UNIT 1: History & Approaches Flashcards
Socrates & Plato
used logic to decide that the mind is separate from the body, and that knowledge is innate (born with us)
Aristotle
believed that knowledge comes from observing experiences
Rene Descartes
he was interested in how the physical body and non-physical mind work together; he dissected animals to view their brains and nerves
Francis Bacon
used the scientific method to conduct experiments; called the father of modern medicine
John Locke
wrote that people are born with minds that are a “blank slate”; this created the birth of modern empiricism
Empiricism
knowledge comes from experiences
Wilhelm Wundt
created the first psychology lab in Germany; measured the time it took people to hit a switch as soon as they heard and perceived a sound
Gestalt Psychology
the whole is greater than the individual parts
Psychoanalysis
Freud’s idea that childhood and the unconscious drives a person’s behavior
Edward Bradford Titchener
the first structuralist; encouraged introspection (looking inward)
Structuralism
the structure of the mind
Instrospection
looking inward; had problems, such as it was unreliable and that people often don’t know what or why they feel what they feel
William James
began functionalism; allowed Mary Calkins (first APA female president) to enter Harvard grad. school
Functionalism
interest in the functions of things- the function of the nose, the brain, etc.
Margaret Floy Washburn
earned the first Ph.D for a woman and was the 2nd female APA president
Psychology
the scientific and systematic study of people’s behavior and mental processes
Scientific and Systematic
refers to the scientific method (experiments) and to a logical, orderly way to gather and analyze information
Behavior
refers to something observable, like laughing or fidgeting one’s hands
Mental Processes
refers to the biology of thinking, analysis, judgments, and subjective (internal things like feelings, perceptions, beliefs.)
Nature-nurture Issue
which influences a person the most, their heredity and biology (nature) or their upbringing and surroundings (nurture)
Charles Darwin
developed the theory of evolution - from chance genetic mutations, he theorized that nature selects those traits that best allow a species to reproduce and survive
Biopsychosocial Approach
encompasses (1) biological, (2) psychological, and (3) socio-cultural influences
Biological Approach
Olds, Sperry - the body and brain are the dominant influences of behavior and thinking
Evolutionary Approach
Darwin - nature selects traits that allow a species to survive
Psychodynamic Approach
Freud - the unconscious drives peoples’ behavior
Behavioral Approach
Watson, Skinner - behavior is due to reinforcement, like rewards and punishment
Cognitive Approach
Piaget, Chomsky - focuses on how we store, process, and use information, like a computer
Humanistic Approach
Rogers, Maslow - environmental influences, especially love and acceptance, determine if we become all we can in life
Socio-cultural Approach
behavior and ideas are different depending on the culture
Psychometrics
the study of our abilities, attitudes, and traits
Clinical Psychologists
treat disorders
Psychiatrists
medical doctors (M.D.s) and thus can prescribe medicine to treat biological disorders
