Psychology Fundamentals and Subfields

These flashcards cover the foundational concepts, historical movements, and diverse subfields of psychology including the scientific attitude, behavioral perspectives, and professional applications.

What are the three components of the scientific attitude?

Curiosity (open but not gullible), skepticism (but not cynicism), and humility (willingness to be wrong/open to new perspectives).

In the context of scientific attitude, what does the phrase 'the rat is always right' emphasize?

A humble attitude.

What is the definition of critical thinking?

Thinking that doesn’t blindly accept arguments and conclusions but examines assumptions etc.

What is empiricism?

The idea that knowledge comes from experience, and observation and experimentation enable scientific knowledge.

What is structuralism and who is associated with it?

Titchener; it aims to reveal the structure of the mind through introspection.

How is introspection defined?

Looking inward to examine’s one’s own psychological processes.

What is functionalism and who is its primary figure?

James; it studies how mental and behavioral processes function and how they allow an organism to adapt, survive, & flourish.

What is behaviorism?

The belief that psych is objective and studies behavior without referencing mental processes.

Who are the humanistic psychologists mentioned in the notes?

Togers Maslow.

What do humanistic psychologists focus on?

Human growth potential.

What does cognitive psychology study?

Mental processes such as how we learn, perceive, and communicate.

What is cognitive neuroscience?

The study of brain activity linked with cognition.

How is psychology defined scientifically?

The science of behavior and mental processes.

What is the nature-nurture issue?

The relative contributions of genes vs. experience to develop psychological traits and behaviors.

What is the current scientific view on the nature-nurture issue?

Traits and behaviors are seen as a combination of both genes and experience.

What is natural selection?

Inherited traits that allow an organism to survive and reproduce will be passed down.

What is evolutionary psychology?

The study of evolution of behavior and the mind, using natural selection principles.

What does behavior genetics examine?

The relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influences on behavior.

How is culture defined in the context of psychology?

Shared ideas and values shared by a group of people and passed down generationally.

What is positive psychology?

The study of human flourishing, with goals of discovering & promoting strengths to thrive.

What is the biopsychosocial approach?

An approach that incorporates biological, psychological, and social-cultural viewpoints to offer a complete picture of given behavior or mental processes.

What does the behavioral perspective focus on?

How we learn observable responses and the study of observable behavior.

What consists the biological perspective focus?

How our genes and environments influence our differences and the links between biological and psychological processes.

What is the focus of the cognitive perspective?

How we process, store, and retrieve info.

What is the focus of the evolutionary perspective?

How the natural selection of traits has promoted the survival to certain genes.

What is the focus of the humanistic perspective?

How we achieve personal growth and fulfillment.

What is the focus of the psychodynamic perspective?

How behavior stems from unconscious drives and conflicts.

What does the social-cultural perspective study?

How behavior and thinking vary across cultures.

What is the testing effect?

Enhanced memory after having to retrieve info rather than rereading it.

What does the SQ3R study method stand for?

survey, question, read, retrieve, review.

What is psychometrics?

The measurement of human abilities, traits, and attitudes.

What is the aim of basic research?

To increase the scientific knowledge base.

What does developmental psychology study?

Our changing abilities from womb to tomb.

What is the focus of educational psychology?

How psychological processes influence teaching and learning.

What does personality psychology study?

Individuals’ patterns of thinking.

What is social psychology?

The study of how we think, influence, and relate to one another.

What is the goal of applied research?

To solve practical problems.

What is industrial-organizational (i/o) psychology?

The application of psych concepts to workplaces to optimize human behavior.

What does human factors psychology focus on?

People and machine interaction, and how machines and physical environment can be made safe.

What is counseling psychology?

Helping manage everyday life and achieving great wellbeing.

What is clinical psychology?

The study, assessment, and treatment of psychological disorders.

What distinguishes psychiatry from other psychological fields?

It can prescribe drugs and treat physical causes of psychological disorders and psychotherapy.

What is community psychology?

The study of interaction with social environment and social institutions effect on individuals and groups.