Chapter 1 & 2

Psychology

Scientific study of the mind and behavior.

The Mind

Set of cognitive faculties enabling consciousness, perception, thought, emotion, and memory.

Behavior

Actions or reactions of an individual in response to stimuli.

Nativism

The idea that certain abilities or traits are innate and hardwired at birth.

Nature vs. Nurture Debate

Nativism reflects the 'nature' side, emphasizing innate factors.

Wilhelm Wundt

Credited as the founder of psychology; established the first lab in 1879.

Consciousness

A person's subjective experience of the world and mind.

Mental Chronometry

Wundt's method for studying consciousness by measuring reaction times to stimuli.

Structuralism

An early school of psychology analyzing the structure of the mind's components.

Introspection

Method where individuals examine and report their own conscious experiences.

Problems with Introspection

Subjective, unreliable, and unconscious elements can't be accessed through introspection.

Functionalism

An early school focusing on the purpose and function of mental processes.

William vs. James

James: Functionalist who believed consciousness should be studied as a whole.

William: Structuralist who believed consciousness should be broken down into basic elements

Hysteria

A psychological disorder marked by emotional distress and physical symptoms.

Unconscious

Part of the mind containing thoughts, memories, and desires outside awareness.

Freud’s Psychoanalytic Theory

Emphasizes the role of the unconscious mind and early childhood in behavior.

Psychoanalysis

Freud's method to bring repressed thoughts into awareness to resolve conflicts.

Criticisms of Freud's Approach

Lack of scientific rigor, overemphasis on sexuality, and cultural bias.

Humanistic Psychology

Approach focusing on human goodness and potential for growth.

Founders of Humanistic Psychology

Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers.

Difference from Psychoanalytic Theory

Humanistic emphasizes growth and free will; psychoanalytic focuses on unconscious conflicts.

Behaviorism

Psychological approach studying observable behavior instead of internal processes.

Stimulus-Response (S-R) Psychology

Behaviorism's focus on the relationship between stimuli and observable responses.

Associated Psychologists with Behaviorism

John B. Watson, B.F. Skinner, Ivan Pavlov, and Edward Thorndike.

Criticism of Behaviorism

Oversimplifies psychology, neglecting internal mental processes and genetics.

Gestalt Psychology

School that believes objects and scenes can be observed in their simplest forms.

Cognitive Psychology

Branch focusing on understanding internal mental processes.

Cognitive Neuroscience

Field bridging psychology and neuroscience to understand cognitive processes.

Behavioral Neuroscience

Study of complex animal behaviors, including movement and social interactions.

Evolutionary Psychology

Study of behavior viewed through evolutionary biology.

Social Psychology

Scientific study of how individuals think about, influence, and relate to one another.

Cultural Psychology

Examines how emotions and behaviors are influenced by culture.

Psychiatrist

Medical doctor specialized in diagnosing and treating mental illness.

PhD Psychologist

Holds the highest academic training, specializing in research or clinical practice.

Empiricism

Belief that knowledge is obtained through observation.

Scientific Method

Procedure for using empirical evidence to establish facts.

Theory

Hypothetical explanations of natural phenomena.

Hypothesis

Falsifiable prediction made by a theory.

Operational Definition

Description of a property in measurable terms.

Construct Validity

Extent to which a measure characterizes the property it aims to measure.

Reliability

Consistency of a measure.

Power

Ability to measure or control something.

Demand Characteristics

Cues that influence participants to align behavior with experimenter's expectations.

Naturalistic Observation

Research method studying behavior in its natural environment without interference.

Double Blind Observation

Study in which neither researcher nor participants know expected reactions.

Variable

A factor or condition that can change.

Correlation

Statistical relationship between two variables, indicating how they relate.

Third Variable Problem

Question of whether a correlation indicates true causation due to an unaccounted variable.

Positive Correlation

As one variable increases, the other increases.

Negative Correlation

As one variable increases, the other decreases.

Experiment

Technique determining causal relationships between variables.

Manipulation

Altering the independent variable in an experiment.

Random Assignment

Randomly allocating participants to ensure group equality.

Independent Variable

Variable manipulated by the researcher.

Dependent Variable

Measured outcome in an experiment.

Experimental Group

Group exposed to the independent variable.

Control Group

Group not receiving experimental treatment.

Self-Selection Bias

When participants choose their group, introducing bias to the study.

Statistically Significant Difference

Difference unlikely to have occurred by chance; indicates real effect.

Internal Validity

Ability to establish causal relationships in an experiment.

External Validity

Extent to which findings can be generalized to the real world.

Case Method

Gathers information by studying a single individual.

Population

Complete collection of individuals from which samples are drawn.

Sample

Partial collection drawn from a population.

Random Sampling

Ensures each member of a population has an equal chance of selection.