UNIT 1-Areas of development in psychology Flashcards
What are the three historical phases in understanding the causes of abnormal behavior?
Demonology (evil forces), somatogenesis (bodily causes), and psychogenesis (psychological causes).
How did Hippocrates contribute to the understanding of mental illness?
He proposed the somatogenic perspective, suggesting that mental illness stemmed from imbalances in bodily fluids.
What is the significance of Emil Kraepelin’s work in the field of abnormal psychology?
He developed a classification system for mental disorders, emphasizing their biological nature and distinct origins, symptoms, and outcomes.
How did early views on the “African mind” by figures like H.L. Gordon reflect biases and contribute to harmful stereotypes?
Gordon’s views, which pathologized African behaviors and cultural practices, perpetuated racist stereotypes and hindered the development of culturally sensitive approaches to mental health.
What is the central premise of behaviorism?
All behaviors, including thoughts and feelings, can be understood as responses to environmental stimuli.
Who are some of the key figures associated with the different phases of behaviorism?
Ivan Pavlov (classical conditioning),
John B. Watson (early behaviorism),
B.F. Skinner (operant conditioning),
Albert Bandura (social learning theory).
What is the focus of biological psychology?
The relationship between the brain, nervous system, and behavior.
What historical event contributed to the emergence of biological psychology?
The discovery of the bacterium responsible for syphilis in the brain, linking physiological factors to mental health.
What mental processes are studied within cognitive psychology?
Perception, learning, memory, attention, language, problem-solving, reasoning, and thinking.
What is the purpose of cross-cultural psychology?
To investigate how cultural factors influence human behavior and mental processes.
Why is cross-cultural psychology important in the African context?
Africa’s diverse cultural landscape necessitates understanding how cultural variations impact psychological phenomena and ensuring culturally sensitive practices.
What is the scope of developmental psychology?
The study of human development across the lifespan, encompassing physical, cognitive, emotional, and social changes.
Who were some early figures who contributed to the field of developmental psychology?
John Locke (tabula rasa), Jean-Jacques Rousseau (stages of development), Dietrich Tiedemann (baby biographies).
What is the basic principle of evolutionary psychology?
Human behavior and mental processes can be understood in terms of adaptation to the environment over time.
What is the defining characteristic of experimental psychology?
The use of experiments to study psychological phenomena.
Who is considered the founder of experimental psychology?
Wilhelm Wundt, who established the first experimental psychology laboratory.
What is the focus of neuropsychology?
The relationship between brain structure and function and psychological processes and behaviors.
What historical figure is associated with early contributions to neuropsychology?
Imhotep, an ancient Egyptian priest who wrote about the brain and its functions.
What does personality psychology investigate?
Individual differences in personality traits and characteristics that shape thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
What is the domain of social psychology?
How people think about, influence, and relate to one another.
What is the purpose of applied psychology?
To apply psychological principles and methods to address practical problems in various settings.
Who is considered a pioneer of applied psychology?
Hugo Münsterberg, who extended psychological research to various applied fields.
How did the development of gold mines in South Africa influence certain areas of psychology?
It led to the study of migrant workers’ intelligence, behavior, and personalities, often with the aim of controlling and exploiting them.
What are some challenges in applying Western psychological methods in Africa?
Cultural differences,
language barriers,
and socio-economic factors can influence the validity and applicability of Western methods.
What 3 ways did eurocentric psychology manifest itself?
Assumptive solipsism
Methodological solipsism
Experiential solipsism
……….. is the assumption that the Euro
American world view is the only or most significant world view.
Assumptive solipsism
…………is the assumption that
positivism or neo-positivism is the only or best way to conduct scientific research.
Methodological solipsism
…………..is the assumption that middle-class
white men’s experiences are the most valid.
Experiential solipsism
what are the 4 forms of assumptive solipsism?
Control-prediction bias
Analytical-reductionist bias
Trait-comparison bias
Stability-equilibrium bias
This bias serves to maintain and exercise social control in order to
further perpetuate the status quo. Stability is desirable, and conflict
and change are not. This bias appeals to those who are part of the
status quo and who are not in favour of change.
Stability-equilibrium bias
According to this bias, the aim of psychology is to assess traits or
abilities and to compare them with one another. These traits are
seen as stable and not influenced by socio-historical determinants.
Abilities are usually quantified and measured through IQ tests.
Trait-comparison bias
This bias is founded on the assumption that complex human
experience is understood better when it is reduced to elemental
and simple units. This bias is the result of psychology identifying
with natural science, in terms of which complex human behaviour
is compromised, to be quantified (reductionism of behaviour) and
compared with the behaviour of animals such as rats in
experiments.
Analytical-reductionist bias
This bias is articulated in methodology when the control of
variables and prediction are seen as necessities for scientific
inquiry (seen in the research section). The idea is to control nature
and to predict events before they happen. This led to social control
and the oppression of others, especially since psychology
functioned within colonial discourse.
Control-prediction bias
