Chapter 1 - psychologists at work

Psychology

The study of behavior and mental processes

Behavioral psych

studies how the brain and biological aspects of the body determine behavior

Experimental psych

studies the process of sensing, perceiving, learning and thinking about the world

Cognitive psych

Studies higher mental processes, thinking, memory, reasoning, problem solving, judging, decision making, and language

Developmental Psych

Studies how people grow and change from conception to death

personality psych

consistency in people’s behavior throughout their lives and the traits that differentiate one another

Health Psych

studies the relationship b/w psychological factors and disease

Clinical Psych

study, diagnosis, and treatment of psychological disorders

Counseling psych

focuses on educational, social, career adjustment problems

Social Psych

studies how people’s thoughts, feelings and actions are affected by others

Cross-Cultural psych

similarities and differences in psychological functioning in/across various cultures/ethnic groups

Wilhelm Wundt

studied the structures of the mind and its relationship to conscious experience - laid foundations for Structuralism

Structuralism

focuses on understanding the fundamental mental components of consciousness, thinking, and etc.

Introspection

A procedure used to study the structure of the mind in which a person is asked to describe in detail what they are experiencing when exposed to a stimulus

Functionalism

Concentrated on what the mind does. The functions of mental activity and the role of behavior in allowing people to adapt to their environments

Gestalt Psych

An approach to psych that focuses on the organization of perception and thinking in a whole sense rather than on the individual elements of perception

Neuroscience Perspective

The approach that views behavior from the perspective of the brain, the nervous system and other biological functions

Psychodynamic Perspective

The approach based on the view that behavior is motivated by unconscious inner forces over which the individual has little control

Behavioral perspective

The approach that suggests that observable, external behavior, which can be objectively measured na dobserved, should be the focus of psychological study

Cognitive Perspective

The approach that focuses on how people think, understand, and know about the world

Humanistic Perspective

The approach that suggests that all individuals naturally strive to grow, develop, and be in control of their lives and behavior