Chapter 1: The Science of Psychology Definitions Flashcards
Psychology
o Scientific study of everything we think and do
o Scientific study of Behavior and Mental Processes
Empirical Approach
• Make conclusions based on data/observations that I have collected using my five senses
- Creates questions that can be tested
- it does not include opinions, logical arguments, personal experiences, and gut feelings
Behavior
•Can be observed from the outside, can agree on something we all just saw at the same time
•Verifiable in public
Mental Processes
• Thoughts “under the covers”
• Emotions, memories, thoughts
- difficult to study, since cannot watch and people can lie about them
Structuralism
describing the “mind” by breaking thoughts down into their most basic ideas/elements
o Long reaction time = a complex thought(more elements)
o Short reaction time = a simple or basic thought element
Example: squeezing same vs. opposite shoulders
Reaction Time
An Event that leads to a response; an assumption was made of response taking shorter or longer based on a simpler or more complex event
Introspection
examination of one’s own thoughts and feelings; observation of one’s mental state
Functionalism
understanding the purpose of thoughts and behavior in an individuals adaptation to the environment; incorporated the ideas of natural selection
Asking “what is the mind for?”
Behaviorism
-emphasizes the scientific study of observable behavioral responses and the environments that determine those responses
-“What environmental triggers conjure up these responses?”
-Still looking at association, but only associations that could be observed
Psychology Today: Biological Approach
o Human and animal behavior is seen as the direct result of events in the body
o Involves mood and memory
Psychology Today: Behavioral Approach
o Emphasizes the scientific study of observable behavioral responses and the environment that determine those responses
Psychology Today: Psychodynamic Approach
Observed problems in people that were not exactly physical/on the outside, but affecting people physiologically (TRAUMA)
o Mental and behavioral problems are caused by conflicts between acceptable heavier and unacceptable, unconscious desires
Psychology Today: Humanistic Approach
o Came up with hierarchy of needs
o Need certain things to fulfill human potential; when blocked and have obstacles, you are unhappy and feel unfulfilled
o Need to start with basic needs first before all other needs; cannot move on to fulfill others if not meeting basic needs
Psychology Today: Cognitive Approach
o Study how we think, remember, store, and use information from our environment using a vast array of mental processes
o Psychologists wanted to study thoughts, specifically on the brain and keep it scientific
Example: How do we learn language? How do we form concepts?
Psychology Today: Evolutionary Approach
o Focus on the natural selection, adaptation, and the evolution of behavior
o Causes of behavior are attributed to those that lead to greater reproductive success
o Certain characteristics that helped us survive stayed, while maladaptive thoughts/behaviors fall away
o Example: evolutionary theory of mate selection
