Prologue Flashcards
What is an empirical approach?
an evidence based method that relies on observation and experiment. Ex: an amount of sunlight plant receives and its growth.
What is a scientific attitude?
being skeptical but not cynical, open-minded but not gullible.
What is electroconvulsive therapy?
electric shock to the brain to treat depression.
Putting a scientific attitude into practice requires not only curiosity and skepticism but also?
humility.
What is humility?
an awareness of our own vulnerability to error and being open to new perspectives.
Explain a little about the 3 key elements of the scientific attitudes?
1) curiosity: does it work?
2) skepticism: what do you mean? how do you know?
3) humility: well that was unexpected, lets explore further.
The scientific attitude prepares us to think smarter, smart thinking is called?
Critical thinking.
What is critical thinking?
thinking that doesnt automatically accept conclusions; instead examines assumptions, looks for hidden biases, evaluates evidence, and assesses conclusion.
Wilhelm Wundt:
1832-1920: he is the father of psychology and he established the first psychology laboratory.
- created experimental apparatus
- wanted to measure the “atoms of the mind”
- dropping ball and pressing button example
When and where was the first psychology laboratory established?
univeristy of leipzig in germany in 1879.
The new science of psychology after Wundt became organized into different branches/schools of thought called?
structuralism and functionalism
What is structuralism?
an early school of thought/branch promoted by wundt and titchener; used introspection to reveal structure of human mind
What is functionalism?
early school of thought/branch promoted by james and influenced by darwin; explored how mental and behavioral processes function.
Edward Bradford Titchener:
1867-1927: he was mentored by wundt and encouraged people in self reflective introspection. A key feature of structuralism is introspection: the process of observing one’s own thoughts and feelings.
What is the problem with introspection?
introspection requires smart verbal people. Results vary person to person and are subjective/can be inaccurate.
William James:
1842-1910: influenced by darwin
- he studied the evolved functions of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors
- he assumed that thinking, like smelling, developed because it was adaptive(helped our ancestors survive and reproduce)
Mary Whiton Calkins:
1863-1930: William James admitted mary whiton calkins into his graduate seminar. when she joined all men dropped out. She was denied a phd because she was a woman.
- she became a memory researcher and first APA female president
Margaret Floy Washburn:
1871-1939: the first woman to get a phd in psychology and second apa female president. She studied with titchener and was barred from his experimental psych organization for being a woman
Up until 1920 what was the definition of psychology?
the science of mental life
Who challenged the 1920 definition of psychology?
John B watson and B.F skinner
John B watson and bf skinner dismissed introspection and redefined psychology as?
the scientific study of observable behavior: they believed in behaviorism
What is behaviorism?
the view that psychology should be an objective science that studies behavior without referece to mental processes
John b watson and bf skinner:
John Watson: 1878-1958 BF Skinner: 1904-1990
- they dismissed introspection and said that you should only focus on behavior when thinking of psychology
- bf skinner would say that you have been rewarded in the past for things like going to class and you are completely controlled by rewards in the environment
Famous little albert experiment:
it was conducted in 1920 by watson ad rosalie rayner. (1898-1935)
Sigmund Freud
1856-1939: he was the founder of psychoanalysis
- emphasized how our unconscious mind and childhood experiences affect our behavior
- If someone asks you why do you go to school and you say because you want a job, that would be your conscious mind, and then the person says are you sure, then you answer maybe cause of my friends, that’s the preconscious, but below all that is the unconscious: THINK PENIS EXAMPLE
As behaviorists rejected the old definition of psychology, other groups rejected the behaviorist definition. What came next?
in the 1960s , humanistic psychologists lef by carl rogers and abraham maslow found both behaviorism and freudian psychology too limiting.
Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow
Carl Rogers (1902-1987) and Abraham Maslow (1908-1970): the humanistic psychologists focused on our growth potential, our need for love and acceptance, and the environments that nurture personal growth.
- revived interest in study of mental processes
What is humanistic psychology?
perspective that emphasized human growth potential
Simultaneous with humanistic psychology emergence, psychologists in 1960 also showed an interest in?
cognitive revolution
what is cognitive psychology?
the study of mental processes, how we think learn remember communicate solve problems
what is cognitive neuroscience?
the study of brain activity linked with cognition
What is the current definition of psychology?
the science of behavior and mental processes. behavior is something that an organism does: something we can observe or record and mental processes are our internal subjective experiences
what is psychology’s biggest and most persistent issue?
are our human traits inherited or do they develop through experience: nature-nurture
Charles Darwin:
1809-1882: he argued that natural selection shapes behaviors as well as bodies.
natural selection
process by which living organisms with traits that help them better survive and reproduce in their environment are more likely to pass those traits to their offspring. Over time, this leads to a gradual change in the characteristics of a population as the traits that enhance survival become more common.
evolutionary psychology vs behavior genetics?
how us humans are alike because of our biology and evolutionary history is the focus of evolutionary psychology and how we individually differ because of our environments is the focus of behavior genetics
epigenetics?
how experience can influence genetic expression
brain plasticity?
an enormous capacity to learn and adapt
what is the definition of culture?
the enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, values, and traditions shared by a group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next
Psychological studies were often conducted with participants of?
WEIRD: Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic cultures.
Martin Seligman and others?
- Explores human flourishing : understanding the emotions and traits that help us thrive
- these psychologists call their approach positive psychology: they believe that happiness is a byproduct of a pleasant engaged and meaningful life.
socioeconomic status?
education, income, occupation
biopsychosocial approach integrates 3 levels of analysis
biopsychosocial approach: incorporates biological, psychological, and sociocultural levels of analysis
perspective: neuroscience
the focus of neuroscience is how the brain relates to emotions and memories Example: Does excess dopamine cause gambling?
perspective: evolutionary
how the natural selection of traits has promoted the survival of genes. Example: did natural selection cause males to be more violent?
perspective: behavior genetics
how our genes and environment influence our individual differences. Example: do genes influence violent tendencies?
perspective: psychodynamic
how behavior springs from unconscious mind and childhood experiences. Example: how can someone’s personality traits and disorders be explained by unfulfilled wishes and childhood traumas?
perspective: behavioral
how do we learn observable responses? Example: how do we learn to fear particular objects or situations? Do you act sad because your family treated you nicely when you acted sad in the past?
perspective: cognitive
how we encode, process, store, and retrieve information. Example: how do we use information in remembering, how does memory work, etc.
perspective: social cultural
how behavior and thinking vary across situations and cultures. Example: are you more anxious because you believe in values taught by your culture.
perspective: humanistic/positive
people will grow in positive ways if treated well/main focus is understanding and promoting psychological well being.
what is basic research?
pure science that aims to increase the scientific knowledge base
what is applied research?
scientific study that aims to solve practical problems
counselling psychology?
assists people with problems related to school work or relationships
clinical psychology?
studies, assesses, and treats people with psychological disorders
psychiatry?
branch of medicine dealing with psychological disorders.
community psychologists?
study how people interact with their social environments and how social institutions affect individuals
psychology comes from the words?
psyche : soul/heart and logia : words = study of the mind or study of the soul
Buddha said?
desire: he said desire makes you sad
Galen said?
bodily fluids: people who stay our of things: too much phlegm too much blood: happy , angry: too much bile
apostle paul said?
why do i do what i dont want to do
marcys aurelius said?
its mainly ur beliefs and values that makes things difficult not your situation
descartes said?
he said i doubt therefore i must exist, he said the soul is in the pineal gland
