psych notes 1 and 2

Structuralism

Founded by Wilhelm Wundt in 1879; focuses on the components of consciousness using introspection.

Functionalism

Explores the use or function of our consciousness; associated with William James.

Psychoanalysis

Focuses on how the unconscious drives human behavior; founded by Freud.

Behaviourism

Rejects unscientific psychoanalysis, focusing solely on observable behavior (Skinner, Watson).

Humanism

Assumes all humans have a potential for good; reaction against behaviorism and psychoanalysis (Maslow, Rogers).

Evolutionary Psychology

Examines modern mind and behavior by looking at traits that helped ancestors survive.

Comparative Psychology

Studies the behaviors and traits shared between humans and other animals.

Cultural Psychology

Examines the impact of culture on human psychology, identity, and actions.

Educational Psychology

Studies how students learn and explores effective studying and teaching techniques.

Industrial/Organizational Psychology

Applied psychology focused on workplace behavior and consumer choices.

Forensic Psychology

Explores why criminals behave as they do, applying psychological concepts to the legal system.

Differential Psychology

Examines individual differences and traits and how they impact overall psychology.

Environmental Psychology

Explores the mutual psychological impacts between individuals and their physical environments.

Basic vs. Applied Research

Basic research expands general knowledge; applied research seeks to solve real-world issues.

Reciprocal Determinism

The concept that people and their environments mutually influence each other's behaviors.

Skepticism

The attitude that we cannot believe everything we see and must investigate.

Naive Realism

The belief that we see the world precisely as it is through our own eyes.

Peer Review

Evaluation of research by experts to ensure good science and contribution to the field.

Parsimony

The principle of favoring the simplest explanation for the largest number of behaviors.

Scientific Method Steps

Observe, theory, hypothesis, design study, collect data, analyze, report/revise, replicate.

Hindsight Bias

Convincing oneself one always knew an outcome after learning it.

Overconfidence Effect

The tendency for humans to think they are more accurate than they actually are.

Post-Truth

A culture where emotions and personal beliefs outweigh objective facts.

Independent Variable

The variable expected to cause a change in another variable.

Dependent Variable

The variable where researchers look for change.

Operational Definition

Converting an abstract concept into an observable and measurable one.

G. Stanley Hall

First American PhD in psych, opened first US lab, and founded the APA.

Margaret Floy Washburn

First woman to earn a psychology degree, in 1894.

Francis Cecil Sumner

First African American to earn a psychology doctorate (1920).

John Locke

Proposed that we are born as blank slates and knowledge comes from experience.

Gestalt Psychology

The approach of understanding psychological phenomena as a whole rather than broken pieces.

Biopsychosocial Model

Understanding human psychology through biological, psychological, and social-environmental factors.