Unit 1: Foundations of Psychology

psychology

the science of behavior and the mind

behavior

the observable actions of a person or animal

mind

internal experiences (thoughts, feelings, perceptions, memories) inferred from behavior

science

systematic collection and logical analysis of objectively observable data

three fundamental ideas of psychology

1. behavior and mental experiences have physical causes that can be studied scientifically

2. experience and environment modify behavior, thoughts, and feelings over time

3. the body’s machinery (producing behavior and mental experiences) is a product of evolution by natural selection

Wilhelm Wundt

founded psychology as a scientific discipline (1879, Leipzig, Germany); introspection and structuralism

introspection

self-reflection as a tool to examine and self-report one’s own conscious experiences

structuralism

first school of thought in psychology; understanding the structure of the conscious mind by breaking it down into basic elements using introspection (Wundt & Titchener)

functionalism

psychological school of thought; studied the purpose and function of mental processes and behavior

psychology as a crossroads of disciplines

bridges the natural and social sciences, examining human behavior from both biological and societal perspectives

levels of analysis

the competing perspectives in psychology on what causes us to think, act, and feel the way we do

biological, neural

examines parts of the brain mechanisms that underlie behavior and what they’re responsible for; brain, CNS, hormones, genes/neurotransmitters

evolutionary

focuses on how behavior and mental processes promote survival and reproduction; survival, reproduction

psychodynamic, psychoanalytic

the impact of unconscious drives and early childhood on our behavior; unconscious, childhood, Sigmund Freud

behavioral

focuses on how experience and environment shapes observable behaviors; environment, reinforcement, punishment, experience, nurture

cognitive

what is happening within the brain’s internal mental processes; thoughts, beliefs, memory, processing

humanistic

humans as active agents; growth, self-concept, free will, potential, good

sociocultural

influence of others’ real or imagined presence and cultural values and practices; norms, culture, influence of presence of others

limitations of approaches

each explains small part of human behavior; only best understood when considered together

dualism

body and soul are separate; body = natural, soul = supernatural (cannot be studied scientifically)

René Descartes’ Dualism

mind (soul) and body interact; mental processes can trigger physical actions

materialism

only matter and energy exist; human behavior explained by physical processes (Thomas Hobbes)

empiricism

knowledge and thought comes from sensory experience; tabula rasa, John Locke

tabula rasa

blank slate; humans are born without innate (born with them) ideas; John Locke

law of association by contiguity

two ideas, events, or stimuli become associated in the mind when they are experienced together in close proximity in time or space

nativism

humans are born with innate knowledge and mental structures

priori knowledge

knowledge humans are born with or gained through reason and logic, independent of experience

posteriori knowledge

knowledge gained through experience, observation, or sensory input

Thomas Hobbes

advocated for materialism; denied the existence of the soul since it was not observable

John Locke

early empiricist; proposed that the mind starts as a blank slate

René Descartes

proposed interactive dualism; that mind and body affect one another

reflexology

all behavior results from reflexive responses to environmental stimuli

localization of function

specific areas of the brain control specific (behavioral) functions

Charles Darwin

developed theory of natural selection; inspired evolutionary psychology

natural selection

traits aiding survival and reproduction are passed to future generations

genetic predisposition

inherited tendency toward certain traits or behaviors (ex. addict gene)

heredity

transmission of genetic characteristics from parents to offspring

twin studies

comparing identical and fraternal twins to study heredity vs. environment.

adoption studies

comparing adopted children to biological and adoptive parents to assess nature vs. nurture.

eugenics

misguided movement attempting to improve humans through selective breeding (Aryan race)

clinical psychology

diagnoses and treats mental and behavioral disorders

counseling psychology

helps people cope with everyday life challenges

developmental psychology

studies growth and change across life stages

industrial-organizational psychology

applies psychology in workplaces to improve performance and satisfaction

personality psychology

studies enduring patterns of behavior, thought, and emotion

psychometric psychology

designs and interprets psychological tests to measure abilities and traits

behavioral neuroscience

examines biological bases of behavior

cognitive psychology

investigates thinking, memory, and information processing

evolutionary psychology

studies how behavior and mental processes evolve over time

psychology professions

include clinical, research, academic, applied, and research roles; subfields in psych are often defined either by the level of analysis or by the topic studied

William James

functionalism; studied the purpose of consciousness.

John B. Watson

founder of behaviorism; focus on observable behavior.

B.F. Skinner

behaviorist; operant conditioning (rewards and punishments).

Ivan Pavlov

classical conditioning (dog and bell experiment)

Sigmund Freud

psychoanalysis, psychodynamic; unconscious motives and childhood influence behavior.

Jean Piaget

studied cognitive development in children

Mary Washburn

first woman to earn a Ph.D. in psychology; studied animal behavior

Dorothea Dix

reformer for humane treatment of people with mental illness

nature vs. nurture

debate over whether behavior is shaped by genetics or environment