AP Psychology - Unit 1 - Approaches to Psychology

Unit 1 Vocabulary

Plato

Proposed that the human psyche was the seat of all knowledge and that the human mind was imprinted with all of the knowledge it needed

Aristotle

He wrote much about the philosophy of the mind

Rene Descartes

The first to write of the concept of emotions

John Locke

Personal identity is a matter of psychological continuity

Wilhelm Wundt

Established the very first psychology laboratory in Leipzig Germany in 1879

Dorothea Dix

Founded or expansion of more than 30 hospitals for the treatment of the mentally ill

Margaret Floy Washburn

Developed her motor theory which said that thought or consciousness could be seen in bodily movements

Mary Whiton Calkins

Based her system on the conviction that the foundational unit of study for psychology should be the conscious self

G. Stanley Hall

First American to earn a PhD in Psychology. First to open a psychology lab in the US. First president of the APA

Charles Darwin

Provided two key theories - natural selection and sexual selection

Empiricism

The idea that what we know comes from experience, and that observation and experimentation enable scientific knowledge

Dualism

The view that the mind and body both exist as separate entities

Structuralism

Early school of thought promoted by Wundt and Titchener; used introspection to reveal the structure of the human mind

Introspection

The examination or observation of one's own mental and emotional processes

Functionalism

Early school of thought promoted by James and influenced by Darwin; explored how mental and behavioral processes function- how they enable the organism to adapt, survive, and flourish

Behaviorism

The view that psychology (1) should be an objective science that (2) studies behavior without reference to mental processes. Most research psychologists today agree with (1) but not with (2).

SQ3R

A study method incorporating five steps: Survey, Question, Read, Retrieve, Review

Tabula Rasa

"A blank slate"

Basic Research

Theory driven, hypothesis testing science driven by a quest for fundamental understanding

Nature vs. Nurture Issue

The longstanding controversy over the relative contributions that genes and experience make to the development of psychological traits and behaviors

Psychology

Behavior: the way in which someone conducts oneself or behaves. Mental Processes: all the things that a human mind can do naturally

Natural Selection

The principle that, among the range of inherited trait variations, those contributing to reproduction and survival will most likely be passed on to succeeding generations

Biopsychosocial Approach

An integrated approach that incorporates biological, psychological, and social-cultural levels of analysis

Applied Research

A scientific study within the field of psychology that focuses on solving problems, curing illness, and innovating new technologies

Positive Psychology

The scientific study of human functioning, with the goals of discovering and promoting strengths and virtues that help individuals and communities to thrive

Humanistic Psychology

A historically significant perspective that encompasses the growth potential of healthy people

Cognitive Psychology

The scientific study of all the mental activities associated with thinking knowing and remembering and communicating

Evolutionary Psychology

The study of the evolution of behavior and the mind, using principles of natural selection

Biological Perspective

A way of looking at psychological issues by studying the physical basis for animal and human behavior

Psychodynamic Perspective

Encompasses a number of theories that explain both normal and pathological personality development in terms of the dynamics of the mind

Developmental Psychology

Study how people grow develop and adapt at different life stages

Social-Cultural Psychology

Considers the way that different individuals interact with their social groups and how these social groups influence different individuals and how they develop throughout their lives

Human Factors Psychology

The study of how people and machines interact and technology

Social Psychology

Study interpersonal and group dynamics and social challenges such as prejudice, implicit bias, bullying, criminal activity, and substance abuse

Personality Psychology

Centered on identifying describing and measuring the specific traits that make up human personality

Industrial-Organizational Psychology

Focus on the behavior of employees in the workplace (I/O)

Psychiatry

Specializes in mental health, including substance use disorders

Community Psychologists

Help vulnerable groups to build resilience and strength, social support networks as well as understand the social impacts of environmental issues

Behavioral Perspective

The way we behave and learn can be explained through our interactions with the environment

Counseling Psychology

Focus on facilitating personal and interpersonal functioning across the lifespan

Educational Psychology

Study almost everything about students and analyze their learning process.