Topic 1 Psychology: Behavioural Science

Flashcards covering the fundamental concepts of psychology, historical schools of thought, modern psychological approaches, and their application in physiotherapy management.

Psychology

The science that studies behavior and mental processes.

Behavior

What organisms do, including their actions and reactions that are observable and measurable.

Mental process

Processes that involve cognitive and affective functions which are not directly observable.

Cognitions

Mental events including perceptions, beliefs, ideas, memories, and thoughts.

Affect

A term that refers to our feelings, emotions, or moods.

ABC

The basics of psychological functioning, standing for affect, behavior, and cognition.

Wilhelm Wundt ($1832 – 1920$)

Known as the father of psychology, he developed the structuralism approach.

Structuralism

An early approach to psychology that focuses on the structure of the mind, its parts, and how they are interrelated.

William James ($1842 – 1910$)

Developed the functionalism approach and believed consciousness to be dynamic, personal, and continuous.

Functionalism

An early approach to psychology that focuses on how the mind operates to help the human organism adapt to its environment.

John B. Watson ($1878 – 1958$)

Psychologist who popularized behaviorism, the study of what people do.

Behaviorism

An early approach to psychology that focuses on publicly verifiable, observable behaviors of organisms.

B. F. Skinner ($1904 – 1990$)

Developed radical behaviorism and stated that behaviors are modified by events in the environment.

Psychoanalytic Psychology

An approach to psychology that focuses on innate strivings, the unconscious mind, and early childhood influences.

Sigmund Freud ($1856 – 1939$)

Founder of the psychoanalytic approach who believed thoughts and actions are often influenced by the unconscious mind.

Humanistic Psychology

An approach that emphasizes personal growth, the self, and achievement, championed by Carl Rogers ($1902 – 1987$) and Abraham Maslow ($1908 – 1970$).

Gestalt Psychology

An approach founded by Max Wertheimer ($1880 – 1943$) that focuses on factors influencing how we select and organize information to view behavior as a whole.

Biological approach

Explains psychological functioning in terms of genetics and the operation of the nervous system, including neurons and neurotransmitters.

Habituation

The process of getting used to something if it is repeated or part of routine practices.

Classical conditioning

The training of reflexes by association between a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus.

Operant conditioning

A method of learning that occurs through rewards and punishments for behavior; behaviors followed by good things are repeated.

Social learning

The process of learning from observing and imitating others.

Cognitive approach

An approach that focuses on how an organism processes information about itself and the world, emphasizing that thought processes affect behavior.

Unhelpful beliefs in physiotherapy

Typified by misconceptions about pathology and body images, such as 'wear and tear', 'trapped nerves', or 'degenerative joints'.

Depressed mood

A common state in chronic or acute illness that can be mistaken for 'poor motivation' but may be improved by aerobic exercise and pleasurable goals.