Untitled Flashcards Set

Wilhelm Wundt

Established the first psychology laboratory in 1879 and promoted systematic experimentation.

Cultural Psychology

Study of higher mental processes that were not well received in the United States.

Voluntarism

Wundt's concept that the mind actively organizes its contents into higher-level thought processes.

Structuralism

School of thought led by Edward Titchener focusing on breaking down consciousness into basic elements.

Functionalism

A school of psychology focusing on how mental processes function to adapt to environments.

Behaviorism

School of thought focusing on objective measurement and control of behavior.

Gestalt Psychology

Argued that conscious experience is more than the sum of its parts.

Psychoanalysis

Founded by Sigmund Freud, focusing on unconscious processes and childhood experiences.

Humanistic Psychology

Focuses on personal growth with key figures like Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow.

Cognitive Psychology

Focus on understanding conscious experiences and mental processes.

Determinism

The belief that every act is determined or caused by past events.

Reductionism

Explains phenomena on one level in terms of phenomena on another level.

Empiricism

Knowledge derived from sensory experience and observation.

Rene Descartes

Father of modern philosophy known for his theory of mind-body interaction.

Innate Ideas

Ideas that are not derived from sensory experience, proposed by Rene Descartes.

Positivism

Only observable facts should be recognized in scientific inquiry.

Materialism

The view that the universe is explained in physical terms through the existence of matter.

John Locke

Argued that humans are born without knowledge and that knowledge is acquired through experience.

Associationism

The idea that complex ideas arise from linking simple ideas.

Primary Qualities

Inherent qualities of objects that exist independently of perception.

Secondary Qualities

Qualities that exist only as they are perceived.

George Berkeley

Early proponent of mentalism who believed perception is the only reality.

Mentalism

The view that all knowledge is a function of mental phenomena.

David Hume

British empiricist known as the ultimate skeptic, known for his theories on association.

Resemblance

Similarity strengthens association between ideas.

Contiguity

Proximity in time or space strengthens association between ideas.

David Hartley

Began the search for biological correlates of mental events.

James Mill

Culmination of associationism, emphasizing that mind is active in association.

Mental Chemistry

Simple ideas combine to form complex ideas with emergent properties.

Specific Nerve Energy

Each sensory nerve produces its own specific sensation, proposed by Johannes Muller.

Clinical Method

Posthumous examination to determine cause of a behavioral disorder introduced by Paul Broca.

Extirpation

A method in which parts of the brain are removed to observe behavioral changes.

Electrical Stimulation

Using weak electrical currents to stimulate brain functions.

Phrenology

The belief that the shape of one's skull reveals their personality traits.

Hermann von Helmholtz

Scientist known for his study of human senses and advancing experimental psychology.

Ernst Weber

Demonstrated systematic relations between physical events and mental events.

Two-Point Threshold

Smallest distance at which two points of touch can be perceived as distinct sensations.

Just Noticeable Difference (JND)

The smallest change in a stimulus that can be detected, indicating psychological sensitivity.

Gustav Fechner

Founder of psychophysics, studying relationships between physical and mental events.

Absolute Threshold

Minimum intensity at which a stimulus can be detected.

Differential Threshold

Smallest detectable change in a stimulus resulting in a change in sensation.

Psychophysics

The study of the relationship between physical stimuli and mental experiences.

Wilhelm Wundt's Voluntarism

School based on the active organization of mental elements.

Introspection

Reflection on one's subjective experience as a method for studying consciousness.

Apperception

Active process by which the mind organizes elements of experience.

Hermann Ebbinghaus

First to conduct experimental research on learning and memory.

Franz Brentano

Founder of act psychology focusing on mental activity over mental content.

Act Psychology

Focus on behavior and mental experiences as dynamic interactions.

Phenomenology

Method focusing on subjective experience and intact meaningful experiences.

Oswald Kulpe

Studied higher mental processes through systematic experimental introspection.

Imageless Thought

Mental action with no specific referent proposed by Oswald Kulpe.

Structuralism vs. Functionalism

Structuralism analyzes consciousness; functionalism studies mental processes and applications.

Pragmatism

The validity of an idea should be tested by its practical consequences.

William James

Considered the pioneering figure in functionalism and emphasized consciousness over structure.

Stream of Consciousness

Concept introduced by William James, depicting consciousness as a continuous flow.

Mary Whiton Calkins

Pioneer in psychology, first female president of the APA, developed techniques in learning.

Variability Hypothesis

Hypothesis suggesting that men show a wider range of variability than women.

Francis Galton

First to study individual differences and introduced concepts like mental inheritance.

Eugenics

Applied eugenics aimed at improving human heredity through selective breeding.

Statistical Methods

Galton's application of statistical analysis to quantify and analyze developmental traits.

Mental Tests

Developed by Galton to assess sensory capacities and motor skills.

Association of Ideas

Galton's study of the diversity and reaction time of associations.

Mental Imagery

Investigation of subjective mental images utilizing statistical analysis.

Animal Psychology

Study of mental faculties in both humans and animals influenced by Darwin.

George John Romanes

Published the first book on comparative psychology and ranked animal intelligence.

Anecdotal Method

Studying animal behavior through reports based on observation.

Lloyd Morgan

Advocated for scientific rigor in animal psychology, formulates the Law of Parsimony.

Social Darwinism

Applied evolution to human character, advocating minimal intervention from government.

Synthetic Philosophy

Integrates evolutionary theory with human knowledge and experience.

G. Stanley Hall

Established first psychology lab in the U.S. and emphasized developmental psychology.

Recapitulation Theory

Hall's theory suggesting individual development mirrors human evolutionary history.

John Dewey

His critique of the reflex arc helped lay the groundwork for functional psychology.

James Angell

Transformed functionalism into a working school at the University of Chicago.

Harvey Carr

Leader of functionalism at the peak of its development in the U.S.

Robert Woodworth

Founder of dynamic psychology that emphasizes both internal and external influences.