Chapter 1: Evolution Of A Science Flashcards
Old Psychology
The study of the mind
Example: Sigmund Freud was a pioneer in the field of old psychology.
Philosophers
Argued psychology for thousands of years and used informal observation instead of scientific method
Ancient Philosophers needed answers to:
- where does the content of mind come from?
- why do people have different levels of intelligence?
Philosophical Nativism
Philosophical view that certain kinds of knowledge are innate or inborn
Philosophical Empiricism
Philosophical view that all knowledge are acquired through experience
Plato
Was a nativist that believed people are born with some knowledge
Aristotle
Believed that the mind is like a blank page that can be filled with experiences
Nature
- our genetics determines our behaviour
- our personality traits and ability are in our nature
Nurture
- our environment, upbringing and life experiences determine our behaviour
- we are “nurtured” to behave a certain way
The Mind-Brain
Many religions and philosophical approaches believe that the mind is separate from the body
Dualism
The belief that the mind arises from non physical process or the mind/body are not identical
If dualism was true how can changes in our body affect the mind?
- consuming alcohol affects thinking/emotions
- damage to the brain affects many aspects of the brain
Pierre Broca
Found that the damage to the left front brain eliminates the ability to speak (turn thoughts to speech)
Wihlem Wundt
Psychologist that conducted some of the earliest experiments at Leipzig, Germany in 1879
Birth of Psychology
1879
Wundt experiment
Used both objective measures like reaction time and introspection to study mental processes
Reaction time
The time it took to respond to a stimulus
Inspection
The subjective observation and report of one’s own conscious experience
Defining early psychology
the goal of psychology is:
- to study and understand consciousness
- a person’s subjective experience of the world
- their private inner experience of perception, thought and memory
1920’s Psychology
“The science of mental life” AKA consciousness