Chapter 1 Flashcards
What is Psychology?
Scientific study of mind and behaviour
What are Research Psychologists
Researchers that use scientific methods to research about causes of behaviour
What are Psychologist-Practitioners?
Use existing research to better life
What are Empirical Methods?
Process of collection and organizing data and drawing conclusions about the data
What is the Scientific Method?
Set of assumptions, rules and procedures that scientists use to conduct empirical research
What is a fact? and give an example of a Fact
An accurate objective statement determined through empirical study
Homicide rate in Canada
What are Values? and give an example
Personal and Subjective statements
Abortions should be legal
How are Facts and Values related?
Facts can create values
What is the lowest level of Explanation?
Biological Influences
What is the Mid Level of Explanation?
Abilities and characteristics of a person
What is the High Level of Explanation?
Social Groups, organisation and culture
Greek Philosophers
Wondered about the differences between nature and nurture and Questioned the idea of free will
Plato
Argued on nature side, certain types of knowledge
Aristotle
Tabula Rosa
Shaped by environment
Descartes
Free will, mind controls, the body
Descartes’ Dualism theory
Mind is different from mechanical body
Wundt
Structuralism
Focused on the nature of consciousness which wanted to identify the basic elements or structure of psychology
James
Functionalism
Wondered why animals and humans have developed particular psychological aspects
Idea that characteristics have been adopted because they are useful or functional
Freud
Psychoanalysis
Understanding human behavior requires a focus on the role of unconscious thoughts. feelings and memories
