Unit 1: Scientific Foundations Flashcards
scientific study that aims to solve practical problems
applied research
pure science that aims to increase the scientific knowledge base
basic research
the scientific study of observable behavior, and its explanation by principles of learning
behavioral psychology
the study of the relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influences on behavior
behavior genetics
the view that psychology (1) should be an objective science that (2) studies behavior without reference to mental processes; most psychologists agree with (1) but not (2)
behaviorism
the scientific study of the links between biological (genetic, neural, hormonal) and psychological processes
biological pyschology
an integrated approach that incorporates biological, psychological, and social-cultural viewpoints
biopsychosocial approach
a branch of psych that studies, assesses, and treats people with psych disorders
clinical psychology
the interdisciplinary study of the brain activity linked with cognition (including perception, thinking, memory, and language)
cognitive neuroscience
the study of mental processes, such as occur when we perceive, learn, remember, think, communicate, and solve problems
cognitive psychology
a branch of psych that studies how people interact with their social environments and how social institutions affect individuals and groups
community psychology
a branch of psych that assists people with problems in living (often related to school, work, or marriage) and in achieving greater well-being
counseling psychology
thinking that does not blindly accept arguments and conclusions; rather, it examines assumptions, appraises the source, discerns hidden biases, evaluates evidence, and assesses conclusions
critical thinking
the enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, values, and traditions shared by a group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next
culture
a branch of psych that studies physical, cognitive, and social change throughout the life span
developmental psychology
the study of how psych processes affect and can enhance teaching and learning
educational psychology
the idea that knowledge comes from experience, and that observation and experimentation enable scientific knowledge
empiricism
the study of the evolution of behavior and the mind, using principles of natural selection
evolutionary psychology
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
functionalism
a field of psych allied with I/O psych that explores how people and machines interact and how machines and physical environments can be made safe and easy to use
human factors psychology
a historically significant perspective that emphasized human growth potential
humanistic psychology
the application of psych concepts and methods to optimizing human behavior in workplaces
industrial-organizational psychology
the process of looking inward in an attempt to directly observe one’s own psych processes
introspection
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
natural selection
the longstanding controversy over the relative contributions that genes and experience make to the development of psych traits and behaviors; today’s science sees traits and behaviors arising from the interactions of nature and nurture
nature-nurture issue
the study of individuals’ characteristic patterns of thinking, feeling, and acting
personality psychology
the scientific study of human flourishing, with the goals of discovering and promoting strengths and virtues that help individuals and communities to thrive
positive psychology
a branch of medicine dealing with psychological disorders; practiced by physicians who are licensed to provide medical (ex: drug) treatments as well as psych therapy
psychiatry
a branch of psych that studied how unconscious drives and conflicts influence behavior and uses that info to treat people with psych disorders
psychodynamic psychology
the science of behavior and mental processes
psychology
the scientific study of the measurement of human abilities, attitudes, and traits
psychometrics
the study of how situations and cultures affect our behavior and thinking
social-cultural psychology
the scientific study of how we think about, influence, and relate to one another
social psychology
a study method incorporating 5 steps (SQ3R)
survey, question, read, retrieve, review
an early school of thought promoted by Wundt and Titchener; used introspection to reveal the structure of the human mind
structuralism
enhanced memory after retrieving, rather than simply rereading, info
testing effect
