Unit 1: Psychology's History and Approaches Flashcards
critical thinking
thinking that doesn’t blindly accept arguments or conclusions
- rather exams assumptions, appraises the source, discerns hidden biases, evaluates evidence, and assesses conclusions
scientific attitude
contains 3 key elements which support scientific inquiry
- 1. Curiosity
- 2. Skepticism (How do you know?, What do you Mean?)
- 3. Humility (Researchers must be willing to be surprised and follow new ideas)
empiricism
the idea that knowledge comes from experience, and that observation and experimentation enable scientific knowledge
structuralism (objective introspection)
an early school of though promoted by Wundt and Titchener; used introspection to reveal the structure of the human mind
- experiences can be broken down into emotions and sensations; How do different things make you feel?
introspection
the process of looking inward in an attempt to directly observe one’s own psychological processes
functionalism
an early school of thought promoted by James and influenced by Darwin; explored how mental and behavioral processes function–how they enable the organism to adapt, survive, and flourish
- How does consciousness impact everyday life?
behaviorism
the view that psychology should (1) be an objective science that (2) studies behavior without reference to mental processes
- focused solely on observable behavior
humanistic psychology
a historically significant perspective that emphasized human growth potential
Maslow and Rogers
cognitive psychology
the study of mental processes, such as occur when we perceive, learn, remember, think, communicate, and solve problems
cognitive neuroscience
the interdisciplinary study of the brain activity linked with cognition (including perception, thinking, memory, and language)
psychology
the science of behavior and mental processes
nature-nurture issue
the longstanding controversy over the relative contributions that genes and experience make to the development of psychological traits and behaviors. Today’s science sees traits and behaviors arising from the interaction of nature and nurture.
natural selection
the principle that inherited traits that better enable an organism to survive and reproduce in a particular environment will (in competition with other trait variations) most likely be passed on to succeeding generations.
evolutionary psychology
the study of the evolution of behavior and the mind, using principles of natural selection
behavior genetics
the study of the relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influences on behavior
culture
the enduring behaviors, ideas, attributes, values, and traditions hared by a group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next
positive psychology
the scientific study of human flourishing, with the goals of discovering and promoting strengths and virtues that help individuals and communities to thrive
biopsychosocial approach
an integrated approach that incorporates biological, psychological, and social-cultural view points
behavioral psychology
the scientific study of observable behavior, and its explanation by principles of learning
biological psychology
the scientific study of the links between biological (genetic, neural, hormonal) and psychological processes
biological influences (examples)
genetic predispositions (genetically influenced traits)
genetic mutations
natural selection of adaptive traits and behaviors passed down through generations
genes responding to the environment
psychological influences (examples)
learned fears and other learned expectations
emotional responses
cognitive processing and perceptual interpretations
social-cultural influences
presence of others
cultural, societal, and family expectations
peer and other group influences
compelling models (media)
psychodynamic psychology
a branch of psychology that studies how unconscious drives and conflicts influence behavior and uses that information to treat people with psychological disorders
- emphasis on development of self and relationships
social-cultural psychology
the study of how situations and cultures affect our behavior and thinking
testing effect
enhanced memory after retrieving, rather than simply rereading, information. Also referred to as a retrieval practice effect or test-enhanced learning
SQ3R
a study method incorporating 5 steps: Survey, Question, Read, Retrieve, Review
psychometrics
the scientific study of the measurement of human abilities, attitudes, and traits
basic research
pure science that aims to increase the scientific knowledge base
developmental pyschology
a branch of psychology that studies physical, cognitive, and social change throughout the life span
educational psychology
the study of how psychological processes affect and can enhance teaching and learning
personality psychology
the study of individuals’ characteristic patterns of thinking, feeling, and acting
social psychology
the scientific study of how we think about, influence, and relate to one another
applied research
scientific study that aims to solve practical problems
industrial-organizational (I/O) psychology
the application of psychological concepts and methods to optimizing human behavior in workplaces
human factors psychology
a field of psychology allied with I/O psychology that explores how people and machines interact and how machines and physical environments can be safe and easy to use
counseling psychology
a branch of psychology that assists people with problems in living and 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 are licensed to provide medical treatments as well as psychological therapy
community psychology
a branch of psychology that studies how people interact with their social environments and how social institutions affect individuals and groups
psychoanalysis
created by Sigmund Freud, stressed the importance of early childhood experiences
- also focused on sexual frustration as a cause of mental instability
- principles are still used today
gestalt psychology
created by Max Wertheimer
- gestalt is German for “an organized whole”
- sensations and emotions cannot be broken down into smaller pieces
scientific method
a system for reducing bias and error in the measurement of data
- ask a question
- do background research
- construct a hypothesis
- test your hypothesis by doing an experiment
- analyze your data and draw a conclusion
- report your results. was the hypothesis correct?
observer effect
