Chapter 1: Psychology As A Science

Question 1

Aristotle

Answer 1

Asks how we do what we do, was a mentalist
Believed memory was stored in the heart

Question 2

Mentalism

Answer 2

Believes in the non-material mind

Question 3

Descartes and dualism

Answer 3

Believes brain is responsible for all
Brain directs basic mechanical behaviours (basic sensations)

Question 4

Immanuel Kant

Answer 4

Wrote “The Critique of Pure Reason”
Believed all humans (male and female) shared the same structures
Imagined a world of perpetual peace because of this

Question 5

Charles Darwin

Answer 5

“On the origin of the species”
Natural selection of physical and mental traits (if an animal has that trait that allows them to live it will be passed on )

Question 6

Materialist

Answer 6

There is always a biological explanation

Question 7

Francis Galton

Answer 7

Social Darwinism
Took Darwins ideas studied them in a social aspect
Statistical methods to measure psychological traits (correlation)

Question 8

Nature vs. Nurture

Answer 8

In your genes (confined by genes) vs. You have free will (experience)

Question 9

The first psychologists goal

Answer 9

To create science of the mind

Question 10

Wilhelm Wundt

Answer 10

Set up first experimental psychology lab (Germany)
Physiological psychology

Question 11

Measurement tools

Answer 11

Kymograph (heart rate) and Chronoscope (measures time like stopwatch)

Question 12

Why were experiments being conducted (the first psychologists

Answer 12

Because the way the world is presented is not what we perceive; interested in analyzing the disconnect

Question 13

Ernst Weber and Gustav Fechner

Answer 13

Mathematicians and physicists came up with Mathematical laws of perception

Question 14

Sensitivity thresholds

Answer 14

Absolute threshold-the smallest amount before you can detect it
Difference threshold- smallest change you can detect

Question 15

Structuralism

Answer 15

Understanding the structure of the mind; how does it work

Question 16

Edward Titchnener

Answer 16

Opened first lab in North America, at Cornell university in US
Referred to his version of physiology as structuralism
His goal was to determine the “basic elements” of the conscious mind
Sensations, images, feelings

Question 17

Introspection

Answer 17

Measure inner thoughts
Indirect(imagine) or direct (object is in front of you)

Question 18

Introspection criticism

Answer 18

What good is this information?

Question 19

Functionalism

Answer 19

Concerned with practical applications
Asks what is the function of the mind/ what is the purpose

Question 20

Functionalism topics

Answer 20

Sensation
perception of space
Perception of reality
Instinctive behaviour
Hypnotism and trance-like states

Question 21

William James

Answer 21

Leading figure of functionalism
1st psychologist to write a general textbooks for the public; read about research that was being conducted
“The principle of psychology”
Why do we think the way we do?