Unit 1 Vocab

Wilhelm Wundt

1879: First psychological lab aimed at experimental psychological research

Functionalism

Consciousness is fluid and everchanging

Sigmund Freud

Father of psychoanalysis (talk therapy)

• Psyche = 3 parts (id = instincts, ego = reality, superego = morality)

Behaviorism

Study of observable behavior

Ivan Pavlov

Study classical conditioning (in dogs)

Empiricism

Practice of relying on observation and experiment

Trepenation

Ancient surgical procedure involving drilling hole into skull

Stigma

Labeling, stereotyping, discrimination

Phrenology

Shape of head determines character/mental abilities

Eugenics

Controlled selective breeing to improve human genetics

B.F. Skinner

Operant conditioning (learn through rewards and punishments)

John Piaget

Study children, distinct stages of life in development

Modern Psychological Method

Blend social, psychological, biological conceps

Cognitive Perspective

Study internal and mental processes (human mind)

• How do people process, store, analyze, acquire, retrieve information?

• Stroop relay

Behavioral Perspective

All human actions are learned through interactions with the environment

• Thoughts don’t matter? -Behavior and thoughts shape one another

• Foot in Door situation

Psychodynamic Perspective

Unconscious drives, inner conflicts, early childhood experiences

• Driven by motives not consciously aware of

• Iceberg diagram

Humanism Perspective

Free will, inherent goodness, action drive toward personal growth

• Individuals subjective experiences → Self-actualization

• Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Biological Perspective

Biopsychology or behavioral neuroscience, brain hormones, neurotransmitters

• Genetics, sensation, nervous system, physical and psychological mechanisms

• Neurogenesis

Socio-Cultural Perspective

Social and cultural interactions shape thoughts and behaviors

• Micro level: family/friends → Community: BGA → Macro level: The world

• Spheres of Influence

Psychology is a science because…

Uses scientifically derived evidence (including observation and experimentation

Scientific Attitudes

1. Curiosity 2. Skepticism (What, How?) 3. Humility (can pivot)

Hindsight Bias

Common sense describes what has occurred, not what will

• “I knew it all along”

Overconfidence Bias

Driven to quick rather than correct thinking

• When given problem solution, asked how long it would take to find out on your own, strongly underestimate the time it takes in reality because know answer

Perceiving order in random events

We seek order in chaotic and unpredictable world

• Tails is “due” to occur after landing on heads five times

Theory

Explain behaviors or events offering ideas that organize observations

Hypothesis

Testable prediction

Falsifability

Measure scientific strength of hypothesis

• Can the hypothesis can be proven wrong?

Operation Definition

Measurable and precise clarifying definition of a term

• “Sleep deprived” = At least 2hrs less than person’s normal sleep

• Allows for replication of experiments

Case Study

Examine individual/group in depth → reveal truths

• Suggest fruitful ideas, but atypical cases exist

Naturalistic Observation

Record responses in natural environments

• Illuminates and describes behavior

Survey

Self-reported attitude/behavior/opinions

Social Desirability Bias

Answer questions in a way to look good to others, rather than telling truth

Self-Reporting Bias

Error when people are inaccurate about themselves

Random Sampling

Select individuals from broader group by chance, giving each individual an independent and equal chance of being chosen

Sampling Bias

Some members of target population are chosen, representing specific aspects rather than truly representing the whole sample

• Over-representing or underrepresenting groups

• Cannot apply results to broader population

Convinence Bias

Pick participants easy to research rather than choosing truly random group