Chapter 1 - Introduction Flashcards
Why study the history of psychology?
- it is the basis for studies conducted today
- diversity within the field
- evolution of the field
- understanding the origins to appreciate modern psychology
What is historiography?
the principle, methods, and philosophical issues of historical research
What is a zeitgeist?
Intellectual & cultural climate or spirit of the times
What are the 2 main components of science?
1) empirical observations
2) theory
What is a correlational law?
how classes of events vary together
What is a causal law?
how events are causally related
What is the assumption of determinism?
What is being studied can be understood in terms of CAUSAL LAWS
What were Karl Popper’s 3 steps of his scientific method?
1) empirical observation > problem
2) propose solution > conjecture
3) find fault with solution > refutation
According to Popper, what must theories have?
They must run the risk of being incorrect (this way we constantly look for more adequate theories)
According to Kuhn, what is the goal when evaluating scientific theories?
The goal is to determine whether or not they correspond to an external, mind-independent world (the correspondence theory of truth)
What is a paradigm?
beliefs, values, techniques, etc. shared by the members of a given scientific community
Name some differences between Karl Popper and Thomas Kuhn
POPPER:
- scientific problem solving is a creative activity
- logic and creativity
- correspondence theory of truth?
KUHN:
- puzzle solving
- convention & subjective factors
- scientists “create” the reality they explore
What is determinism?
all behaviour has causal explanations (biological determinism, environmental determinism, sociocultural determinism, etc)
What is intdeterminism?
uncertainty principle - we can never learn at least some causes of behaviour (because in attempting to observe them, we change them)
- human behaviour may be determined, but the causes cannot be accurately measured
What is non-determinism?
- some researchers reject science as a way of studying humans
- human behaviour is FREELY CHOSEN, and SELF-GENERATED (humans have free will)
What are some theories about how the mind and body are related?
- materialism
- idealism
- monism
- dualism
What is materialism?
Only matter is reality, thus, everything must be explained in terms of matter
What is idealism?
Attempt to explain everything in terms of consciousness
What is monism?
Believe either in materialism or in idealism
What is dualism?
believe that there are both physical events (material events) and mental events (idealism)
What are the kinds of dualism?
1) interactionism
2) emergentism
3) epiphenomenalism
4) psychophysical parallelism
5) double aspectism
6) occasionalism
What is interactionism?
The mind and body interact
What is emergentism?
Mental states emerge from brain states
What is epiphenomenalism?
Mental processes are by-products of brain processes
What is psychophysical parallelism?
Environmental events cause both mental events and behaviour simultaneously, which are independent of each other
What is double aspectism?
humans cannot be divided into mind and body; they are a unity of experience (mind and body are aspects of the same person)
What is occasionalism?
When a desire occurs in the mind, God causes the body to act; when events happen to the body, God provides the corresponding mental experience
What is nativism?
Emphasizes the role of inheritance
What is empiricism?
Emphasizes the role of experience
What is mechanism?
behaviour in all organisms can be explained as machines in terms of parts and laws
What is vitalism?
living things contain a force that does not exist in inanimate objects
What is rationalism?
emphasizes logical, systematic and intelligent thought processes in explanation of behaviour
What is irrationalism?
Emphasizes unconscious determinants of behaviour which cannot be produced rationally
What does epistemology mean?
The study of the nature of knowledge
what is radical empiricism?
All knowledge comes from sensory experience
What is naïve realism?
Posits that our subjective experience is exactly what is present in the physical world
What is reification?
A fallacy in which we tend to believe that because something has a name, it also has an independent existence
What is universalism?
The goal is to describe general laws and principles that govern the world and our perception of it
What is relativism?
Universal truths either do not exist, or, if they do, they cannot be known
