AP PSYCHOLOGY - UNIT 1

What is psychology?

The scientific study of behavior and mental processes.

What are the main goals of psychology?

Describe, explain, predict, and influence or control behavior.

What did Socrates and Plato believe about the mind?

The mind is separate from the body and knowledge is innate.

What concept did René Descartes introduce?

Dualism: the mind and body are separate but interact.

What is tabula rasa, according to John Locke?

The mind is a blank slate at birth and knowledge comes from experience.

Who opened the first psychology laboratory and when?

Wilhelm Wundt opened it in 1879 in Leipzig, Germany.

What psychological approach is associated with Edward Titchener?

Structuralism, which aimed to identify basic elements of consciousness.

What is the focus of functionalism as proposed by William James?

The purpose of thoughts and behaviors in aiding adaptation and survival.

What does the biological perspective explain?

Behavior results from biological processes, such as brain structures and genetics.

What does the evolutionary perspective emphasize?

Behavior developed through natural selection for survival and reproductive advantages.

What is learned behavior according to the behavioral perspective?

Behavior is learned through interaction with the environment, focusing on conditioning and reinforcement.

What does the cognitive perspective focus on?

Mental processes, including memory, thinking, problem solving, and perception.

What did Sigmund Freud emphasize in psychodynamic perspective?

Unconscious motives and early childhood experiences.

What is emphasized by the humanistic perspective?

Free will and personal growth, focusing on self-concept and self-actualization.

What influences behavior according to the sociocultural perspective?

Cultural, social norms, and group context.

What does the biopsychosocial approach integrate?

Biological, psychological, and social influences on behavior.

What is nature vs. nurture debate about?

It discusses the influence of genetic (nature) versus environmental (nurture) factors on behavior.

What does a hypothesis represent in research?

A testable prediction derived from a theory.

What is the purpose of an operational definition?

To provide a precise description of how variables are measured or manipulated.

What are the key components of experimental research?

Independent variable (IV), dependent variable (DV), experimental group, control group, and random assignment.