Who is considered the father of psychology?
Wilhelm Wundt.
What is Structuralism?
An attempt to identify all elements of consciousness through introspection.
What is introspection?
The careful observation of mental processes and how simple thoughts combine into complex ideas.
Who developed Structuralism?
Edward Titchener.
What is Functionalism?
A theory focusing on the functions of the mind in adapting to the environment.
Who established the first psychology lab in the US?
William James.
What concept did William James introduce?
The ‘stream of consciousness’ idea, where mental processes are fluid.
What are Gestalt Psychologists known for?
They believed that consciousness cannot be broken down into elements and that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
What school of thought focused on observable behavior rather than mental processes?
Behaviorism.
What is applied psychology?
A descendant of functionalism, it focuses on using psychological principles to solve real-world problems.
What did Rene Descartes believe about the brain?
That it controlled the body via fluid movement in tubes.
What does psychophysics study?
The relationship between physical stimuli and their psychological effects.
Who are two key figures in psychophysics?
Johannes Muller and Herman von Helmholtz.
What is a major idea of evolution that influences psychology?
The survival of adaptive variations.
What do psychologists mean by ‘control’ in behavior?
Influencing or changing behaviors based on psychological knowledge.
How does social media use relate to the levels of analysis?
It can be analyzed at the brain level (neural activity), person level (mental processes), and group level (social influence).
What did early myths and legends aim to do in terms of human behavior?
They sought to describe, explain, predict, and control human behavior.
What is the difference between structuralism and functionalism?
Structuralism focuses on breaking down mental processes, while functionalism focuses on the purpose of mental processes.
