Key Words Flashcards
Introspection
The examination or observation of one’s own mental and emotional processes.
What is wundt’s scientific method for psychology
Wundt’s new scientific approach was based of two major assumptions:
All behaviour is seen as being caused (determined)
If behaviour is determined, then it should be possible to predict how human beings would behave in different conditions (predictability)
Strengths of the scientific approach to psychology
Knowledge gained using scientific methods are more than just the passive acceptance of facts.
Causes of behaviour can be established through the use of methods that are empirical and replicable.
Scientific knowledge is self-corrective meaning that it can be refined or abandoned (theories and hypothesis)
Weaknesses with the scientific approach to psychology
Scientific psychologists create contrived situations that create artificial behaviours.
A lot of the subject matter of psychology is unobservable, therefore cannot be measured with any degree of accuracy.
Not all psychologists share the View that human behaviour can be explored through scientific methods
Id
the part of the mind in which innate instinctive impulses and primary processes are manifest.
Ego
the part of the mind that mediates between the conscious and the unconscious and is responsible for reality testing and a sense of personal identity.
Superego
the part of a person’s mind that acts as a self-critical conscience, reflecting social standards learned from parents and teachers.
Defence mechanism
repression, denial, displacement, projection, and intellectualisation are used unconsciously to reduce anxiety.
Unconscious
the primitive, instinctual wishes as well as the information that we cannot access.
Free will
The notion that humans can make choices and are not determined by biological or external forces
Self- actualisation
The desire to grow biologically and fulfil one’s full potential- becoming what you are capable of
Hierarchy of needs
A five-levelled hierarchical sequence in which basic needs (such as hunger) must be satisfied before higher psychological needs (such as esteem and self actualisation) can be achieved
Self
The ideas an values that characterise ‘I’ and ‘me’ and includes perception and valuing of ‘what I am’ and ‘what I can do’.
Congruence
The aim of rogerian therapy: when the self-concept and ideal self are seen broadly accord or match.
Conditions of worth
When a parent values limits or boundaries on their love of their children; for instance, a parent saying to a child. ‘I will only love you if you study medicine’.
Reciprocity
Taking turn /exchange interaction
Interaction synchrony
Performing action simultaneously
Ambiguity
Unclear nature of a finding in a study
Multiple attachment
Bond with figures such as father, grandparent, sibling
Inconclusive
Findings do not agree
Asocial
Infant cannot distinguish between people and objects
Indiscriminate
Infant begins to show preference for people
Discriminate
Infant develops stranger/separation anxiety
Multiple attachment
Infant forms bond with secondary caregivers
Natural experiment
Experiment with low control, high validity
Innate
Inborn/ natural behaviour
Critical period
Window time to form attachment
Contact comfort
Comfort provided by close contact /touch
Imprinting
Specific at-first-sight attachment for birds
Sexual imprinting
Adult mating behaviour affected by first attachment/imprinting bond
Cupboard love
Gratification from food helps form attachment bonds
Classical conditioning
Learning by association
Operant conditioning
Learning from reinforcement
Dive reduction
Hunger is primary drive attachment is secondary drive
Secondary reinforcer
Mother 2nd to food in attachment
Social releasers
Babies are born with the tendency to display certain innate behaviors (called social releasers) which help ensure proximity and contact with the mother or attachment figure (e.g., crying, smiling, crawling, etc.)
Monotropy
Two-way, unique bond
Innate
Attachment is crucial for survival
Internal working model
Blueprint for future relationships
Critical period
Crucial window in which to attach
Insecure avoidant
Infant who don’t suffer separation/stranger anxiety, indifferent at reunion, high exploration
Insecure resistant
Infants who suffer high separation/stranger anxiety, torn emotion at reunion, low exploration
Separation anxiety
Infant upset when left alone
Stranger anxiety
Infant upset when comforted by stranger
Reunion behaviour
How infant behave when reunited with caregiver
Reciprocity
Responding to the action of another with a similar action, where the actions of one partner elicit a response from the other partner. The responses are not necessarily similar as in interactional synchrony.
Interactional synchrony
When two people interact they tend to mirror what the other is doing in terms of their facial and body movements. This includes imitating emotions as well as behaviours. This is described as a synchrony- when two (or mor) things move in the same pattern.
Caregiver
Any person who is providing care for a child, such as a parent, grandparent, sibling, other family member, childminder and so on.
Attachment
The emotional bond between two people. It is a two way process that endures over time. It leads to certain behaviours such as clinging and proximity-seeking, and serves the function of protecting an infant.
