unit 1 AMSCO vocabulary - AP psychology - 2024-2025

psychology

the scientific study of human thought and human and animal behavior

behaviorism

the view that psychology should be an objective science that studies behavior without reference to mental processes

empiricism

an approach to understanding subjects, including human behavior, by examining data rather than using intuition or reason alone

nature vs. nurture

ongoing debate between the influences of genetics vs. environment on behavior

Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920)

German philosopher, physician, and professor known as "the father of psychology" because he is the first person to study humans in a laboratory setting (Leipzig, Germany, 1879)

introspection

required people to report their conscious experiences (sensations, perceptions, and first reactions) in relation to a number of different stimuli

structuralism

the study of conscious experience by attempting to break it down into its most basic components using introspection and then putting the pieces of the "human puzzle" back together to understand the whole

William James (1842-1910)

American philosopher, physician, and professor at Harvard University; one of many who were critical of structuralism; believed it made more sense to examine the function of consciousness—what purpose did it serve?

theory of evolution

the view that organisms change over time as they adapt to their environment and that adaptations that serve the function of promoting survival are passed on to offspring

stream of consciousness

the view of consciousness as a continuous flow rather than made up of "structures" (coined by William James)

functionalism

school of psychology that focused on the functions of our mental and behavioral processes (how do they enable us to adapt, survive, and flourish?)

Dorothea Dix (1802-1887)

undertook an investigation of the living conditions of poor people with mental illness, finding some of them kept in cages, stalls, and pens (1840s); her investigations and advocacy led to the first mental asylums in the U.S.

G. Stanley Hall (1844-1924)

first president of the American Psychological Association; founded the first journal for research in psychology and created the first psychological laboratory in the United States at Johns Hopkins University; helped spread the field of psychology in the United States

Gestalt psychology

encouraged looking at the shape or form of the whole, rather than examining each small part like structuralists did

Sigmund Freud (1856-1939)

Austrian neurologist who believed psychological ailments could be treated by what one of his patients identified as "the talking cure"; also interested in the meaning of dreams and the unconscious mind

psychoanalytic approach

emphasized the role of the unconscious; developed by Freud

unconscious

a depository of memories, feelings, and drives, many of them unwanted, that are beyond the reach of conscious awareness

latent

hidden (present but not realized; dormant)

id

one of three conflicting parts of our personality; holds our wants and desires and is primarily motivated by sex and aggression (according to Freud)

superego

second of three conflicting parts of our personality; acts as our conscience and leads us to "do the right thing"; believed (by Freud) to often be at odds with the id

ego

third of three conflicting parts of our personality; allows people to get what they want and desire within the confines set by society

psychodynamics

emphasizes the influence of unconscious thoughts, desires, and conflicts, (often) stemming from early childhood experiences, on a person's behavior and personality

Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936)

devised experiments in classical conditioning with salivating dogs

B. F. Skinner (1904-1990)

believed in radical behaviorism; created operant conditioning

radical behaviorism

the idea that behavior should be studied objectively using the scientific method and only what can be seen or observed is measurable

operant conditioning chamber

box in which an animal (often a rat or a pigeon) would be subject to operant conditioning

operant conditioning

process in which an animal (often a rat or a pigeon) is trained to complete a voluntary behavior through receiving a reward upon completing a given task, which increased the likelihood of the behavior occurring again

cognitive approach

studies how thinking and perception influence behavior

Jean Piaget (1896-1980)

studied how children's cognitive development unfolds

humanistic approach

approach with a more positive outlook on people related to their motivation to fulfill their potential; focused on a person's future rather than the past and the potential of people and their drive to be their best; believed that people do have free will and ultimately are responsible for the decisions they make regardless of what they may have learned in the past; came to prominence in the 1950s

Carl Rogers (1902-1987)

one of the founders of the humanistic approach; acknowledged that environments may not always be ideal and can prevent individuals from reaching their potential

hierarchy of needs

theory developed by Abraham Maslow that categorizes human needs into a pyramid-like structure, with the most basic physiological needs at the bottom and higher-level needs like self-actualization at the top

sociocultural approach

emphasizes the impact of people's culture, religion, ethnicity, gender, income level, and overall environment on the individuals they become

biological approach

focuses primarily on examining how genetics, the nervous system, hormones, and brain structures influence a person's thinking and behavior

natural selection

the process by which the genes that are most beneficial for survival are protected and strengthened and the organisms that develop those genes survive and pass them on

survival of the fittest

the process by which the genes that are most beneficial for survival are protected and strengthened and the organisms that develop those genes survive and pass them on

evolutionary psychologists

think beyond Darwin's famous study of the physical adaptations of finches to look for aspects of human thought and behavior that may give individuals or their genes a better chance for survival in the future (e.g. may examine why many people have an aversion to bitter tastes (they may have been an indication of poisonous foods that were dangerous to eat))

biopsychosocial model

model of treating patients that looked for explanations of illness as well as potential treatments by examining the interactions of the patient's biology, personality, and social influences

applied psychologists

work face-to-face with clients, students, or patients; use the knowledge of basic researchers to directly help individuals

basic psychologists

focus on completing research, often working in labs, to increase knowledge about human thinking and human and animal behavior (e.g. may work to find a new antipsychotic medication, but may never meet the people who use the drug)

domains

subfields (of larger fields)

psychiatrists

medical doctors, and can prescribe medication to patients who may benefit from them

clinical psychologists

work with individuals who may be suffering from psychological disorders (e.g. they may help a person with an obsessive-compulsive disorder to cope with or potentially overcome the illness)

counseling psychologists

primarily work with individuals who are going through a difficult time in their lives but are unlikely to have a mental illness; generally try to help their clients work through such issues as divorce or transitioning into a new school; work with clients to develop strategies for coping with difficult situations so they can be positive and productive

human factors psychologists

generally have a background in engineering; study how the design of certain products can improve use (e.g. they may design a comfortable chair that supports one's back properly or a coffee machine that is easy to use even by someone who has never seen it before)

industrial-organizational psychologists

often found in an office setting; may work in human resources to find the best person for a particular job; may work to increase worker morale; may be involved with training, such as sexual harassment training or other on-the-job seminars; may also work as outside consultants to find a match between an employer and well-qualified employees

school psychologists

generally work in a face-to-face setting; may evaluate students for special programs, such as special education or gifted programs; involved with proctoring IQ tests and creating plans, along with counselors, parents, students, and other school support staff, to meet each student's educational needs

biological psychologists

investigate how the structures in one's brain or nervous system influence behavior; may also study how deficits in certain types of neurotransmitters may shape the behavior of their clients

cognitive psychologists

investigate how people's thinking and perception of situations influence their behavior; examine decision-making, problem-solving, memory, risk assessment, and metacognition (thinking about thinking)

developmental psychologists

study how people change and develop over their life span; may examine cognitive development, linguistic (speech) development, moral development, motor development, etc; historically have studied children however gerontology (the study of old age) is attracting some practitioners as their focus

educational psychologists

research how people learn and remember information; work may help teachers develop an effective curriculum for promoting student understanding

experimental psychologists

work in laboratories and form the largest category of basic psychologists

psychometric psychologists

have a strong math background that they put to use by interpreting personality or intelligence tests or analyzing the data produced by basic psychologists to determine their findings; often work as consultants to assist those collecting data to ensure that they are analyzing the data correctly

personality psychologists

work closely with psychometric psychologists, providing personality inventories which are then analyzed and assessed; may also work in a clinical setting to determine why certain personality characteristics seem to make getting along difficult for certain individuals or hold those individuals back from reaching their potential

social psychologists

adhere to the sociocultural approach to psychology; focus on examining the influence of family, culture, religion, and peer group on behavior

positive psychologists

scientifically examines emotions and traits that allow people to live happy and fulfilling lives; focus on behaviors a person already has or can learn that can help maximize strengths and make lives better