Unit O: Foundations of Psychology and Perspectives

Vocabulary flashcards covering the major perspectives and key concepts from Unit O notes.

Biological Perspective

Physical and biological bases of behavior, including brain structure, neurotransmitters, and genetics.

Behavioral Perspective

Emphasizes learned behaviors and how conditioning and reinforcement shape behavior (classical and operant conditioning).

Cognitive Perspective

Focuses on mental processes such as memory, thinking, problem-solving, attention, perception, language, and decision-making.

Humanistic Perspective

Stresses personal growth and self-actualization, often through Maslow's hierarchy of needs and unconditional positive regard.

Psychodynamic Perspective

Emphasizes unconscious forces, early childhood experiences, defense mechanisms, and the id, ego, and superego.

Sociocultural Perspective

Explains behavior by considering cultural norms, values, beliefs, and social context.

Evolutionary Perspective

Explains psychological processes via natural selection, adaptation, and survival of the fittest.

Unconscious Mind

Mental processes outside conscious awareness that influence thoughts, feelings, and behavior.

Defense Mechanisms

Unconscious strategies (e.g., repression, denial) to reduce anxiety and cope with stress.

Id, Ego, Superego

Freud's structural model of the psyche: id seeks pleasure, ego negotiates reality, superego imposes moral standards.

Classical Conditioning

Learning by association; a neutral stimulus becomes paired with a meaningful stimulus to elicit a response.

Operant Conditioning

Learning through consequences; behavior is shaped by reinforcement or punishment.

Positive Reinforcement

Adding a desirable stimulus to increase the likelihood of a behavior.

Negative Reinforcement

Removing an aversive stimulus to increase the likelihood of a behavior.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

A pyramid of needs from physiological to self-actualization; higher-level needs emerge as lower ones are met.

Unconditional Positive Regard

Acceptance and support of a person regardless of their behavior or feelings.

Natural Selection

Process by which inherited traits that aid survival and reproduction become more common over generations.

Cultural Norms

Shared expectations about appropriate behavior within a culture.