Prologue: Basics of Psychology Flashcards
Psychology
Science of behavior and mental processes
Cognitive neuroscience
Inter-disciplinary study of brain activity linked with cognition(including perception, thinking, memory, and language)
Nature vs. Nurture
Controversy over the contributions that genes and experience make to the development of psychological traits and behaviors. Modern science sees traits and behaviors arising from the interaction of both nature and nurture
Natural Selection
The principle that among the range of inherited trait variations, those contributing to reproduction/survival will most likely be passed on
Levels of Analysis
Differing complementary views, from biological, psychological, and social-cultural used for analyzing any phenomenon
Bio-psycho-social Approach
An integrated approach that incorporates bio, psycho, and social-cultural levels of analysis
Basic Research
Pure science that aims to increase the scientific knowledge base
Applied Research
Scientific study that aims to solve practical problems
Counseling Psychology
A branch of psychology that assists people with problems in living (often relating to school, work, or marriage) and in achieving greater well-being
Clinical PSychology
A branch of psychology that studies, assesses, and treats people with psychological disorders
Psychiatry
A branch of medicine dealing with psychological disorders; practiced by physicians who some times provide medical treatments as well as psychological therapy
Positive Psychology
Scientific study of human functioning, with the goals of discovering and promoting strengths/virtues that help people and communities to thrive
Behaviorism
Idea that psychology should be an objective science that studies behavior without reference to mental processes. Most research psychologists agree with the first part by not the second part
Community Pscyhology
A branch of psychology that studies how people interact with their social environments and how social institutions affect individuals and groups
Humanistic Psychology
Historically significant perspective that emphasized the growth of potentially healthy people and the individual’s potential for personal growth
Psychology’s Roots
The beginning of psychology, starting with philosophy, biology, and religion.
Atoms of the Mind
The original experiment Wilhelm Wundt performed in 1879 in the first psychology lab, in order to find study mental functions/processes and their efficiency
Introspection
The psychological practice of patients thinking about their mental processes and emotions in order to gain a deeper understanding of themselves and for psychologist to learn. Proved incredibly unreliable due to the variety of backgrounds people have that influence their answers
Structuralism
The belief that psychology should be processed/learned about through introspection (known as a school)
Functionalism
The school of thought which believes in psychology through an evolutionary, biological, and behavioral lens in order to study people and try to provide answers to questions. Much more reliable and popular than structuralism/introspection
APA
American Psychological Association, Mary Whiton Calkin was President of it in 1905
The Animal Mind
Margaret Floy Washburn’s psychology book which had great impact on psychology of the day- closer gender equality
Principles of Psychology
The 12 years in the making book (published in 1890) by William James that was one of the greatest and most helpful resources to teach the public psychology (first psych textbook)
Cognitive Psychology
The study of mental processes, especially in regards to external stimuli/information
Cognitive Revolution
A shift in psychology to have greater focus on the brain and its functions, occurring in the 1960s and thus applying it to psychological studies/branches