History And Approaches Flashcards
Behavioral Psychology
The scientific study of observable behavior and it’s explanation by principles of learning
Behaviorism
The view that psychology 1) should be an objective science that 2) studies behavior without reference to mental processes
Nature vs. Nurture controversy
Long withstanding controversy over relative contributions that genes and experience make to the development of psychological traits and behaviors arising from the interaction of nature and nurture
Empiricism
The view that knowledge originates in experience and that science should, therefore, rely on observation and experimentation
Cognitive Psychology
The scientific study of all the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating
Natural Selection
The principle that among the range of inherited trait variations, those contributing to reproduction and survival most likely be passed onto succeeding generations
Sigmund Freud
Austrian neurologist who became known as the founding father of psychoanalysis
Structuralism
An early school in psychology that used introspection to explore the structural elements of the human mind
*introspection: the examination or observation of ones own mental and emotional processes
Human factors psychology
The study of how people and machines interact and the design of safe and easily used machines and environments
Social-cultural psychology
The study of how situations and cultures affect our behavior and thinking
Applied research
A form of systematic inquiry involving the practical application of science
Humanistic Psychology
Historically significant perspective that emphasized the growth potential of healthy people and the individuals’ potential for personal growth. Love, acceptance, and belonging
Dorothea Dix
An American activist on behalf of the indigent insane who, through a vigorous program of lobbying state legislatures and the United States Congress, created the first generation of American mental asylums
Biopsychosocial Approach
An integrated approach that incorporates biological, psychological, and social-cultural levels of analysis
Developmental Psychology
The scientific study of physical, cognitive, and social change throughout a lifespan
Charles Darwin
English naturalist and geologist, best known for his contributions to the evolutionary theory of natural selection
Basic Research
Research arising out of curiosity
B.F. Skinner
American Psychologist and professor at Harvard who was mostly known for his “Skinners Box” experiments that studied animal behavior with reinforcements
John B Watson
American Psychologist who established the psychological school of behaviorism
Industrial/Organizational (I/O) psychology
The application of psychological concepts and methods to optimizing human behavior in workplaces
Evolutionary Psychology
The study of the roots and of behavior and mental processes using the principles of natural selection
Mary Whiton Calkins
An American psychologist who was the first woman to become of the American Psychological Association (APA)
Psychiatry
A branch of medicine dealing with psychological disorders; practiced by physicians who often provide medical (ex: drugs) treatment as well as therapy
Counseling Psychology
A branch of psychology that assists people with problems in living (often related to school, work, and marriage) and in achieving a greater well being
