W1: INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY Flashcards
what does psychology mean?
the science of behavior and mental processes in humans and animals
- science: systematic observation, reliable data
- behavior: measurable, observable actions
- mental process: covert private processes
what are the goals of psychology?
Description, prediction, intervention/influence
Explanation: using theory: explanation of facts and casual relationships
name 2 theories based on the nature of conscious experience ?
structuralism and gestalt psychology
what does structuralism there mean and the founder and year?
- Wilhelm Wundt: the 1st psychological laboratory in 1879 in Germany.
- based on basic elements of conscious experience and the structure of mind.
- inrospection: the process of looking inward at ones own’s mind
what does Gestalt psychology mean and the founder and year?
- Max Wertheimer- early 1900s
- said: stimuli have meaning only in context and focusses on the whole
- human consciousness cannot be broken down into simpler elements and the whole is different from the sum of the parts
why was the phi phenomenon used by Gestalt psychologist?
to demonstrate that the whole is different from the sum of its parts.
name 1 theory based on the nature of unconscious experience ?
Humanistic psychology
what does Humanistic psychology entail, founder and year?
- Carl Rogers, Abraham Maslow-1950s
- innate need for growth and self-actualisation
- conditions of love
- aspects of self not accepted by other are pushed into the unconscious
name 1 theory based on the nature of behaviours?
Behaviorism
what does behaviourism entail, founder and year?
- Watson , 1920s
- consciousness cannot be studied scientifically and it focusses on overt behaviours
- tabula-rasa:
- behaviour is the results of learning-pairing of stimulus response: pavlov’s experiments
- social leaning: Bandura’s work
name 5 basic areas in Modern Psychology
biological, cognitive, development, personality and social psychology
what does biological psychology entail?
- nervous system+ body+ bodily functions
- biological underpinnings of behaviour and mental processes
- comparison between animals and humans
what does cognitive psychology entail?
- cognition: all intellectual/mental processes
- sensation/oerceotion: how do we sense/perceive/interptret incoming information
- learning/memeory: how do we learn new information and skills? how do we remember retrieve or forget past experiences?
what does development psychology entail?
- changes during the lifespan in cognitive, social, physical and emotional domains
- from birth to old age
what does personality psychology entail?
-individual differences in personality
motivation/emotion: needs.drives that guide our actions and goal directed behaviours
what does social psychology entail?
- the influence of other people on our behaviours
- group processes and dynamics
- interpersonal relations
- sociocultural psychology:
- -emphasis on culture and other social influences
- understanding the Individual in context
- cultural relativity: thinking of difference in relative term rather than in judgemental terms
name 5 applied areas in modern psychology?
clinical, counseling, educational, industrial and health psychology
what does clinical psychology entail?
- understand/treat emotional and behavioural problems
- different from psychiatry
what does counseling psychology entail?
- work with students in the school context
- handle school problems and assist students with career choices
what does educational psychology entail?
- aims to facilitate learning in the classroom
- psychological testing
- special education programs
what does industrial psychology entail?
- study humans in the work context
- Human Resources
what does health psychology entail?
- investigate health-related behaviours
- explore the link between stress and health