behavioral psychology
the scientific study of observable behavior, and its explanation by principles of learning
psychodynamic psychology
a branch of psychology that studies how unconscious drives and conflicts influence behavior and uses that information to treat people with psychological disorders
social psychology
the scientific study of how we think about influence and relate to one another
applied research
scientific study that aims to solve practical problems
humanistic psychology
historically significant perspective that emphasized the growth potential of healthy people and the individual's potential for personal growth
basic research
pure science that aims to increase the scientific knowledge base
psychometrics
the scientific study of the measurement of human abilities, attitudes, and traits
industrial-organizational psychology
the application of psychology concepts and methods to optimizing human behavior in workplaces
human factors psychology
the study of how people and machines interact resulting in the design of machines and environments
biopsychosocial approach
an integrated approach that incorporates biological, psychological, and social-cultural levels of analysis
experimental psychology
the study of behavior and thinking using the experimental method
evolutionary psychology
the study of the roots of behavior and mental processes, using the principals of natural selection
nature-nurture issue
the longstanding controversy that genes and experience make to the development of psychological traits and behaviors
educational psychology
the study of how psychological processes affect and can enhance teaching and learning
developmental psychology
the scientific study of physical cognitive and social change throughout the life span
biological psychology
a branch of psychology that studies the links between biological (including neuroscience and behavior genetics) and psychological processes
behaviorism
the view that psychology, (1) should be an objective science that (2) studies behavior without reference to mental processes
most research psychologists today agree with (1) but not with (2)
social-cultural psychology
the study of how situations and cultures affect our behavior and thinking
natural selection
the principle that among the range of inherited traits variations, those contributing to reproduction and survival will most likely be passed on to succeeding generations
levels analysis
the differing complementary views, from biological to psychological to social-cultural, for analyzing any given phenomenon
cognitive neuroscience
the interdisciplinary study of the brain activity linked with cognition (including perception, thinking, memory, and language)
personality psychology
the study of an individual's characteristic pattern of think, feeling, and acting
SQ3R
a study method incorporating five steps
survey
question
read
rehearse
review
clinical psychology
a branch of psychology that studies, assesses, and treats people with psychological disorders
counseling psychology
a branch of psychology that assists people with problems in living (often related to school, work, and marriage) and in achieving greater well-being
psychiatry
a branch of medicine dealing with psychological disorders; practiced by physicians who often provide medical (for example, drugs) treatments as well as psychological therapy
empiricism
the view that knowledge originates in experience and that science should, therefore, rely on observation and experimentation
structuralism
an early school psychology that used introspection to explore the structural elements of the human mind
psychology
the science of behavior and mental processes
cognitive psychology
the scientific study of all the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating
functionalism
a school of psychology that focused on how our mental and behavioral processes function - how they enable us to adapt, survive, and flourish