Psychological Foundations: Essential Concepts

Flashcards covering essential concepts in psychological foundations, early psychology, historical schools of thought, psychological domains, careers, and key terminology from the lecture notes.

What is psychology defined as?

The scientific study of mind and behavior.

Which two individuals played pivotal roles in establishing psychology as a scientific discipline, focusing on structuralism and functionalism respectively?

Wundt (structuralism) and James (functionalism).

What did Wundt focus on in psychology?

Structuralism, breaking cognitive experiences into parts through introspection.

What did James promote in psychology?

Functionalism, exploring how mental activities adapt to the environment.

What concept did Freud emphasize in understanding conscious behavior?

The significance of the unconscious mind.

What was a key characteristic of Gestalt psychology?

It adopted a holistic view of individuals and their experiences.

What is the focus of the Psychodynamic perspective in psychology?

It focuses on the role of the unconscious and childhood experiences in affecting conscious behavior.

Who were historically important people associated with the Psychodynamic perspective?

Sigmund Freud, Erik Erikson.

What is the main focus of the Behavioral perspective in psychology?

It focuses on observing and controlling behavior through what is observable, emphasizing learning and conditioning.

Who were key figures in the Behavioral perspective?

Ivan Pavlov, John B. Watson, B. F. Skinner.

What does the Humanistic perspective in psychology emphasize?

The potential for good that is innate to all humans.

Who are important figures associated with the Humanistic perspective?

Abraham Maslow, The Blackfoot Nation, Carl Rogers.

What does the Cognitive perspective focus on?

Not just on behavior, but on mental processes and internal mental states.

Who were influential figures in the Cognitive perspective?

Ulric Neisser, Noam Chomsky, Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky.

Which psychological perspective focuses on physiological causes for behavior?

The biological perspective.

Which psychological perspective suggests that behaviors have an evolutionary cause?

The evolutionary perspective.

Which psychological perspective emphasizes the strong influence of the environment on thoughts and behaviors?

The sociocultural perspective.

What is the study of the biological bases of behavior, including neuroscience, consciousness, and sensation, called?

Domain 1: Biological psychology.

Which psychological domain is concerned with the relationship between thought and behavior, including perception, attention, memory, and intelligence?

Domain 2: Cognitive psychology.

What is Developmental psychology concerned with?

The study of physical and cognitive changes that occur throughout one
year
's lifespan.

Which psychological domain focuses on individuals
year
' unique patterns of behavior, thought, and emotion?

Domain 4: Social and Personality psychology.

What does Domain 5: Mental and Physical psychology involve?

The study of abnormal psychology, counseling, treatment methods, and coping with stress and living a healthy life.

Name some applied areas of psychology.

Industrial and organizational psychology, health psychology, sport and exercise psychology, forensic psychology, and clinical psychology.

What level of degree is generally required for academic careers in psychology?

Doctoral degrees.

What is the American Psychological Association (APA)?

Professional organization representing psychologists in the United States.

What is behaviorism?

The psychological focus on observing and controlling behavior, holding that behaviors are learned or conditioned through environmental experiences.

What is the biopsychosocial model?

A perspective that asserts that biology, psychology, and social factors interact to determine an individual
year
's health.

What is the 'cognitive revolution'?

A period of change in psychology during the 1950s and 1960s, characterized by a shift back to studying mental processes and the emergence of cognitive psychology.

What field of psychology focuses on emotional, social, vocational, and health-related outcomes in individuals who are considered psychologically healthy?

Counseling psychology.

What is the empirical method for acquiring knowledge?

A method based on observation, including experimentation, rather than methods based only on logical argument or previous authorities.

What does evolutionary psychology seek to understand?

Human behavior as the result of psychological adaptation and natural selection.

Which area of psychology applies its science and practice to issues within and related to the justice system?

Forensic psychology.

What is functionalism?

A focus on how mental activities helped an organism adapt to its environment.

What is the perspective within psychology that emphasizes the potential for good that is innate to all humans?

Humanism (or Humanistic perspective).

What is natural selection?

A process by which heritable traits conferring survival and reproductive advantage tend to be passed on to succeeding generations and become more frequent in a population.

What does the suffix '-ology' denote?

'Scientific study of'.

What is personality psychology?

The study of patterns of thoughts and behaviors that make each individual unique.

What is a PhD (doctor of philosophy)?

A doctoral degree conferred in many disciplinary perspectives housed in a traditional college of liberal arts and sciences.

What is the Greek word for soul?

Psyche.

What is a psychiatrist?

A person with a medical degree who specializes in treating mental health issues and diagnosable disorders, able to prescribe medications.

What is psychoanalysis?

A type of talk therapy, originally developed by Freud, focusing on the interaction between conscious and unconscious elements through talking about past experiences.

What is a psychological domain?

Specific areas of study within the broader discipline of psychology, each examining a different aspect of human experience and behavior.

What is a psychological perspective?

Theoretical frameworks psychologists use to understand, describe, and explain human behavior and cognitive processes.

What is a PsyD (doctor of psychology)?

A doctoral degree that places less emphasis on research-oriented skills and focuses more on application of psychological principles in the clinical context.

What is social psychology?

The scientific study of how people
year
's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others.

What area of psychology focuses on the interactions between mental and emotional factors and physical performance in sports, exercise, and other activities?

Sport and exercise psychology.

What is structuralism?

Understanding the conscious experience through introspection.