Unit 1 Term List Flashcards
Wilhelm Wundt
Known as the “father of psychology” largely because of his success in establishing psychology as a true science and a legitimate academic discipline.
Mary Calkins
A woman “pioneer” in the field of psychology. She became the first woman to serve as president of the American Psychological Association in 1905.
Francis Cecil Sumner
The first African American to earn a Ph.D. in psychology at Clark University. He eventually became the chair of the psychology department of Howard University.
G. Stanley Hall
An important early American contributor to the field of psychology. Three major contributions: 1) Established the first American psychological research laboratory. 2) Established the first American research journal in psychology. 3) Helped to establish the first American professional organization. (He was the first president of the American Psychological Association.)
Structuralism
An early school of thought in psychology. The main idea was that conscious experience could be broken down into basic elements or structures.
Edward Titchener
An important American structuralist
Functionalism
An early school of thought in psychology. The main belief was that the task of psychology is to investigate the function, or purpose, of consciousness rather than its structure.
William James
The most influential early Functionalist. He was highly influenced by Darwin’s evolutionary theory that all characteristics of a species serve some adaptive purpose.
Ivan Pavlov
An important and influential behaviorist.
B.F. Skinner
An important and influential behaviorist.
John B. Watson
An important and influential behaviorist from Travelers Rest, SC that emphasized that psychology must abandon the study of consciousness and focus on the study of observable behavior.
Empiricism
An aspect of science that emphasizes the role of experience, especially sensory perception (sight, hearing, taste, touch, smell) in the formation of ideas. This philosophy asserts that all scientific hypotheses must be tested against actual observations.
Stimulus
Anything that happens or changes in the environment.
Response
The behavior that follows stimulus.
Determinism
The belief held by many behaviorists that all behavior is predetermined by previous stimuli.
Sigmund Freud
The most influential psychoanalytic theorist.
The Unconscious Mind
Feelings, thoughts, urges, and memories that are outside of our conscious awareness.
Humanistic Psychology (Humanism)
An optimistic theory that asserts that all humans possess free will and the potential for positive growth.
Abraham Maslow
An influential humanist.
Eclectic Approach
An approach on which psychologists draw on multiple different perspectives and theories to gain an understanding of human behavior and mental processes.
Theory
A system of interrelated ideas used to explain a set of observations.
Variables
The object of study in scientific research. These vary and can be measured.
Population
The entire group of people in which the researcher is interested.
Sampling Bias
The exists when the sample is not representative of the population from which it is drawn.
Extraneous Variable
Any variable, other than the independent variable, including a specification of how the variable will be measured.
Operational Definition
A precise definition of each variable, including a specification of how the variables will be measured.
Replicate
In research, repeating a study or experiment and finding the same results as the original study.
Single-Blind Study
Study in which the subjects do not know if they are in the experimental or the control group.
Double-Blind Study
Study in which neither the experimenter nor the subjects know if the subjects are in the experimental or the control group.
Introspection
The examination of one’s own conscious activities.
Behaviorism
The scientific study of observable behavior.
Psychoanalytic Perspective
An approach developed by Freud suggesting that behavior and personality are shaped by unconscious conflicts.
Id
According to Freud, the most primitive structure of the mind, the activities of which occur at the unconscious level and are guided by the pleasure principle.
Pleasure Principle
A principle that guides the id, directing behavior toward instant gratification and away from contemplating consequences.
Ego
According to Freud, the structure of the mind that uses the reality principle to manipulate situations, plan for the future, solve problems, and make decisions to satisfy the needs of the id.
Reality Principle
A principle that guides the ego as it negotiates between the id and the environment, directing behavior to follow society’s rules.
Superego
According to Freud, the structure of the mind that guides behavior to follow the rules of society, parents, or other authority figures.
Cognitive Perspective
An approach examining the mental processes that direct behavior.
Sociocultural Perspective
An approach examining how social interactions and culture influence behavior and mental processes.
Biological Perspective
An approach that uses knowledge about underlying physiology to explain behavior and mental processes.
Evolutionary Perspective
An approach that uses knowledge about evolutionary forces, such as natural selection, to understand behavior.
Hypothesis
A statement that can be used to test a prediction.
5 Steps of Scientific Investigation
- Develop a question
- Develop a hypothesis
- Design study and collect data
- Analyze the data
- Share the findings
Experiments (Experimental Method)
A type of research that manipulates a variable of interest (independent variable) to uncover cause-and-effect relationships.
Representative Sample
A subgroup of a population selected so that its members have characteristics similar to those of the population of interest.
Sample
A subset of a population chosen for inclusion in an experiment.
Independent Variable (IV)
In the experimental method, the variable manipulated by the researcher to determine its effect on the dependent variable.
Dependent Variable (DV)
In the experimental method, the characteristic or response that is measured to determine the effect of the researcher’s manipulation.
Experimental Group
The participants in an experiment who are exposed to the treatment variable or manipulation by the researcher; represents the treatment group.
Control Group
The participants in an experiment who are not exposed to the treatment variable; this is the comparison group.
Random Assignment
The process of appointing study participants to experimental or control groups, ensuring that every person has an equal chance of being assigned to either.
Correlational Method
A type of research examining relationships among variables.
Correlation Coefficient
The statistical measure (symbolized as r) that indicates the strength and direction of the relationship between two variables.
Naturalistic Observation
A type of descriptive research that studies participants in their natural environment through systematic observation.
Case Study
A type of descriptive research that closely examines an individual or small group.
Survey Method
A type of descriptive research that uses questionnaires or interviews to gather data.
Placebo
An inert substance or fake treatment given to members of the control group.
Positive Psychology
An approach that focuses on human flourishing and the positive aspects of human nature, seeking to understand the roots of happiness, creativity, humor, and other strengths.
Carl Rogers
An influential humanist.
