Unit 1: History and Approaches

Psychology

Scientific study of observable behavior and mental processes.

Describe behavior

One of the goals of psychology which involves explaining actions or responses.

Explain behavior

Goal of psychology that aims to provide reasons for actions.

Predict behavior

Goal of psychology that uses knowledge to foresee future actions or responses.

Control behavior

Goal of psychology that seeks to influence or modify actions.

Biopsychosocial Model

The model that incorporates biological, psychological, and social-cultural factors in understanding behavior.

Psychoanalysis

Freud's theory emphasizing unconscious motives and childhood experiences.

Gestalt Psychology

Focuses on perception, stating that 'the whole is greater than the sum of its parts'.

Behaviorism

The psychological approach that stresses the study of observable behavior only.

Cognitive Revolution

A shift in psychology that brought mental processes back into the study of behavior with scientific rigor.

Psychodynamic approach

Focus on the conflict between different parts of the personality, shaped by early experiences.

Cognitive approach

Compares the human mind to a computer, emphasizing processing of information.

Behavioral approach

Focuses on how behavior is shaped by environmental forces through learned responses.

Social Cultural approach

Examines how social and cultural contexts influence behavior.

Humanistic approach

Emphasizes individual potential and self-actualization.

Biological approach

Focuses on genetic and physiological processes that influence behavior.

Descriptive Methods

Research methods that describe behaviors but do not explain them.

Correlational Methods

Research methods that measure the relationship between two variables without inferring causation.

Experimental Method

Research method involving manipulation of variables to determine cause-effect relationships.

Informed Consent

A research participant's agreement to participate understanding of the study and their rights.

Confidentiality

The ethical principle that ensures participant information is kept private.

APA Ethical Guidelines

Standards set by the American Psychological Association to ensure ethical research practices.

Statistical Significance

Determination of whether results are likely due to chance or indicate a real effect.

Correlation Coefficient

Statistical measure that indicates the strength and direction of a relationship between two variables.

Normal Distribution

A statistical distribution where most outcomes cluster around the mean, forming a bell-shaped curve.