Chapter 1: The Science of Behaviour Flashcards
psychology
the scientific study of behaviour and mental processes
social psychology
examines people’s thoughts, feelings and behaviour pertaining to the social world
science
a process that involves gathering and evaluating empirical evidence to answer questions and test beliefs about the natural world
empirical evidence
evidence gained through experience and observation
systematic
performed according to a system of rules or conditions
critical thinking
involves taking an active role in understanding the world around you rather than receiving information
What are the four main goals of psychology?
1) to describe how people and other animals behave
2) to explain and understand the causes of these behaviours
3) to predict how people and animals will behave under certain conditions
4) to influence or control behaviour through knowledge
How do the goals of basic research and applied research differ?
The goals of basic research are to describe how people behave and identify the factors that cause this type of behaviour, and the goals of applied research are to use principles discovered through basic research to solve practical problems.
mind-body interactions
the relations between mental processes in the brain and the functioning of other bodily systems
perspective
different ways of viewing people
mind-body dualism
the belief that the mind is a spiritual entity not subject to physical laws that govern the body
monism
holds that the mind and body are one
structuralism
the analysis of the mind in terms of its basic elements
functionalism
psychology should study the functions of consciousness rather than its structure
(e.g. consider your hands. A structuralist would try to explain the movement of muscles, tendons, etc. A functionalist would ask, “why do we have hands?”)
psychoanalysis
the analysis of internal and primary unconscious psychological forces
behavioural perspective
focuses on the role of the environment in governing our actions
behaviourism
theory of learning based on the idea that all behaviours are acquired through conditioning
humanistic perspective
perspective that emphasizes free will, personal growth and the attempt to find meaning in one’s existence
positive psychology movement
emphasizes the study of human strengths, fulfillment and optimal living
cognitive perspective
examines the nature of the mind and how mental processes influence behaviour
cognitive psychology
focuses on the study of mental processes
sociocultural perspective
examines how the social environment and cultural learning influence our behaviour, thoughts and feelings
culture
refers to the enduring values, beliefs, behaviours and traditions that are shared by a large group of people
norm
rules that specify what behaviour is acceptable and expected for members of that group (i.e. how to dress, how to act, etc.)
biological perspective
perspective that examines how brain processes and other bodily functions regulate behaviour
What are the three causal factors that biological perspective focuses on?
1) behavioural neuroscience (examines brain processes that underlie our behaviour, sensory experiences, emotions and thoughts)
2) behaviour genetics (the study of how behavioural tendencies are influenced by genetic factors)
3) evolutionary psychology (seeks to explain how evolution shaped modern human behaviour)
natural selection
survival of the fittest. A theory of evolution by Charles Darwin.
