The Evolution of Psychology: Fields of Psychology

Flashcards covering key concepts from Chapter 1.2, "Fields of Psychology," including the Cognitive, Sociocultural, and Biological perspectives, as well as specific psychological fields and professional specialties.

What is the primary focus of the Cognitive Perspective in psychology?

It examines the nature of the mind and how mental processes influence behaviour, viewing humans as information processors.

What concept did Gestalt psychology introduce to the cognitive perspective?

It emphasizes how the mind organizes elements of experience into a unified or "whole" perception.

What was the Cognitive Revolution (1960s-1970s) characterized by?

A period of growing interest in mental processes, particularly language learning.

How does the Information processing model of cognition describe the mind?

It describes the mind as a system that processes, stores, and retrieves information.

What is the main study area of Cognitive Psychology?

It focuses on the study of mental processes.

How does Cognitive Neuroscience investigate brain activity?

It uses electrical recordings and brain-imaging techniques to study brain activity during cognitive tasks.

What does the Sociocultural Perspective in psychology examine?

It examines how the social environment and cultural learning influence our behaviour, thoughts, and feelings.

What does Social Psychology investigate within the sociocultural perspective?

It studies how the presence of other people (physical, implied, or imagined) influences our behaviour.

What is 'culture' defined as within the sociocultural perspective?

Culture refers to the values, beliefs, behaviours, and traditions shared and passed on within a group.

What are 'norms' in the context of culture?

Norms are often unwritten rules of behaviour that guide individuals within a culture.

What does Cultural Psychology examine?

It examines the transmission of culture, psychological similarities, and differences among people from diverse cultures.

What is the main objective of the Biological Perspective in psychology?

It examines how brain processes and other bodily functions regulate behaviour.

What does Behavioural Neuroscience (or Physiological Psychology) investigate?

It studies the brain processes and other physiological functions that underlie what we perceive, feel, think, and do.

What does Behaviour Genetics study?

It studies how behavioural tendencies are influenced by genetic factors.

What is the goal of Evolutionary Psychology?

It seeks to explain how evolution, through natural selection, shaped modern human behaviour.

According to Sociobiology, why are complex social behaviours built into the human species?

Sociobiology suggests that natural selection favors behaviours that increase the ability to pass on one's genes to the next generation.

Name at least three major fields within psychology.

Clinical, Cognitive, Biopsychology/neuroscience, Developmental, Experimental, Industrial-organizational (I/O), Personality, and Social psychology.