History of Psychology

This set of flashcards covers key concepts in the history and evolution of psychology, including major schools of thought and their foundational principles.

Structuralism

A school of psychology focused on breaking down mental processes into the most basic components.

Functionalism

A school of psychology that emphasizes the functions of consciousness and behavior in adapting to the environment.

Edward Thorndike's Law of Effect

A principle stating that behaviors followed by favorable consequences are more likely to occur again; foundational to behaviorism.

Freudian Psychology

A perspective in psychology that emphasizes the influence of the unconscious mind and early childhood experiences on behavior.

Classical Conditioning

A learning process that creates an association between a stimulus and a response.

Operant Conditioning

A method of learning that occurs through rewards and punishments for behavior.

Humanistic Psychology

A psychological perspective that emphasizes the study of the whole person and the uniqueness of individual experiences.

Cognitive Neuroscience

The interdisciplinary study of the brain's functions and how they relate to cognitive processes, often utilizing neuroimaging tools.

Evolutionary Psychology

A theoretical approach that explains psychological traits as adaptive responses shaped by natural selection.

Behaviorism

A school of thought in psychology that focuses solely on observable behaviors and disregards mental processes.