Chapter 1 | Introduction to Psychology Important People + Beliefs Flashcards
Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920)
The founder of psychology as a scientific study. Brought about the movement of Structuralism to psychology
Wundt’s Goal of Psychology
To identify the components of consciousness and how those components result int he conscious experience
Voluntarism
A philosophical belief that humans possess free will and should know if they are participating in an experiment
Structuralism
A school of psychology that aimed to identify the contents of mental processes (components) rather than the processes’ function (whole).
William James (1842-1910)
The first American psychologist who introduced Darwinian concepts to the study of psychology
James’ Goal of Psychology
To examine the mind in its whole, rather than focusing on individual components
Functionalism
A school of psychology focused on how certain mental activities help an organism fit into its environment
Sigmund Freud (1856-1939)
An Austrian neurologist who founded the school of psychoanalysis within the study of psychology
Freud’s Goal of Psychology
To examine the role of the unconscious mind and early childhood experiences in the human mind
Max Wertheimer (1880-1943), Kurt Koffka (1886-1941), and Wolfgang Kohler (1887-1967)
Three German psychologists who immigrated to the United States in the early 20th century, bringing with them the Gestalt principles of psychology
Gestalt Goal of Psychology
To examine how the components of the human mind relate to the whole and how the components result in a objectively unique whole
Gestalt Psychology
A school of psychology concerned with the sensory experience and how they innately relate back to the whole mind, and how the mind perceives and processes that relation
Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936)
A Russian physiologist famous for his research into conditioned and learned behaviors.
John B. Watson (1878-1958)
An American psychologist whose work centered on understanding observable behavior and controlling said behavior
B.F Skinner (1904-1990)
An American psychologist who focused on the nature of consequences, particularly reinforcement and punishment, on behavior
Goals of Behaviorism
To study observable behavior, in particular learning behavior and inborn qualities
Behaviorism
A school of psychology that shifted the focus from the subjective unconscious to the objective and observable behavior of organisms
Abraham Maslow (1908-1970)
An American psychologist famous of developing a hierarchy of human needs in terms of motivating behavior
Carl Rogers (1902-1987)
An American psychologist who emphasized the role of the patient over the clinician in the context of psychological therapies
Goals of Humanism
To forgo the previously deterministic nature of psychology in favor of a more empathetic approach
Humanism
A school of psychology focused on the potential of innate good in humans and personal autonomy
Noam Chomsky
American linguist who influenced the growth of cognitive science and psychology