Chp 1

Clinical Psychology

• area of psychology that focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders and other problematic patterns of behavior

• thoughts, behavior, emotions and how each affect the other

Psychology

scientific study of mind and behavior

• psych means soul

Emperical method

acquiring knowledge based on observation or experiments (no logical arguments)

structuralism

• understanding the conscious experience through introspection

functionalism

• how mental activities help an organism adapt into its environment

Psychoanalytic theory

the role of a person’s unconscious and early childhood experiences in affecting the conscious behavior

Behaviorism

• observing and controlling behavior

Humanism

• the potential good that is innate to all humans

Reliability

• the ability to consistently produce a result

Validity

• the extent to which an instrument or tool accurately measures what it is supposed to measure

Institutional Review Board (IRB)

• researchers must get approval from this group first before conducting studies on human participants

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Goal of psychology

• to understand, explain, and predict behavior and mental processes

Behaviorism

focus on observing and controlling behavior

Humanism

perspective within psychology that emphasizes the potential for good that is innate to all humans

Biopsychology

• how biology influences our behavior

Cognitive Psychology

• study of cognitions, or thoughts, and their relationship to experiences and actions

Development Psychology

• scientific study of development across a lifespan

Personality Psychology

• study of patterns of thoughts and behaviors that make each individual unique

Social Psychology

• area of psychology that focuses on how we interact with and relate to others

Industrial-Organization Psychology

• subfield of psychology that applies psychological, theories, principles, and research findings in industrial and organizational settings

Health Psychology

• tied to the biopsychosocial model

• the psychologists in this field are interesting in helping people achieve better health through public policy, education, intervention, and research

Biopsychosocial model

• perspective that asserts that biology, psychology, and social factors interact to determine an individual’s health

Sport and exercise Psychology

• area of psychology that focuses on the interactions between mental and

  emotional factors and physical performance in sports, exercise, and other activities

Forensic Psychology

• area of psychology that applies the science and practice of psychology to issues within and related to the justice system