Psychology
The scientific study of behavior and mental processes
Nature-Nurture Issue
Affects of the surrounding environment on a subject vs. Heredity.
Wilhelm Wundt
German physiologist who established psychology as an experimental science and opened the first psychology research laboratory in 1879.
Edward B. Titchener
British-born American psychologist who founded structuralism, the first school of psychology.
Structuralism
Early school of psychology that emphasized studying the most basic components, or structures, of conscious experiences.
Introspection
Simple stimulus and reconstruct their sensations/feelings after viewing stimuli.
Stimulus
Anything perceptible to the senses, such as sight, sound, smell , touch, or taste.
William James
Founder of functionalism
Charles Darwin
Book gathered evidence from many different scientific fields to present a readable, compelling account of evolution through the mechanism of natural selection. (Complex organisms evolved from simpler species).
Functionalism
Early school of psychology that emphasized studying the purpose, or function, of behavior and mental experiences.
G. Stanley Hall
Established the first psychology research laboratory in the United States and founded the American Psychological Association.
Mary Whiton Calkins
First woman president of the American Psychological Association
Margaret Floy Washburn
First American woman to earn an official Ph. D. in psychology. Second woman to be elected president of the American Psychological Association.
Francis C. Sumner
American psychologist who was the first African American to receive a doctorate i psychology in the United States.
Sigmund Freud
Developing an intriguing theory of personality based on uncovering causes of behavior that were unconscious, or hidden from the person's conscious awareness. (Founder of Psychoanalysis)
Psychoanalysis
Founded by Sigmund Freud. Theory that focuses on unconscious conflicts in determining behavior and personality.
Behaviorism
School of psychology and theoretical viewpoint that emphasize the scientific study of observable behaviors, especially as they pertain to the process of learning.
Ivan Pavlov
Behaviorism grew out of the pioneering work of Pavlov. Famous for dog, bell experiment.
John B. Watson
Championed behaviorism as a new school of psychology. Focusing on conscious mental processes.
B. F. Skinner
Skinner believed in behaviorism and punished bad behavior to train/observe rats and pigeons.
Humanistic Psychology
The theoretical viewpoint on personality that generally emphasizes the inherent goodness of people, human potential, self-actualization, the self-concept, and healthy personality development.
Carl Rogers
American psychologist who was largely responsible for founding the school of humanistic psychology.
Abraham Maslow
Advocate of Humanistic Psychology. Developed a theory of motivation that emphasized psychological growth.
Functionalism
Stressed the importance of how behavior functions to allow people and animals to adapt to their environment.
neuroscience
refers to the study of nervous system, especially in the brain.
Biological Perspective
Emphasizes studying the physical bases of human and animal behavior, including the nervous system, endocrine system, immune system and genetics.
Psychodynamic Perspective
Emphasize the importance of unconscious influences, early life experiences, and interpersonal relationships in explaining the underlying dynamics of behavior or in treating people with psychological problems.
Behavioral Perspective
How behavior is acquired or modified by environmental causes.
Humanistic Perspective
Focuses on the motivation of people to grow psychologically, the influence of interpersonal relationships on a persons self-concept, and the importance of choice and self-direction in striving to reach one's potential.
The Positive Psychology Perspective
Field of psychological research and theory focusing on the study of positive emotions and psychological states, positive individual traits and the social institutions that foster those qualities in individuals and communities.
Cognitive Perspective
Focused once again on the important role of mental processes in how people process and remember information, develop language, solve problems, and think.
Cross-Cultural Perspective
How cultural factors influence patterns of behavior.
Evolutionary Perspective
Refers to the application of the principles of evolution to explain psychological processes and phenomena.
Ethnocentrism
Own culture as the standard for judging other cultures.
Individualistic cultures
Emphasize needs and goals of the individual.
Collectivistic Cultures
Emphasize the needs and goals of the group over the needs and goals of the individual.
Biological Psychology
Relationship between psychological processes and the body's physical systems.
Clinical Psychology
Causes, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of different types of behavioral and emotional disorders.
Cognitive psychology
Investigates mental processes, including reasoning and thinking, problem solving, memory, perception, mental imagery, and language.
Counseling Psychology
Helps people of all ages adjust, adapt, and cope with personal and interpersonal problems in such diverse areas as relationships, work, education, marriage, child rearing, and aging.
Educational Psychology
Studies how people of all ages learn.
Experimental Psychology
Research focused on such basic topics as sensory and perceptual processes, principles of learning, emotion, and motivation.
Developmental Psychology
Studies the physical, social, and psychological changes that occur at different ages and stages of the lifespan, from conceptions to old age.
Forensic Psychology
Legal issues
Health Psychology
development, prevention, and treatment of illnesses.
Industrial/Organizational Psychology
Relationships between people and work. (Leadership, group behavior, worker productivity).
Personality Psychology
Nature of human personality, and individual differences.
Rehabilitation Psychology
Helping people with chronic and disabling health conditions (accident or stroke victims)
Social psychology
How people are affected by social environments
Sports Psychology
Enhance athletic motivation, performance and consistency.
Scientific Method Steps
1. Formulate a Testable Hypothesis
2. Design the Study and Collect the Data
3. Analyze the Data and Draw Conclusions
4. Report Findings
Operational Definition
Defines the variable in a very specific terms as to how it will be changed, manipulated or measured.
theory
explanation that tries to account for diverse findings on the same topic.
Correlation Coefficient
Numerical indicator of the strength of the relationship between two factors.
Positive Correlation
two factors vary in the same direction.
Placebo
Fake substance