AP Psychology: Important People, Theories, and Definitions

Wilhelm Wundt

Founded the first psychology laboratory in 1879 and is known as the 'father of psychology.'

Introspection

The examination of one's own thoughts.

Edward Titchener

Created Structuralism and focused on breaking consciousness into basic parts.

Structuralism

The study of the structure of conscious experience.

William James

Created Functionalism and studied how behaviors help people adapt.

Functionalism

Mental processes exist because they help survival.

Psychoanalytic Psychology

A theory founded by Sigmund Freud that suggests unconscious thoughts affect behavior.

Sigmund Freud

Created Psychoanalysis and developed concepts like Id, Ego, Superego, defense mechanisms, and psychosexual stages.

Collective Unconscious

A concept developed by Carl Jung that includes shared memories and archetypes.

Inferiority Complex

An idea developed by Alfred Adler stressing feelings of inadequacy.

Karen Horney

Challenged Freud’s theories about women and focused on anxiety and relationships.

Erik Erikson

Developed Psychosocial Stages of Development.

Psychosocial Theory

Personality develops through social conflicts across life.

Ivan Pavlov

Discovered Classical Conditioning using dogs.

Classical Conditioning

Learning through association.

John B. Watson

Founded Behaviorism and studied observable behavior only.

Behaviorism

Psychology should study behavior, not thoughts.

B. F. Skinner

Developed Operant Conditioning.

Operant Conditioning

Learning through rewards and punishments.

Edward Thorndike

Created the Law of Effect.

Law of Effect

Behaviors followed by good outcomes repeat.

Albert Bandura

Developed Social Learning Theory and is famous for the Bobo doll experiment.

Social Learning Theory

People learn by observing others.

Abraham Maslow

Created the Hierarchy of Needs.

Hierarchy of Needs

People must satisfy basic needs before reaching self-actualization.

Carl Rogers

Developed Client-Centered Therapy and emphasized unconditional positive regard.

Humanistic Theory

Focuses on growth, free will, and self-improvement.

Jean Piaget

Created stages of cognitive development in children.

Lev Vygotsky

Believed learning happens through social interaction.

Noam Chomsky

Proposed that humans are born with language abilities.

George A. Miller

Proposed that short-term memory holds about 7 items.

Cognitive Theory

Thoughts affect behavior and emotions.

Roger Sperry

Studied split-brain patients.

Paul Broca

Identified Broca’s area for speech production.

Carl Wernicke

Identified Wernicke’s area for language understanding.

Donald Hebb

Formulated the idea that 'neurons that fire together wire together.'

Alfred Binet

Developed the first IQ test.

Charles Spearman

Proposed general intelligence (g factor).

Howard Gardner

Developed Multiple Intelligences Theory.

Multiple Intelligences Theory

Intelligence exists in many forms.

Robert Sternberg

Created Triarchic Theory of Intelligence.

Triarchic Theory

Intelligence includes analytical, creative, and practical components.

Hermann Ebbinghaus

Studied memory and forgetting.

Elizabeth Loftus

Studied misinformation and false memories.

Harry Harlow

Conducted monkey experiments that showed the importance of comfort.

Mary Ainsworth

Developed attachment styles using the Strange Situation experiment.

John Bowlby

Developed Attachment Theory.

Attachment Theory

Early relationships shape future relationships.

Lawrence Kohlberg

Developed stages of moral development.

Carol Gilligan

Criticized Kohlberg for gender bias.

Solomon Asch

Studied conformity.

Stanley Milgram

Conducted obedience experiments.

Philip Zimbardo

Conducted the Stanford Prison Experiment.

Leon Festinger

Developed Cognitive Dissonance Theory.

Cognitive Dissonance

Discomfort from conflicting beliefs and actions.

William James & Carl Lange

Developed James-Lange Theory.

James-Lange Theory

Physical arousal causes emotion.

Walter Cannon & Philip Bard

Developed Cannon-Bard Theory.

Cannon-Bard Theory

Emotion and arousal happen at the same time.

Stanley Schachter & Jerome Singer

Developed Two-Factor Theory.

Two-Factor Theory

Emotion = physical arousal + cognitive label.