Psychology History and Approaches Vocabulary

empiricism

knowledge comes from experience/observation, not just reasoning

Structuralism

using introspection to break the mind’s experiences into basic parts.

Functionalism

more focused on the function (mind adapts consciousness)

Behaviorism

objective science w/out references to mental processes to study behaviors

Humanistic psychology

growth potential of people inspired by civil movements and what makes people thrive

Cognitive neuroscience

the interdisciplinary study of brain w/ cognition

Psychology

scientific study of brain mind behavior and mental processes

Nature–nurture issue

how much of one's traits are from genes at birth or nurture based on one's lifestyle and experiences

Natural selection

process that traits help one survive & reproduce get passed down/common in generations

Biopsychosocial approach

combining biological, psychological, and social-cultural levels to explain behavior

Biological psychology

links biology (brain/body) to behavior and mental processes.

Cognitive psychology

mental process of thoughts (mind) measuring one's

Evolutionary psychology

studies how natural selection shaped behavior and mental traits.

Psychodynamic psychology

unconscious drives and conflicts

Social-cultural psychology

how social and culture shape one's values, customs

Psychometrics

measuring human abilities, attitudes, and traits

Basic research

research done purely to build knowledge, not for practical use

Developmental psychology

measuring abilities from womb to tomb

Educational psychology

influences on teaching/learning

Personality psychology

investigating persistent traits/patterns

Social psychology

how people think about, influence, and relate to one another.

Applied research

study of practical problems

Industrial-organizational psychology

optimize human behavior in work

Counseling psychology

help people improve function but not serious psychological problems

Clinical psychology

study, treat, assess people with psychological disorders

Psychiatry

branch of medicine that treats disorders and can prescribe drugs.

Positive psychology

study human behavior to promote strengths

Community psychology

how people and social environments interact/affect each other

Testing effect

actively recalling info (self-testing) strengthens memory better than rereading.