ST. CAMILLUS MEDICAL TRAINING COLLEGE TABAKA PSYCHOSOCIAL HEALTH SUPPORT SERVICES

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering the fundamentals of psychology, historical perspectives, personality theories, developmental stages, and counseling principles as outlined in the health support services lecture notes.

Psychology

The scientific study of the mind and behavior, encompassing subfields such as human development, cognitive processes, and social behavior.

Behavior

Directly observable actions, such as a baby crying or someone riding a motorcycle.

Mental processes

Private thoughts, feelings, and motives that an individual experiences internally and cannot be observed directly by others.

Sociology

The study of human social relationships and institutions, ranging from individual encounters to global processes.

Medical Sociology

The sociological analysis of medical organizations, healthcare professionals' actions, and the social and cultural effects of medical practice.

Wilhelm Wundt

Established psychology as an independent experimental field in 1879 and founded the first psychological research laboratory at Leipzig University; known as the father of psychology.

Structuralism

A theory of consciousness founded by Wilhelm Wundt that seeks to analyze mental experiences, such as sensations and feelings, into their basic component elements.

Functionalism

A school of psychology championed by William James that addresses the purpose of consciousness and views the mind as a continuous stream.

Behaviorism

A theory of learning stating that all behaviors are acquired through interaction with the environment through the process of conditioning.

Psychoanalysis

A field of psychotherapy introduced by Sigmund Freud that focuses on resolving unconscious conflicts and understanding the influence of the unconscious on behavior.

Clinical psychology

A branch of psychology that integrates science, theory, and practice to understand and relieve psychological discomfort and promote personal development.

Cognitive psychology

The investigation of internal mental processes including problem-solving, memory, learning, language, and perception.

Developmental psychology

The scientific study of systematic psychological changes that individuals experience throughout their life span.

Forensic psychology

The application of psychological principles and methods to criminal investigation and the law.

Social psychology

The scientific study of how feelings, behaviors, and thoughts are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others.

Personality

Derived from the Latin word 'persona', it refers to a unique and relatively consistent pattern of feelings, thinking, and living.

Id

A structure of personality that is unconscious, lacks contact with reality, and operates according to the pleasure principle.

Ego

The 'executive branch' of personality that makes decisions based on rationality and the reality principle to bring pleasure within social norms.

Superego

The moral branch of personality that evaluates whether actions are right or wrong.

Sensorimotor stage

The first phase of Piaget's cognitive development (0–2 years) where children learn via senses and motor activities.

Preoperational stage

Piaget's second stage (2–7 years) where children begin to use mental representations and abstractions rather than just physical appearances.

Formal operational stage

The final stage of Piaget's theory (11 years through adulthood) characterized by abstract thought and the ability to think about hypothetical possibilities.

Inferiority complex

A concept introduced by Alfred Adler referring to an exaggerated feeling of inadequacy and a tendency to focus on upsetting thoughts.

Intrinsic motivation

Internal motivation that produces a sense of personal control and emphasizes personal effort and mastery.

Extrinsic motivation

Motivation based on external incentives or rewards, often involving comparison with others and a competitive approach.

Self-actualization

The highest tier in Maslow's hierarchy of needs, representing individuals who are living up to their fullest potential.

Repression

A defense mechanism that pushes unacceptable impulses out of conscious awareness and back into the unconscious mind.

Rationalization

A defense mechanism where the ego provides socially acceptable reasons for inappropriate behavior to replace less acceptable motives.

Displacement

A defense mechanism where an individual shifts feelings from a threatening target to a less threatening person or object.

Trust vs. Mistrust

Erikson's first psychosocial stage (birth to 18 months) where infants develop hope if their caregivers are responsive and sensitive.

Integrity vs. Despair

The final stage of Erikson's theory (65+) where individuals reflect on life to develop a sense of satisfaction or despair over missed opportunities.

Counseling

A way of relating and responding to another person to help them explore thoughts, feelings, and behavior to reach self-understanding and solve problems.

Empathy

The counseling principle of identifying with a person by putting oneself in their shoes to provide accurate reflection and understanding.

Critical thinking

A logical thought process involving analysis, evaluation, and reasoning to monitor and improve one's own thinking.

Creative thinking

The ability to imagine or invent something new, often by taking multiple perspectives and using trial-and-error experimentation.