Chapter 1 - What is Psychology?

Structuralism

A theoretical perspective in psychology that focuses on understanding the structure of the mind by breaking down mental processes into their basic components.

Functionalism

A theoretical perspective in psychology that emphasizes the purpose of mental processes and how they help individuals adapt to their environments.

William James

A prominent figure in functionalism who wrote the first psychology textbook and defined psychology as the 'science of mental life.'

Behaviorism

An approach to psychology defined by Watson and Skinner as the 'study of observable behavior.'

Humanism

A theoretical perspective in psychology attributed to Rogers and Maslow, focusing on individual potential and personal growth.

Hindsight Bias

The phenomenon where individuals believe they could have predicted an event after learning its outcome, often referred to as the 'I knew it all along' effect.

Overconfidence

A cognitive bias in which individuals believe they know more than they actually do.

Biopsychosocial approach

A model that considers biological, psychological, and social factors as influencing behavior.

Independent Variable

The 'cause' in an experiment that is manipulated by the researcher to observe its effect on the dependent variable.

Dependent Variable

The factor in an experiment that may change in response to the independent variable.

Case Study

A research technique where one person or a small group is studied in depth.

Naturalistic Observation

A research method that involves observing behavior in its natural context.

Double Blind Procedure

A research design in which both participants and research staff are unaware of treatment assignments, reducing bias.