PSYCHOLOGY ELECTIVE NOTES (2)

Noam Chomsky

A linguist who proposed that humans are wired to learn language.

Scientific Method

The use of objective and reproducible methods to gather data for testing a theory or hypothesis.

Theory

A set of concepts and propositions designed to organize, describe, and explain existing observations.

Hypothesis

A theoretical prediction about some aspects of experience.

Naturalistic Observation

Observing people in their everyday surroundings, understanding that people may act differently when watched.

Self-Report Methods

Methods for data collection where participants provide information about themselves, often through interviews or questionnaires.

Mindfulness

A practice emphasizing awareness and emotional regulation to manage stress.

Tabula Rasa

The idea proposed by John Locke that individuals are born as blank slates and are shaped by experiences.

Cogito Ergo Sum

René Descartes' philosophical statement meaning 'I think, therefore I am'.

Phrenology

A theory proposed by Franz Joseph Gall linking higher mental functions to the bumps and shapes of the skull.

Localization of Function

The concept that specific brain regions are responsible for specific functions.

Just Noticeable Difference (JND)

The minimal amount of change in a stimulus that can be detected.

Weber-Fechner Law

The principle that the change needed to notice a difference between two stimuli is proportional to the original intensity of the stimulus.

Pseudoscience

A body of knowledge, methodology, belief, or practice claimed to be scientific but does not adhere to the scientific method.

Informed Consent

A fundamental ethical principle requiring that participants be fully aware of and agree to the nature of the research and its risks.

Humphreys Tea Room Trade Study

An ethnographic study observing anonymous male homosexual encounters in public toilets.

Darwin's Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection

The foundational theory suggesting behaviors reflect hereditary predispositions that aided survival and reproduction.

Tabula Rasa

An idea that suggests individuals are born without built-in mental content and that all knowledge comes from experience or perception.

Reflex Action Theory

A theory proposed by Descartes to explain involuntary bodily movements.

Cognitive Processing

The mental process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses.

Margaret Floy Washburn

The first woman to earn a doctoral degree in American psychology in 1894.