Prologue Vocab Flashcards
Plato
Mind is separate from body and continues after the body dies. Knowledge is born innate.
Same as Socrates. Opposite of Aristotle.
Psychology
The scientific study of behavior and mental processes.
Socrates
The mind is separate from the body and continues after the body dies. Knowledge is born innate.
Same as Plato. Opposite from Aristotle.
Aristotle
Knowledge is not born with us- it comes from experiences and memories and we cannot separate the soul and the body.
Opposite of Socrates and Plato.
Descartes
Father of modern philosophy. Agrees with Plato and Socrates. Said that the braid fluid was animal spirits which flowed to our veins, creating movement. Studied animals to comparing their behavior to human behavior.
Francis Bacon
Formed the scientific method. Focused on patterns we see. Wanted everything to be based off of experiments.
John Locke
Our mind is a tabula rasa. Used empiricism.
Empiricism
The view that knowledge originates in experience and science should rely on observation and experimentation.
Wilhelm Wundt
Opened the first laboratory in Leipzig, Germany. Conducted an experiment with a ball dropping and the response times of pushing a button when hearing the sound versus being aware that it happened.
Structuralism
Using introspection to explore the elemental structure of the human mind.
Edward Titchener
Thought we had inside information. Used structuralism and brought it to the US. Opened the first US laboratory at Cornell university.
Introspection
Looking inward. A self reflection. A rose experiment was once done with this method.
Functionalism
How mental and behavioral processes function- how they make an organism able to survive and flourish.
William James
A functionalist. A Harvard professor who spoke on psychology. Wrote “Principles of Psychology”- took 12 years to write. One of the first US psychologists. Used Darwin’s theories a lot. Taught Mary Calkins.
Mary Calkins
James admitted her to Harvard and she was personally tutored by him. She earned a degree but not until she died. First president of American Psychological Association (APA).
Margaret Floy Washburn
Officially got the first Ph D in psychology for women. 2nd president of APA. Wrote “Animal Mind”
Humanistic Psychology
Emphasized the growth potential in healthy people. Used personalized methods to study personality to help growth.
Nature- Nurture Issue
Debate over genes and experiences to make developmental growth.
Natural Selection
The strong will breed and their genes will be passed on.
Levels of analysis
The differing complementary views for analyzing any given phenomenon. If you have more than one level they are called the biopsychosocial approach which is biological, psychological, and social- cultural.
Evolutionary perspective
How natural selection of traits promotes the perpetuation of genes. (How important was anger to survive)
Behavior Genetics Perspective
How genes and environment influence individual differences in temperament
Neuroscience Perspective
How the body and brain enable emotion, memories and sensory experiences. (Like being hot or red in the face when you’re angry)
Psychodynamic Perspective
How behavior springs from unconscious drives and conflicts
