Week 1- How Psychology Became A Science Flashcards
Empiricism
philosophical belief that knowledge comes through experience
-Knowledge is based on careful observation
Determinism
belief that all events are caused by cause/ effect relationship
-Determinism vs. free will debate
Materialism
belief that human beings and other living beings are composed of physical matter (no self conscious)
Dualism
belief that there are properties of humans that are not material (mind, soul)
Cognitive Neuroscience
identified neural areas involved with memory, emotions, decision making
Social-cognitive neuroscience
used cognitive neuroscience to examine issues with social behaviour
Social Psychology
study of influence of others on behaviour
-i.e. cyclists ride faster when people are around
Personality Psychology
how different personality characteristics influence behaviour
Cognitive Psychology
focus on processes like memory, thinking, language
Clinical Psychology
field of psychology that concentrates on diagnosis/treatment of psychological disorders
Structuralism
analyzes conscious experience by breaking it down into basic elements and understanding how the elements work together (i.e. apple= red, stem, round)
Functionalism
- study of purpose of behaviour/conscious experience
- behaviour has an evolutionary purpose
Psychoanalysis
Developed by Freud
-attempts to explain how behaviour/personality are influenced by unconscious processes
Behaviouralism
- focus on studying observable behaviour
- No free will
Behaviouralism: Watson
believed behaviour is a result of conditioning
-nuture side of nature vs. nurture debate
Behaviourism: Skinner
(+) or (-) reinforcement (reward or punishment learning)
Humanistic Psychology
focuses on free will, rational thought, humans are different from animals
Humanistic Psychology: Rogers/Maslow
humans strive to find a sense of self and are motivated to attain personal growth/ fulfill their potential
Egypt and Psychology
doctors noticed damage to different parts of brain led to different impairments
Hippocrates and Psychology
developed the first personality scheme -4 humours result in different moods/ behaviours
Galen and Psychology
refined Hippocrates personality scheme so the 4 humours result in different temperaments (personality characteristics that remain stable throughout the lifetime)
4 humours
- Sanguine (blood)
- Chloric (yellow bile)
- Melancholic (black bile)
- Phlegmatic (phlegm)
Zeitgeist
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
Psychophysics
- 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
Natural Selection
Certain behaviours allowed for survival/ reproduction
i.e. Some aggression-> Can hunt/ defend self. Too much aggression-> killed in unnecessary fight
Brain Localization
idea that certain parts of brain controls specific mental abilities/ personality characteristics
Phrenology
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
Psychosomatic Medicine
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
