Psychology 1: Foundations, Perspectives, and Careers

A collection of key vocabulary terms and definitions from the introductory psychology lecture, covering historical schools of thought, major figures, contemporary subfields, and applied areas.

Psychology

The scientific study of thought, behavior, and mental processes.

Critical Thinking

The skill of evaluating information logically, questioning assumptions, and avoiding bias.

Wilhelm Wundt

Founded the first psychology laboratory (1879) and used experimental introspection to study consciousness.

Structuralism

Early school of psychology, promoted by Wundt’s student Edward Titchener, that analyzed the basic elements of conscious experience.

Introspection

Method of examining one’s own conscious thoughts and feelings, central to early structuralist research.

Voluntarism

Wundt’s emphasis on free will and participants’ understanding of an experiment’s purpose.

Functionalism

Perspective led by William James focusing on how mental processes help organisms adapt to their environments.

William James

First American psychologist; emphasized the function of behavior and wrote ‘Principles of Psychology.’

Natural Selection (Psychology)

Darwin-inspired idea that behaviors evolve because they aid survival and reproduction.

Sigmund Freud

Austrian neurologist who developed psychoanalytic theory emphasizing unconscious motives and childhood experience.

Psychoanalytic Theory

Freud’s framework that behavior is driven by unconscious conflicts and early life experiences.

Unconscious Mind

Freud’s concept of a reservoir of thoughts, feelings, and memories outside conscious awareness.

Dream Analysis

Freudian technique of interpreting the content of dreams to uncover unconscious conflicts.

Free Association

Psychoanalytic method where clients speak freely to reveal unconscious processes.

Gestalt Psychology

School asserting that the mind perceives objects as whole forms rather than separate parts; founded by Wertheimer, Koffka, and Köhler.

Classical Conditioning

Learning process discovered by Ivan Pavlov in which a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a reflexive response.

Ivan Pavlov

Russian physiologist whose work on conditioned reflexes laid groundwork for behaviorism.

Behaviorism

Psychological approach, championed by John B. Watson, that studies observable behavior and dismisses mental processes.

John B. Watson

Father of behaviorism who argued psychology should focus solely on observable behavior.

B.F. Skinner

Behaviorist who developed operant conditioning and the Skinner box to study reinforcement and punishment.

Operant Conditioning

Learning in which behavior is shaped by its consequences (reinforcement or punishment).

Skinner Box (Operant Conditioning Chamber)

Apparatus developed by Skinner to systematically study animal behavior and reinforcement.

Humanism

Perspective emphasizing personal growth, free will, and inherent human goodness; led by Maslow and Rogers.

Abraham Maslow

Humanist who proposed the hierarchy of needs culminating in self-actualization.

Hierarchy of Needs

Maslow’s motivational model where physiological needs must be satisfied before higher goals like self-actualization.

Self-Actualization

The realization of one’s fullest potential at the top of Maslow’s hierarchy.

Carl Rogers

Humanistic psychologist who created client-centered therapy emphasizing empathy and unconditional positive regard.

Client-Centered Therapy

Rogers’ therapeutic approach where the therapist provides a supportive, non-directive environment for self-growth.

Unconditional Positive Regard

Rogers’ term for accepting and valuing a client without judgment.

Cognitive Revolution

Mid-20th-century shift returning focus to mental processes, influenced by linguistics, neuroscience, and computer science.

Cognitive Psychology

Study of mental processes such as perception, memory, language, and problem solving.

Noam Chomsky

Linguist who critiqued behaviorism and advocated for studying mental structures in language.

Ulric Neisser

Psychologist who formalized the field with his 1967 book ‘Cognitive Psychology.’

Feminist Psychology

Field that critiques male-biased research and promotes the study of women’s experiences; advanced by Naomi Weisstein.

WEIRD Populations

Acronym for Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic groups that dominate psychological samples and may bias findings.

Biopsychology (Biological Psychology)

Subfield examining how the brain, nervous system, and biology influence behavior.

Neuroscience

Interdisciplinary study of the nervous system, encompassing biology, psychology, and medicine.

Evolutionary Psychology

Approach using principles of evolution to explain universal human behaviors.

Sensation

The detection of environmental stimuli by sensory organs.

Perception

The psychological process of organizing and interpreting sensory information.

Duck-Rabbit Illusion

Ambiguous image illustrating how perception can change despite identical sensory input.

Developmental Psychology

Study of physical, cognitive, and social change across the lifespan.

Jean Piaget

Developmental psychologist who identified stages of cognitive development and the concept of object permanence.

Five Factor Model (Big Five)

Trait theory positing five core personality dimensions: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism.

Social Psychology

Study of how individuals think about, influence, and relate to others.

Stanley Milgram Experiment

1960s obedience study showing people often follow authority even when actions conflict with morals.

Industrial-Organizational (I-O) Psychology

Application of psychological principles to workplace issues like personnel selection and productivity.

Health Psychology

Field examining how biological, psychological, and social factors affect health and illness.

Sport and Exercise Psychology

Study of how psychological factors influence athletic performance and how exercise affects mental health.

Clinical Psychology

Branch focused on diagnosing and treating mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Evidence-based treatment combining cognitive restructuring with behavior change techniques.

Counseling Psychology

Field assisting individuals with everyday life challenges and personal growth.

Forensic Psychology

Application of psychological expertise to legal issues such as competency, testimony, and criminal profiling.

Postdoctoral Training

Additional research experience after a PhD to develop specialized skills and strengthen academic career prospects.