Week 1- How Psychology Became A Science

Question 1

Empiricism

Answer 1

philosophical belief that knowledge comes through experience

-Knowledge is based on careful observation

Question 2

Determinism

Answer 2

belief that all events are caused by cause/ effect relationship
-Determinism vs. free will debate

Question 3

Materialism

Answer 3

belief that human beings and other living beings are composed of physical matter (no self conscious)

Question 4

Dualism

Answer 4

belief that there are properties of humans that are not material (mind, soul)

Question 5

Cognitive Neuroscience

Answer 5

identified neural areas involved with memory, emotions, decision making

Question 6

Social-cognitive neuroscience

Answer 6

used cognitive neuroscience to examine issues with social behaviour

Question 7

Social Psychology

Answer 7

study of influence of others on behaviour

-i.e. cyclists ride faster when people are around

Question 8

Personality Psychology

Answer 8

how different personality characteristics influence behaviour

Question 9

Cognitive Psychology

Answer 9

focus on processes like memory, thinking, language

Question 10

Clinical Psychology

Answer 10

field of psychology that concentrates on diagnosis/treatment of psychological disorders

Question 11

Structuralism

Answer 11

analyzes conscious experience by breaking it down into basic elements and understanding how the elements work together (i.e. apple= red, stem, round)

Question 12

Functionalism

Answer 12

• study of purpose of behaviour/conscious experience

- behaviour has an evolutionary purpose

Question 13

Psychoanalysis

Answer 13

Developed by Freud

-attempts to explain how behaviour/personality are influenced by unconscious processes

Question 14

Behaviouralism

Answer 14

• focus on studying observable behaviour

- No free will

Question 15

Behaviouralism: Watson

Answer 15

believed behaviour is a result of conditioning

-nuture side of nature vs. nurture debate

Question 16

Behaviourism: Skinner

Answer 16

(+) or (-) reinforcement (reward or punishment learning)

Question 17

Humanistic Psychology

Answer 17

focuses on free will, rational thought, humans are different from animals

Question 18

Humanistic Psychology: Rogers/Maslow

Answer 18

humans strive to find a sense of self and are motivated to attain personal growth/ fulfill their potential

Question 19

Egypt and Psychology

Answer 19

doctors noticed damage to different parts of brain led to different impairments

Question 20

Hippocrates and Psychology

Answer 20

developed the first personality scheme -4 humours result in different moods/ behaviours

Question 21

Galen and Psychology

Answer 21

refined Hippocrates personality scheme so the 4 humours result in different temperaments (personality characteristics that remain stable throughout the lifetime)

Question 22

4 humours

Answer 22

• Sanguine (blood)
• Chloric (yellow bile)
• Melancholic (black bile)
• Phlegmatic (phlegm)

Question 23

Zeitgeist

Answer 23

set of beliefs of a culture at a specific time

      - “sprit of the times”
      - People were not ready to accept science that can be applied to human 		        thought/behaviour- didn’t wan tot believe that human behaviour is a result of 	        predictable physical laws

Question 24

Psychophysics

Answer 24

• exploration of how physics/mental worlds interact
  i. e. Heavy weight in one hand, lighter weight in the other. Adding a small weight to each hand (same weight). The hand with the lighter weight feels as if the small weight is heavier than the other small in the other hand

Question 25

Natural Selection

Answer 25

Certain behaviours allowed for survival/ reproduction

i.e. Some aggression-> Can hunt/ defend self. Too much aggression-> killed in unnecessary fight

Question 26

Brain Localization

Answer 26

idea that certain parts of brain controls specific mental abilities/ personality characteristics

Question 27

Phrenology

Answer 27

idea that brain consist of 27 “organs” with corresponding mental traits (different part of brain= different trait)

				- Pronounced trait= bigger section of brain
				- i..e Always angry= large “anger” part of brain
				- Large brain areas cause bumps on head- can 						  identify traits by feeling head

Question 28

Psychosomatic Medicine

Answer 28

belief in treatment
-Magnets thought to be able to cure insanity/disease by redirecting flow of metallic fluids. Not true, but patients were “cured” after being lulled into a trance