Unit 0 Psychology Test Study

psychology

the scientific study of behavior and mental processes

behavior

all outward or overt actions and reactions, such as talking, facial expressions, and movement

mental processes

all internal, convert activity of our minds, such as thinking, feeling, remembering

scientific method

a system of gathering data so that bias and error in measurement are reduced

the goals of psychology

description, explanation, prediction, and control of human/animal behavior

Wilhelm Wundt

physiologist that attempted to apply scientific principles to the study of the human mind (father of psychology, came up with objective introspection)

introspection

the process of objectively examining and measuring one’s own thoughts and mental activities

structuralism

WUNDT AND TITCHENER - focus of study is on the structure or basic elements of the mind

Edward Titchener

one of Wundt’s students and expanded upon his ideas to create “structuralism”

William James

professor at Harvard who created “functionalism” viewpoint

Functionalism

how the mind allows people to function in the real world (work, play, adapt)

Natural selection

physical traits that help an animal adapt to its environment and survive are passed onto its offspring