Introduction to Psychology

These flashcards cover basic vocabulary related to the field of psychology, including key concepts, historical approaches, and research methods.

Psychology

The scientific study of behavior and mental processes, utilizing systematic methods to observe thoughts, feelings, and motives.

Structuralism

An early school of psychology founded by Wilhelm Wundt that sought to identify the structures of the mind through introspection.

Functionalism

A perspective focused on the purposes of the mind and behavior, emphasizing adaptation to the environment, associated with William James.

Behavioral Approach

A psychological perspective that focuses on observable behaviors and the environmental determinants of behavior, rejecting explanations referencing thoughts and feelings.

Psychodynamic Approach

A perspective founded by Sigmund Freud that emphasizes unconscious conflicts and childhood experiences as influential on personality and behavior.

Humanistic Approach

A psychological perspective that emphasizes positive human qualities, potential, and the importance of personal choice and self-actualization.

Cognitive Approach

A viewpoint that focuses on mental processes such as memory, perception, and problem solving, viewing the mind as an active processor of information.

Evolutionary Approach

A perspective that explains human behavior in terms of adaptation, reproduction, and natural selection, addressing hereditary traits that may not adapt well to environmental needs.

Sociocultural Approach

A perspective that emphasizes the influence of ethnicity, culture, gender, and socioeconomic status on behavior and mental processes.

Scientific Method

A systematic approach to inquiry involving observation, hypothesis formulation, testing, conclusions, and evaluation to gain an understanding of phenomena.