Intro to Psychology: Unit 1 Chapter 1

Psychology

The scientific study of mental processes and behavior

Psyche

The mind

-ology

The study of

Critical thinking

Not blindly accepting arguments and conclusions

Wilhelm Wundt

Founded the first psychology laboratory in Leipzig, Germany in 1879; studied the "atoms of the mind"

Structuralism

Early school of thought focusing on the structure of the human mind

Charles Darwin

English naturalist whose work on evolution influenced psychology

Ivan Pavlov

Russian physiologist who studied learning through conditioning with dogs

Jean Piaget

Swiss biologist who studied children's cognitive development

William James

Founder of functionalism; author of an important 1890 psychology text

Functionalism

Early school of thought focusing on how the mind functions

Mary Whiton Calkins

Memory researcher; first woman president of the APA

Margaret Floy Washburn

First woman to earn a psychology PhD; researched animal behavior

John B. Watson

Behaviorist who conducted the Little Albert experiment

Little Albert experiment

Demonstrated that fear can be learned

B.F. Skinner

Behaviorist who rejected the study of inner thoughts and feelings

Sigmund Freud

Personality theorist who emphasized unconscious processes

Behaviorism

View that psychology should study observable behavior

Humanistic psychology

Perspective emphasizing human growth potential

Cognitive psychology

Study of mental processes such as thinking, learning, and memory

Cognitive neuroscience

Study of brain activity underlying mental processes

Behavior

Any observable and recordable action

Mental processes

Internal states inferred from behavior, such as thoughts and feelings

Neuroscience perspective

Focuses on how the brain and body enable emotions, memory, and sensation

Evolutionary perspective

Focuses on how natural selection shapes behavior

Behavior genetics

Study of how genes and environment influence behavior

Psychodynamic perspective

Focuses on unconscious drives and conflicts

Behavioral perspective

Focuses on how observable behaviors are learned

Cognitive perspective

Focuses on how information is processed and stored

Social-cultural perspective

Focuses on how behavior varies across cultures and situations

Biopsychosocial approach

Understanding behavior through biological, psychological, and social-cultural levels

Nature-nurture issue

Debate over the influence of genes and experience

Dual processing

The mind's ability to process information consciously and unconsciously at the same time

Clinical psychology

Assessment and treatment of mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders

Counseling psychology

Helping people cope with challenges and improve functioning

Psychiatry

Medical treatment of psychological disorders

Positive psychology

Study of traits and emotions that promote well-being

Hindsight bias

Belief that an outcome was predictable after it has occurred

Overconfidence

Tendency to think we know more than we do

Theory

Explanation that organizes observations and predicts outcomes

Hypothesis

Testable prediction

Replication

Repeating a study to confirm results

Preregistration

Publicly stating a research plan before conducting a study

Descriptive research

Observes and records behavior

Correlational research

Examines relationships between variables

Experimental research

Studies cause-and-effect relationships

Independent variable

Variable manipulated by the researcher

Dependent variable

Variable measured in an experiment

Random assignment

Assigning participants to groups by chance

Placebo

Inactive substance given to a control group

Placebo effect

Results caused by expectations alone

Double-blind procedure

Participants and researchers do not know who receives treatment

Correlation coefficient

Number that describes the strength and direction of a relationship

Positive correlation

Two variables increase or decrease together

Negative correlation

As one variable increases, the other decreases

Correlation does not equal causation

Association between variables does not prove cause and effect

Informed consent

Participants' agreement after being informed of the study

Testing effect

Improved memory through retrieval practice

SQ3R

Study method: Survey, Question, Read, Retrieve, Review

Growth mindset

Belief that abilities can improve with effort