PSYCH DAY 2: Historical Perspectives

Vocabulary flashcards covering key psychology concepts from memory, history, and foundational theories discussed in the lecture notes.

Memory

The cognitive system for encoding, storing, and retrieving information; central to learning and behavior; linked to personality and memory systems.

Memory consolidation

Process by which memories become stable in long-term storage and integrate with existing knowledge.

Information processing

A view of the mind as an information processor that obtains, organizes, stores, and retrieves information to guide decisions and communication.

Psyche

Greek word meaning soul; origin of the term psychology (study of the soul in historical context).

Psychology

The scientific study of behavior and mental processes in humans and animals; a highly interdisciplinary field.

Mind-body problem

Philosophical question of how the mind and body interact and influence each other.

Dualism

The view that the mind (soul) and body are separate substances and interact in some way.

Interactionism

A mind–body perspective proposing that mental and physical states influence each other.

Monism (attributed model)

Theory that mind and body are not distinct; mental events are physical brain processes; mind is a construct reflecting brain activity.

Structuralism

Early school of psychology that sought to break conscious experience into basic elements using introspection and experiments.

Introspection

A method of examining one’s own conscious experiences and reporting internal states.

Functionalism

Perspective emphasizing the function and purpose of mental processes and how they enable adaptation and behavior.

Emergentism

Idea that wholes arise from the interactions of parts and have properties that cannot be understood by examining parts in isolation.

Freud

Neurologist and founder of psychoanalysis; emphasized unconscious processes, drives, and personality structure.

Id

Unconscious, primitive impulses and desires driving behavior.

Ego

Conscious executive that mediates between the id and the superego.

Superego

Moral conscience and ideals that guide behavior; often in conflict with the id.

Dream analysis

Psychoanalytic technique of interpreting dreams to reveal unconscious conflicts.

Preconscious

Mental content not currently conscious but accessible to awareness.

Nonconscious

Mental processes outside awareness that influence thoughts and behavior.

Pineal gland

Historically proposed by Descartes as the seat of the soul; a figure of mind–body interaction in early theory.

Physiological psychology

Subfield focusing on brain–body mechanisms and mind–brain interactions underlying behavior.

Comparative/Animal psychology

Use of animal behavior to model human psychology when certain studies are not feasible or ethical.

Scientific method

Systematic approach in psychology: description, understanding (explanation), prediction, control, and application.