AP Psychology: History and Perspectives

Vocabulary flashcards covering the foundational figures, early waves, and modern perspectives of psychology based on the lecture slides.

Wilhelm Wundt

Psychologist who set up the first psychology laboratory, studied people's reactions to sounds, and focused on introspection.

Introspection

The practice of looking inward and examining one's own mental processes and feelings, which was considered too subjective.

William James

Psychologist inspired by Darwin who focused on the purpose and function of consciousness.

Functionalism

An early school of psychology that focused on the function of consciousness and how it aids in survival.

Gestalt Psychology

An early psychological movement that looked at the whole picture of thought processes and behavior rather than breaking them down.

Sigmund Freud

Psychologist who introduced psychoanalysis and emphasized the unconscious mind, repression, dream analysis, and free association.

Psychoanalysis

An approach to psychology that focuses on the unconscious mind, repressed memories, dream analysis, and free association.

John Watson

Psychologist who declared that psychology must focus on observable behavior to be considered a science, founding behaviorism.

Behaviorism

A psychological approach that focuses strictly on observable behavior rather than subjective mental states.

Psychodynamic Perspective

A psychological perspective explaining behavior through unconscious drives, conflicts, childhood traumas, and unfulfilled wishes.

Behavioral Perspective

A psychological perspective focused on how observable responses are learned through conditioning, rewards, and punishments.

Evolutionary Perspective

A psychological perspective focused on how the natural selection of traits promoted the survival of genes.

Biological Perspective

Also known as the Neuroscience Perspective; examines how the body, brain, genes, blood chemistry, and neurotransmitters enable emotions, memories, and sensory experiences.

Cognitive Perspective

A psychological perspective focused on how we think, encode, process, store, and retrieve information.

Sociocultural Perspective

A psychological perspective focused on how culture, family, friends, or the presence of others influence human behaviors.

Humanist Perspective

A psychological perspective focused on how free will and personal choice affect behavior to fulfill physiological, emotional, or spiritual needs.