holt et al chpt 1

What is psychology?

The scientific study of behaviour and mental processes using empirical methods to describe, explain, predict & control behaviour

What are the 4 goals of psychology?

to describe, explain, predict & control behaviour

What are the 3 levels of analysis in psychology?

1. Biological (brain, genes, physiology)

2. Psychological (thoughts, emotions)

3. Environmental (social, cultural)

define the psychodynamic perspective

Founded by Sigmund Freud; behaviour is driven by unconscious motives, conflicts & childhood experiences

what is the behavioural perspective?

focuses on observable behaviour shaped by learning & reinforcement (Watson, Skinner)

What is the humanistic perspective?

emphasises personal growth, self-actualisation & free will (Rogers, Maslow)

What is the cognitive perspective?

focuses on mental processes such as memory, thinking & free will

what is the biological perspective?

examines how brain processes, genes & hormones influence behaviour

what is the sociocultural perspective?

studies how social & cultural environments shape behaviour

What is the evolutionary perspective?

explains behaviour in terms of adaptation & natural selection

what is critical thinking in psychology?

evaluating evidence, identifying biases & avoiding pseudoscience