Lecture 1: Study Of Behaviour And Mind Flashcards
Psychology
Scientific Study of behaviour and mind
Behaviour
Actions and responses that can be directly observed
Mind
Internal states and processes such as emotions and desires
Natural philosophy
Study of natural world before being recognized as a science
What did ancient Egypt believe and document about psychology?
- Psychological disorders such as dementia and depression were documented
- Believed intelligence was in the heart
What kind of testing did ancient eastern cultures do, and what did they discuss?
- Aptitude testing for gov position and entrance in schooling
- Discussed human nature and development
What theories did Ancient Greece produce?
- Body
- Humours
- Tripartite theory on the soul
What was the theory of humours compacted of and what was the belief?
- Blood
- Black vile
- Yellow vile
- Phlegm
Believed that each fluid was to make up your personality, and cause certain illness
What did Plato discover?
Tripartite of the soul and virtues
What did Aristotle explore?
Relationships between non-physical mind and body
What did the people in medieval Europe believe in?
- Mental disorders were caused by supernatural events
- Theology
What is theology?
Study nature of god and religious beliefs
Who is Rene Descartes and what did he do?
- Famous French philosopher
- Made Cartesian dualism (mind-body dualism)
- “I think, therefore I am”
What is Cartesian Dualism?
Separation between mind and body
What are the challenges of Cartesian Dualism?
- Challenges of interaction between non-physical body and the mind
What is monism?
Belief that mind and body are one in the same
What is physicalism?
The idea that everything in the world is physical and can be studied scientifically
What is physiology and medicine?
Study of body’s physiological process and their impact on behaviour and mental health
What is structuralism?
The of the mind in basic terms of it’s element
Who is Wilhelm Wundt and what did he do?
- First psychological experimentalist
- Founder of structuralism
What is functionalism?
Study of functions and purpose of the mind and behaviour
Who is William James and what did he do?
- First proponent of functionalism
- Emphasized relevance of consciousness in relation to behaviour
What is the experience of anxiety?
Relationship between arousal, attention and performance anxiety
Scientific approach
Comprehensive explanation on how something works, based on repeated testing and evidence
Scientific law
Principle used to behaviour to predict the natural world
Research methods
various techniques used to study psychological phenomena
Variable
Characteristics that can vary from one person to another or within the same person overtime
What is the definition of Operational?
Defining variable in terms of specific procedures used to measure or produce it
What are self-report measures?
Asking individuals to report on their own knowledge, beliefs, experiences, and behaviours
What is other-report?
Asking individuals to report on SOMEONE else’s knowledge, beliefs, experiences, and behaviours
What is observation of overt behaviour?
Observing and measuring visible and measurable variables
What are Archival measures?
Using records and documents to gather info about historical behaviour
Physiological measures
Measure of bodily reactions, such as; heart rate, pupil dilation, blood pressure, and respiration rate
Population?
All individuals in a study of interest
Sample
Subset of individuals drawn of the population
Descriptive research
Identifying and describing research behaviour and providing info about diversity
Case study
In-depth analysis of an individual, group or event
Naturalistic observations
Observing behaviour in a natural setting without outside influence
Survey research
Obtaining info through interviews or questionnaires
Correlational research
Looking for relationships between variables
Experimental research
Looking for cause-effect relationships between variables through manipulation and control
Independent variable
Factor that is manipulated in an experiment
Dependent variable
Factor that is measured and may be influenced by independent variable
Group designs
Diff groups of people in each experimental condition
Repeated measure design
Same group of people going through same experimental condition
Multiple variables in a research study
Examine how independent variables interact and influence the dependent variable
