General Psychology Chapter 1 Practice Flashcards

Vocabulary terms and definitions based on General Psychology Chapter 1 lecture notes covering the history, schools of thought, and modern fields of psychology.

Psychology (Wikipedia)

The scientific study of mental functions and behavior.

Psychology (Gazzaniga et al.)

The study, through research, of mind (mental activity), brain (physiological activity), and behavior (observable action).

Psychology (Weiten)

The science that studies behavior and the physiological and cognitive processes that underlie behavior, and the profession that applies this knowledge to practical problems.

Psychological Reasoning

Refers to using psychological research to examine how people typically think, to understand when and why they are likely to draw erroneous conclusions.

Confirmation Bias

A form of noncritical thinking where an individual ignores evidence that does not support their existing beliefs.

Psyche and Logos

Greek words meaning "Soul/Mind" and "Study Of," which form the etymological root of the word Psychology.

John Stuart Mill

In 1843, he argued that psychology should become a "science of observation and experiment."

Wilhelm Wundt

Established the first psychology laboratory and institute in Leipzig in 1879.

Structuralism

The first major school of thought, founded by Wundt and Titchener, which emphasized studying the elemental structures of consciousness like sensations and feelings.

Introspection

A systematic method of self-observation of one's own conscious experience used primarily by Structuralists.

Functionalism

Founded by William James and influenced by Darwin, it emphasizes studying the purpose or function of consciousness rather than its static points.

Gestalt Psychology

A school of thought (Wertheimer, Köhler) asserting that the whole of experience is different from the sum of its constituent elements.

Behaviorism

A school of thought (Watson, Skinner) stating that psychology should be limited to the study of observable behavior and that behavior is made, not born.

Cognitive Psychology

Focuses on internal events and information processing, including how people acquire, store, and process information like memory and language.

Social Psychology

The study of how behavior is affected by the presence of others and the power of the situation.

Humanism

A perspective (Rogers, Maslow) emphasizing unique human qualities, especially freedom, potential for growth, and self-actualization.

Physiological/Biological Psychology

The perspective that behavior can be explained in terms of bodily structures, biochemical processes, and genetics.

Evolutionary Psychology

A field rooted in functionalism that argues behavior is influenced by natural selection and that behavior patterns evolved to solve adaptive problems.

Margaret Floy Washburn

The first woman to receive a Ph.D. in Psychology, which she earned in 1894.

Mary Whiton Calkins

The first female president of the APA (1905) who invented the paired-associate technique for studying memory.

Leta Stetter Hollingworth

Psychologist who provided some of the first research debunking the idea of female inferiority.

Francis Cecil Summer

The first African-American to receive a Ph.D. in Psychology in 1920.

The Clarks (Kenneth and Mamie Clark)

Conducted groundbreaking work on self-esteem among African-American children that was instrumental in the Brown v. Board of Education case.

Biopsychosocial Model

An integration of biological factors, psychological factors, and social/cultural factors to understand motivation and functioning.

Clinical Psychology

The area that seeks to understand, characterize, and treat mental illness.

Cultural Psychology

Studies how cultural factors such as national beliefs and religious values affect mental life and behavior.

Industrial/Organizational (I/O) Psychology

Explores how psychological processes play out in the workplace and deals with interpersonal conflicts and organizational change.

Social-Personality Psychology

The study of everyday thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, focusing on situational and dispositional causes of behavior.