Introductory Psychology – Humanism to Contemporary Branches

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering major theories, figures, and contemporary sub-fields highlighted in the lecture notes.

Humanism

A psychological perspective that emphasizes the innate potential for good in all humans.

Abraham Maslow

Humanistic psychologist who proposed the hierarchy of human needs as a motivator of behavior.

Hierarchy of Needs

Maslow’s pyramid-shaped model in which basic survival needs must be met before higher social and self-actualization needs motivate behavior.

Carl Rogers

Humanistic psychologist who developed client-centered therapy focusing on unconditional positive regard and empathy.

Client-Centered Therapy

Rogers’s therapeutic approach in which the client directs the session and the therapist offers acceptance and support.

B. F. Skinner

Behaviorist who created the operant chamber and studied how consequences shape behavior.

Operant Chamber (Skinner Box)

Enclosed apparatus used by Skinner to observe how animals learn through reinforcement and punishment.

Behaviorism

Psychological approach that studies observable behavior and dismisses mental processes as subjects of scientific inquiry.

Cognitive Revolution

Mid-20th-century shift in psychology that returned focus to mental processes such as thinking, memory, and language.

Gestalt Psychology

Early 20th-century school emphasizing that psychological phenomena are best understood as organized wholes rather than component parts.

Max Wertheimer

Co-founder of Gestalt psychology who explored perception and problem solving.

Kurt Koffka

Gestalt psychologist who promoted the idea that the whole is different from the sum of its parts.

Wolfgang Köhler

Gestalt psychologist known for work on insight learning in chimpanzees.

American Psychological Association (APA)

Largest professional organization of psychologists in the United States, dedicated to advancing psychological science and practice.

Biopsychology

Branch examining how the nervous system, hormones, and genetics influence behavior and mental processes.

Evolutionary Psychology

Field that studies how natural selection has shaped behavior and mental traits.

Cognitive Psychology

Discipline focusing on mental processes such as perception, memory, reasoning, and language.

Developmental Psychology

Study of physical, cognitive, and social changes across the lifespan.

Personality Psychology

Field investigating enduring patterns of thought, emotion, and behavior that characterize individuals.

Social Psychology

Study of how people’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the actual or imagined presence of others.

Health Psychology

Branch exploring how biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors contribute to health and illness.

Sports and Exercise Psychology

Area examining psychological aspects of athletic performance, motivation, and physical activity.

Clinical Psychology

Field devoted to diagnosing, treating, and preventing psychological disorders.

Forensic Psychology

Application of psychological principles within the criminal justice system, including competency evaluations and jury selection.