Psychology Study Notes: Foundations, Perspectives, and Careers

Vocabulary flashcards covering key historical figures, major perspectives, degree paths, and clinical roles in psychology.

John Watson (1878–1958)

American psychologist who helped shift psychology's focus from studying the mind to studying observable behavior, founding Behaviorism.

Behaviorism

An approach in psychology established by John Watson that focuses on studying observable behavior rather than the unobservable mind.

B.F. Skinner (1904–1990)

American psychologist who studied operant conditioning and how consequences influence behavior, famous for developing the Skinner Box.

Operant Conditioning

A form of learning researched by B.F. Skinner that focuses on how behavior is influenced by rewards and consequences.

Skinner Box

An experimental apparatus used by B.F. Skinner to study how rewards and consequences affect behavior.

Humanistic Psychology

A psychological movement focusing on the idea that humans have an innate potential for goodness, personal growth, free will, and self-actualization.

Psychoanalysis

A psychological perspective rejected by humanists, which holds that behavior is primarily driven by unconscious forces.

Abraham Maslow (1908–1970)

American psychologist who developed the Hierarchy of Needs, proposing that human needs motivate behavior toward self-actualization.

Hierarchy of Needs

A motivational theory developed by Abraham Maslow in which human needs progress from basic survival needs toward self-actualization.

Carl Rogers (1902–1987)

American psychologist who developed client-centered therapy based on unconditional positive regard, genuineness, and empathy.

Client-Centered Therapy

A therapeutic approach developed by Carl Rogers emphasizing unconditional positive regard, genuineness, and empathy.

Unconditional Positive Regard

A core feature of client-centered therapy defined as accepting and supporting someone without conditions.

Cognitive Psychology

A branch of psychology that studies mental processes, reasoning, thinking, problem-solving, and how the brain processes information.

American Psychological Association (APA)

A major professional organization in psychology that contains 56 divisions representing different specialized areas of the field.

Biological Perspective

A psychological perspective focusing on the brain, nervous system, and genetics.

Evolutionary Perspective

A psychological perspective focusing on how evolution influences behavior.

Social Perspective

A psychological perspective focusing on how other people influence behavior.

Developmental Perspective

A psychological perspective focusing on physical, cognitive, and social changes across the human lifespan.

Industrial-Organizational Psychology

A specialized branch of psychology that applies psychological concepts to the workplace.

Health Psychology

A specialty field focusing on psychological factors related to health and illness.

Clinical Psychology

A branch of psychology focused on the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental disorders.

Personality/Individual Differences

A psychological perspective focusing on psychological traits and differences between individual people.

Master's Degree in Psychology

A graduate degree usually requiring around 2 years of coursework, offering specialized training for teaching, research, or applied clinical work.

Ph.D. in Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy degree in psychology requiring approximately 4–7+ years of graduate training for advanced research, teaching, and clinical work.

Psychologist

A professional usually holding a Ph.D. or PsyD trained to diagnose, provide therapy, and administer psychological tests, but generally unable to prescribe medication.

Psychiatrist

A medical doctor (MD) trained to diagnose mental conditions, provide therapy, and prescribe medication.