Prologue Flashcards
Define behavior
Any action we can observe
Define psychology
The scientific study of behavior and mental processes
Define mental processes
Internal, subjective experiences we infer from behavior
Psychology uses __ & __ to explain human nature, and puts __ to the test
Observations & analysisTheories
Describe Buddha’s (india) impact on psychology
Pondered how sensations & perceptions combine to form ideas
Describe Confucius’ (china) impact on psychology
Stressed power of ideas & an educated mind
Describe Socrates’ & Plato’s impact on psychology
Concluded mind is separable from body and continues after death. Knowledge is innate. Derived principles by logic
Describe Aristotle’s impact on psychology
Derived principles by observations. Knowledge grows from experiences stored in memory
Describe Descartes’ impact on psychology
Explained how immaterial mind & physical body communicate with “animal spirits”
Describe Bacon’s impact on psychology
A founder of modern science. Saw how we perceive patterns in random events. Researched our noticing and remembering events
Define Locke’s impact on psychology
Mind at birth is a blank slate on which experience writes
Define empiricism
View that knowledge comes from experience via the senses, & science flourishes through observation & experiment
In 1879, who created the first psychology experiment and laboratory? What did he seek to measure?
Wilhelm WundtFastest & simplest mental processes
In 1892, who introduced structuralism? What did it aim to discover?
Edward TitchenerElements of mind, report elements of experience, but was unreliable
Define structuralism
Early school of psychology that used introspection (looking inward) to explore the elemental structure of the human mind
Who introduced functionalism and wrote Principles of psychology?
William James
Define functionalism
School of psychology that focused on how mental & behavioral processes function; how they enable the organism to adapt, survive, and flourish
First female president of the American Psychological Association
Mary Calkins
First woman to receive a psychology PhD
Margaret Washburn
Psychology developed from __ & __
Philosophy and biology
Describe Pavlov’s, Freud’s, and Piaget’s impact on psychology
Pavlov: study of learningFreud: theory of personalityPiaget: observer of children
Until the 1920s, psychology was defined as?
The science of mental life
From the 1920s - 1960s, introspection was dismissed and psychology was defined as?
The scientific study of observable behavior
In the 1960s, who pioneered humanistic psychology?
Carl Rogers & Abraham Maslow
Define humanistic psychology
Perspective that emphasized the growth potential of healthy people; used personalized methods to study personality in hopes of fostering personal growth
Describe the cognitive revolution in the 1960s
Support earlier ideas, but expanded ideas with science (like importance of considering internal thought processes)
Define cognitive neuroscience
Study of the interaction of thought processes & brain function
Describe contemporary psychology
Membership in psychological societies is growing. Psychology is growing & globalizing
Define the nature-nurture issue
Longstanding controversy over relative contributions that genes & experience make to the development of psychological traits & behaviors
Describe Plato, Aristotle, Locke, & Descartes views on nature-nurture issue
Plato: character & intelligence are largely inherited, certain ideas inbornAristotle: nothing in the mind does not come first from outside worldLocke: mind is blank sheet which experience writesDescartes: some ideas are innate
Describe Darwin’s impact on psychology
1831: pondered incredible species variation. 1859: book Origin of Species proposed evolutionary process & principle of natural selection
Define natural selection
Principle that, among the range of inherited trait variations, those contributing to reproduction & survival will most likely be passed on to succeeding generations
Define levels of analysis
Differing complementary views from biological to psychological to social-cultural, for analyzing any phenomenon
Define biopsychosocial approach
Integrated perspective that incorporates biological, psychological, & social-cultural levels of analysis
Describe psychology’s varied perspectives:Neuroscience:Evolutionary:
Neuroscience: body & brain enable emotions, memories, & sensory experiences Evolutionary: natural selection promotes perpetuation of one’s genes
Describe psychology’s varied perspectives:Behavior genetics:Psychodynamic:
Behavior genetics: genes & environment influence our individual differencesPsychodynamic: behavior springs from unconscious drives & conflicts
Describe psychology’s varied perspectives:Behavioral:Cognitive:Social-cultural:
Behavioral: learn observable responsesCognitive: encode, process, store, & retrieve informationSocial-cultural: behavior & thinking vary across situations & cultures
Define basic research
Pure science that aims to increase the scientific knowledge base
Define the researcher types:Biological:Developmental:Cognitive:
Biological: explore links between brain and mindDevelopmental: study changing abilities from birth to deathCognitive: experiment how we perceive, think, & solve problems
Define the researcher types:Personality:Social:Industrial/organizational:
Personality: investigate persistent traitsSocial: explore how we view & affect one another Industrial/organizational: study and advise on behavior in the workplace
Define applied research
Scientific study that aims to solve practical problems
Define counseling psychology
Branch of psychology that assists people with problems in living and in achieving greater well-being
Define clinical psychology
Branch of psychology that studies, assesses, & treats people with psychological disorders
Define psychiatry
Branch of medicine that deals with psychological disorders; practiced by physicians who sometimes provide medical treatments as well as psychological therapy
To master information, you must __ __ __
Actively process it
What does the SQ3R study method stand for?
Survey, Question, Read, Review, & Reflect
Describe the study method
Look over what you’re going to read and note the sections’ main topic. Keep learning objective as the question you’ll answer. Review section & definitions. Stop & reflect & summarize reading
Five study hints to boost your learning
1) Distribute your study time2) In class, listen actively3) Overlearn4) Focus on big ideas 5) Be a smart test-taker
What did John Watson redefine psychology as? What was he known as
the scientific study of observable behaviorbehaviorist
What are psychology’s 7 perspectives?
neuroscience, evolutionary, behavior genetics, psychodynamic, behavioral, cognitive, and social-cultural
What are psychology’s 6 types of researchers?
biological, developmental, cognitive, personality, social, and industrial/organizational
