Psych PP.4-15

Behaviorism

The study of observable and measurable behavior.

Humanistic Psychology

A branch of psychology focusing on human growth potential, connecting with environmental influences, and meeting love and acceptance needs.

Cognitive Neuroscience

A combination of Cognitive Psychology and Neuroscience, studying the underlying brain activity behind behavior.

Psychology

Modern Definition of Psychology: The Study of Behaviors (e.g actions) and Mental Processes (e.g thoughts and feelings)

Nature-Nurture Issue

A debate over if Nature, what we are inherently born with, or Nurture, what we experience, is behind our behavior.

Natural Selection

The passing of traits/genes that are necessary for reproduction and survival to the next generation.

Evolutionary Psychology

Studying how evolution and our biology plays a part in our behavior.

Behavior Genetics

Study of genes and environmental conditions on behavior. (Limited)

Culture

Shared ideas and behaviors that are passed on to the next generation.

Positive Psychology

Focus on human flourishing, with a meaningful (beyond self) life, including skills (to explore how to have a good life)

Levels of Analysis

The different levels/perspectives that have an explanation behind mental processes and behavior. Psychological, Biological, and Social-Cultural.

Basic Research

Research done in order to expand the base knowledge.

Applied Research

Research done in order to solve issues.

Counseling Psychology

Psychology that focuses on mental well-being through solving school, vocational, marriage, etc. problems.

Clinical Psychology

Psychology that aims to study, diagnose, treat psychological disorders.

Psychiatry/Psychiatrist

Branch of medicine that includes the ability to prescribe drugs for psychological disorders. (& Type of doctor)

Community Psychology

Psychology focusing on improving/changing the environment for problem solving and mental well-being.

Testing Effect

Enhanced memory/learning through utilizing tactics like retrieval and spaced repetition.

SQ3R

A method of efficiently reading a textbook or other materials. Survey, Question, Read (actively), Retrieve, and Review.

How has psychology continue to develop from the 1920’s to today?

Before the 1920’s - “Study of Mental life” Around the 1920’s the two big forces of psychology included Freudian Psychology and Behaviorism (Scientific Study of observable and measurable behavior) in response to the previous focus/definition focusing on mental processes. In turn, around the 1960’s, Humanist Psychology arose and began bringing psychology back to its roots. The Cognitive Revolution had also occurred with Cognitive Neuroscience (The study of the brain and what it does to create behavior,) additionally bring the focus back to mental processes. Nowadays the main definition of Psychology is the study of behavior and mental processes.

How has our understanding of biology and experience, culture and gender, and human flourishing shaped contemporary psychology?

Evolutionary Psychology arose from biology and Charle’s Darwin’s work on Evolution and Natural Selection. Behavior Genetics came as a study of environmental and genetical influences on behavior. Gender and cultural psychology studies how these aspects can influence behavior but is limited by how we are more close in spite of them. Positive psychology came from wanting to focus on human improvement and living a good life other than just treating studying and disorders, which was psychology’s main focus.

What are psychology levels of analysis and related perspectives?

The Three Levels of Analysis include Psychological, Biological, and Social-Cultural. (Neuroscience, Evolutionary, Psychology, Behavior Genetics, Psychodynamic, Behavioral, cognitive and social cultural)

What are psychologies main subfields?

The main sub fields include: Biological, developmental, Cognitive, Personality, and social psychology, with pure research mainly done, while applied research is done with Industrial-organizational psychology and others. Counseling Psychology is a helping profession with goals to improve mental well-being, Clinical Psychology is a more studying and diagnosing of disorders, and Psychiatry (Branch of medicine) includes prescribing drugs. Community Psychologists aim to improve the environment for problem solving.

How can psychological principles help you learn remember?

The studying of how we remember, interpret, encode, etc. shows that tactics like spaced repetition (beating the forgetting curve) and active recall (Testing effect, SQ3R) are beneficial to/enhances learning and memory.