Psychology Terms Chapter 1

psychology

scientific study of behaviors and mental processes

behavior

everything we do that can be directly observed; ex: two people kissing, a baby crying

mental processes

the thoughts, feelings, and motives that each of us experience privately but cannot be observed directly

critical thinking

the process of reflecting deeply and actively, asking questions, and evaluating the evidence

skepticism

skeptical people challenge whether a supposed fact is actually true

pseudoscience

information that is couched in scientific terminology but is not supported by sound scientific research