Introduction to Psychology: Classic Perspectives

Question 1

Define: functionalism (William James)

Answer 1

Studied consciousness as a whole, especially the functions or purposes that mental processes serve in enabling people to adapt to their environment
Observational studies and experiments

Question 2

Define: psychoanalysis (Sigmund Freud)

Answer 2

Focuses on the role of unconscious conflicts and motivations in understanding and explaining behaviour and mental processes
Observations and case studies

Question 3

Define: behaviourism (John B Watson)

Answer 3

Focuses on explaining how behaviour is moulded by experience, in particular by rewards and punishments
Experiments on people and animals

Question 4

Define: Humanism (Carl rogers)

Answer 4

Focuses on explaining behaviour and mental processes based on the potential and positive qualities of people
Case studies

Question 5

Define: Structuralism (Wilhelm Wundt)

Answer 5

Studied the structure of consciousness by breaking it down into elements and seeing how these elements are organised and interrelated
Experiments and introspection