The History of Psychology

These flashcards cover essential vocabulary and concepts related to the history and foundations of psychology, offering definitions to enhance understanding in preparation for an exam.

Psychology

The scientific study of the mind and behavior.

Structuralism

A school of thought focused on analyzing the basic elements of the mind.

Functionalism

A school of thought that emphasizes the purpose and function of consciousness.

Dualism

The philosophical concept that mind and body are distinct entities.

Monism

The philosophical stance that mind and body are one.

Empiricism

The theory that knowledge arises from experience.

Nativism

The belief that certain skills or abilities are hard-wired into the brain at birth.

Behaviourism

The school of thought that focuses on observing and analyzing behavior.

Cognitive Psychology

The branch of psychology that studies mental processes such as perception, memory, and problem-solving.

Gestalt Psychology

A psychological approach that studies how people perceive and interpret sensory information as organized wholes.

Cultural Psychology

The study of how culture influences psychological processes and behavior.

Psychoanalysis

A therapeutic approach founded by Freud that focuses on the unconscious mind.

Classical Conditioning

A learning process that occurs through associations between an environmental stimulus and a naturally occurring stimulus.

Operant Conditioning

A learning process in which behaviors are modified by their consequences.

Developmental Psychology

The study of how psychological phenomena and abilities change with age.

Social Psychology

The investigation of how individuals influence and are influenced by others.

Neuroscience

The scientific study of the nervous system and the brain.