History of psychology

Teleology

Explaining things by their purpose or goal 

Mechanisism

Explaining things by physical causes and processes 

Empiricism

The belief that knowledge comes from experience and observation

Rationalism

The belief that knowledge comes from reasoning and thinking, not just experience

Nativism

The idea that some knowledge or abilities are inborn, not learned

Non-nativism

Everything you know is based on experience, and all knowledge is sensory

Dualism 

There are 2 substances: 

1. Matter (res extensa): takes up space, works mechanically, and can be analysed 

2. Mind (res cogitans): thinking substance, doesn’t take up space, doesn't work mechanically, cannot be analysed, limited to humans

Monism

The belief that only one kind of substance exists (e.g., only matter or only mind)

Determinism

The idea that all events, including human actions, are caused by prior events; nothing happens by chance

Skepticism

Humans can’t obtain any form of certain knowledge; they only have opinions on topics they deal with

Behaviourism

The view that psychology should study observable behaviour, not thoughts or feelings

Structuralism

Early approach to psychology that tried to break mental processes into basic elements (like sensations and feelings)

Functionalism

Focuses on how mental and behavioural processes help us adapt and survive

Darwinism

The theory that species evolve through natural selection and survival of the fittest

Parallelism

The idea that the mind and body work in sync but do not directly interact

Romanticism

Emphasizes emotion, creativity, and individual experience over reason and logic

Utilitarianism

• Every action is evaluated based on the happiness and sadness it creates

• Societal action should produce the ‘ greatest happiness’ in society by minimizing the risk/pains and producing pleasure for as many people as possible 

Atomism

The world is made of atoms

Holism

The world is a unified whole

Reductionism

Explaining complex things by breaking them down into their simpler parts

Greedy reductionism

Oversimplifying things too much by ignoring important complexity or context

Materialism

The belief that everything, including the mind, can be explained by physical matter and its processes

• Primary qualities of matter: size, shape, position (motion); objective and measurable

• Secondary qualities of matter: colour, taste, etc; subjective and non-measurable

Realism

Reality exists independent of us

Idealism

Reality is not independent of us, we create it through perception 

Epistemology

•  Learning or study of knowledge 

• Rationalism & empiricism

Metaphysics

• Study of ‘being’ (substance)

• Dualism vs monism