Chapter 1 Flashcards
Psychology
The scientific study of mind and behavior
Mind
Our inner private experience of perceptions, thought, memories, and feelings.
Behavior
Observable actions of human beings and nonhuman animals.
Nativism
The philosophical view that certain kinds of knowledge are innate or inborn
Philosophical empiricism
The philosophical view that all knowledge is acquired through experience
Phrenology
A now defunct theory that specific abilities and characteristics, ranging from memory to the capacity for happiness, are localized in specific regions of the brain.
Physiology
The study of biological processes, especially in the human body
Stimulus
Sensory input from the environment
Reaction time
The amount of time taken to respond to a specific stimulus
consciousness
A persons subjective experience of the world and the mind
Structuralism
The analysis of the basic elements that constitute the mind
Introspection
The subjective observation of one’s own exoerience
Functionalism
The study of the purpose of mental processes serve in enabling people to adapt to their environment
Hysteria
A temporary loss of cognitive or motor functions, usually as a result of emotionally upsetting experiences.
Unconscious
The part of the mind that operates outside of conscious awareness but influences conscious thoughts, feelings and actions
