Intro to Psychology and Identity Flashcards

Flashcards covering introductory psychology terms, identity theories, research methods, ethics, and social perceptions based on lecture notes.

Psychology

The scientific study of behavior and mental processes.

Behavior

Any action an organism does that can be observed.

Mental processes

Internal, subjective experiences we infer from behavior.

Nature vs. Nurture

The psychological issue concerning whether humans are influenced more by what they were born with (nature) or what happens after birth (nurture).

Pseudo-psychology

Phony or unscientific psychology which pretends to be the real thing, such as palm readings or birth month characterizations.

Experimental Psychologists

The smallest major branch of psychology consisting of researchers who conduct basic research, often as college or university faculty.

Applied Psychology

A group that uses knowledge developed by experimental psychologists to address human problems like training, equipment design, and psychological treatment.

Psychiatry

A medical specialty (not part of psychology) where practitioners hold MDs and are trained in the treatment of mental and behavioral problems.

Body theory

The theory that personal identity persists over time because you remain in the same body from birth to death, despite cells only lasting approx $4$ months.

Memory theory

The theory that personal identity persists because you retain connected memories of yourself at different points in time.

Social Identity

A set of characteristics by which a person is recognizable by society based on group memberships, such as being a father, student, or physician.

Self-Identity

The conscious recognition of the self as unique and separate, defined by the story an individual tells of themselves.

Self-concept

An overarching, multidimensional idea of who we are physically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually, formed by knowledge about ourselves.

Self-awareness

The understanding of your own needs, desires, failings, and habits, providing a clear perception of your personality and motivations.

Emotional self-awareness

A facet of emotional intelligence involving the understanding of your own feelings, their causes, and their impact on thoughts and actions.

Basic research

Psychological research conducted to study theoretical questions and general concepts without trying to solve a specific problem.

Applied research

Psychological research that utilizes principles and discoveries for practical purposes to find solutions to real-world problems.

Independent Variables

In experimental research, these are the factors that the experimenter manipulates.

Dependent Variables

In experimental research, these are the measurable behaviors of the participants.

Naturalistic Observation

A descriptive research method used to study behavior in its natural habitat.

Correlational Research

A method that determines the degree of relationship between variables but cannot show a cause-and-effect relationship.

Informed Consent

An ethical procedure where psychologists inform participants about the research before they agree to take part.

Debriefing

An ethical requirement to provide participants with a full explanation of the research after its completion.

Trust vs. Mistrust

Erikson's first stage of development occurring in infancy from birth up to $18$ months.

Identity vs. Confusion

Erikson's fifth stage of development occurring during the teen years between ages $12$ and $18$.

Self-Esteem

The feelings or value we have about ourselves, made up of all previous life experiences and interpersonal relationships.

Self-ideal

The component of self-concept representing the way an individual would like to be.

Jonah Complex

The fear of one’s own success, identified by Maslow as a potential barrier to reaching self-actualization.

Actualizing tendency

Carl Rogers' concept that every organism has a goal to fulfill the capabilities of its genetic blueprint.

Attitude

A tendency to evaluate a person, object, or idea with approval or disapproval, consisting of affective, behavioral, and cognitive components.

Implicit attitudes

Attitudes that form without conscious awareness and may occur almost automatically.

Cognitive Dissonance

Leon Festinger's theory describing a state of tension when an attitude is not in keeping with a behavior (a dissonant relationship).

Post-Decision Dissonance

The tendency to devalue an option not selected after making a choice, often referred to as 'sour grapes.'

Prejudice

The affective and cognitive tendency of individuals to think and feel in negative ways about members of other groups.

Discrimination

Actual, overt individual behavior against members of other groups.

Stereotypes

Exaggerated, overly simplistic generalizations about groups of people that are resistant to disproof.

Selective perception

The tendency to see only what one expects to see, which can reinforce and strengthen existing stereotypes.

Attribution Theory

A theory describing how humans perceive and judge one another by explaining behaviors through personality traits or situational factors.

Scapegoat hypothesis

A theory linking prejudice to an individual’s need to deal with frustration and express aggression.

Projection

A personality-centered cause of prejudice where an individual sees in others the characteristics or feelings they cannot admit having themselves.