Introduction to Psychology - Key Concepts & Vocabulary

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering foundational concepts, historical paradigms, key figures, and modern subdivisions from Chapter 1 Introduction to Psychology.

Psychology

The scientific study of the mind and behavior.

Hypothesis

A tentative explanation proposed by a researcher to explain a phenomenon, which can be tested through observation or experimentation.

Scientific Theory

A broad explanation or group of explanations for some aspect of the natural world that is consistently supported by evidence over time.

Empirical Method

A method for acquiring knowledge based on observation, including experimentation, rather than a method based only on logical argument or previous authorities.

Critical Thinking

The active application of a set of skills to information for the understanding and evaluation of that information.

Introspection

A process by which someone examines their own conscious experience as objectively as possible, referred to by Wilhelm Wundt as 'internal perception'.

Voluntarism

The concept that people have free will and should know the intentions of a psychological experiment if they are participating.

Structuralism

A psychological perspective developed by Edward Titchener that focused on the contents of mental processes rather than their function.

Functionalism

A psychological perspective established by William James, John Dewey, and Charles Sanders Peirce that focused on how mental activities helped an organism fit into its environment.

Psychoanalytic Theory

A perspective popularized by Sigmund Freud that focuses on the role of a person's unconscious mind and early childhood experiences in driving behavior.

Gestalt Psychology

A psychological movement founded by Max Wertheimer, Kurt Koffka, and Wolfgang Köhler emphasizing that sensory experiences are perceived as a unified whole rather than merely a sum of individual parts.

Conditioned Reflex

A form of learning behavior studied by Ivan Pavlov where a subject produces an unconscious response to a stimulus that has been associated with a primary stimulus.

Behaviorism

An approach to psychology championed by John B. Watson that focuses on observing and controlling observable behavior directly rather than studying internal mental processes.

Operant Conditioning Chamber

A device developed by B. F. Skinner (also known as a Skinner box) that isolates a subject and delivers positive reinforcement or punishment based on behavior inputs.

Humanism

A perspective within psychology that emphasizes personal control, intentionality, and the innate potential for good in all humans.

Self-Actualization

A process proposed by Abraham Maslow by which individuals achieve their full potential, representing the highest level of human needs.

Client-Centered Therapy

A therapeutic approach developed by Carl Rogers where the patient takes the lead role in the session while the therapist demonstrates unconditional positive regard, genuineness, and empathy.

Unconditional Positive Regard

A core feature of client-centered therapy where the therapist accepts their client for who they are, regardless of what the client says.

Cognitive Revolution

A historical shift in the 1950s that revived interest in the mind as a focus of scientific inquiry, influenced by linguistics, neuroscience, and computer science.

Feminist Psychology

An approach in psychology that emerged to critique male cultural biases, re-evaluate women's contributions to psychology, and study psychological gender differences objectively.

WEIRD Societies

An acronym standing for Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic societies, which have historically been overstudied in psychological research.

Multicultural Psychology

A subfield of psychology where researchers develop theories and conduct research with diverse populations, typically within a single country.

Cross-Cultural Psychology

A subfield of psychology that compares psychological characteristics across populations in different countries.

American Psychological Association (APA)

The largest professional organization representing psychologists in the United States, founded with G. Stanley Hall as its first president.

Association for Psychological Science (APS)

An organization founded in 1988 to advance the scientific orientation of psychology following internal disagreements between scientific and clinical branches within the APA.

Biopsychology

A subfield of psychology that explores how biological structures and functions, particularly within the nervous system, generate behavior.

Evolutionary Psychology

A field of psychology that seeks to study the ultimate biological and genetic causes of behavior based on evolutionary adaptation.

Cognitive Psychology

An area of psychology focused on studying cognitions, or thoughts, and their relationship to human experiences and actions.

Developmental Psychology

The scientific study of physical maturation, cognitive skills, moral reasoning, and social behavior changes across a lifespan.

Object Permanence

A concept studied by Jean Piaget referring to the cognitive understanding that physical things continue to exist even when hidden from view.

Personality Psychology

The area of psychology focusing on unique patterns of thoughts and behaviors that define each individual.