psych

Wilhelm Wundt

The founder of psychology; established the first psychology lab in 1879.

Structuralism

A psychological approach that analyzes consciousness into basic elements such as sensations and feelings.

Introspection

A method used by Wundt where subjects report their conscious experiences.

Sigmund Freud

Introduced psychoanalysis, emphasizing unconscious motives and conflicts.

Id, Ego, and Superego

Key concepts introduced by Freud that represent different aspects of the human psyche.

Behaviorism

Psychological perspective that focuses on observable behavior instead of consciousness.

Conditioning

A learning process that involves associations between stimuli and responses.

Little Albert Experiment

A famous experiment by John B. Watson demonstrating fear conditioning.

Radical Behaviorism

B.F. Skinner's extension of behaviorism, emphasizing reinforcement and punishment.

Operant Conditioning

A learning process through which behavior is shaped by rewards and consequences.

Cognitive Revolution

A movement in the 1950s-60s focused on studying mental processes.

Physiological Psychology

The study of how biological processes affect behavior.

Cultural Diversity in Psychology

The understanding that cultural background shapes thoughts, behaviors, and mental health.

Positive Psychology

A field that focuses on human strengths and well-being rather than dysfunction.

Hypothesis

An educated guess made based on existing theories before conducting research.

Independent Variable (IV)

The factor manipulated by the researcher in an experiment.

Dependent Variable (DV)

The outcome measured to see if it's affected by the independent variable.

Experimental Group

The group that receives the treatment in an experiment.

Control Group

The group that does not receive the treatment, used for comparison.

Naturalistic Observation

Observing behavior in its natural setting without interference.

Correlation

Measures the relationship between two variables; does not imply causation.

Sampling Bias

When the sample does not represent the population well.

Placebo Effect

Changes in participants caused by their expectations rather than actual treatment.

Double-blind Procedures

An experimental setup in which neither participants nor experimenters know who receives the treatment.