Pre-Foundations: History of Psychology

Psychology

the scientific study of behavior and mental processes

behavior

observable actions of human beings and animals

mind

the private inner experience of perceptions, thoughts, memories, and feelings

brain

The mass of nerve tissue that is the main control center of the nervous system

Rene Descartes

17th century French philosopher; wrote Discourse on Method; 1st principle "i think therefore i am"; believed mind and matter were completely separate; known as father of modern rationalism

Dualism

the presumption that mind and body are two distinct entities that interact

John Locke

17th century English philosopher who opposed the Divine Right of Kings and who asserted that people have a natural right to life, liberty, and property.

Empiricism

the view that knowledge originates in experience and that science should, therefore, rely on observation and experimentation

Charles Darwin

English natural scientist who formulated a theory of evolution by natural selection (1809-1882)

evoluntionary theory

When used in human development, the idea that many current human emotions and impulses are a legacy from thousands of years ago.

natural selection

A process in which individuals that have certain inherited traits tend to survive and reproduce at higher rates than other individuals because of those traits.

Wilhelm Wundt

german physiologist who founded psychology as a formal science; opened first psychology research laboratory in 1879

Structuralism

an early school of psychology that used introspection to explore the elemental structure of the human mind

Edward Titchener

Student of Wilhelm Wundt; founder of Structuralist school of psychology.

Introspection

the act of looking into one's own thoughts and feelings

William James

founder of functionalism; studied how humans use perception to function in our environment

Functionalism

A school of psychology that focused on how our mental and behavioral processes function - how they enable us to adapt, survive, and flourish.

Dorthea Dix

woman who pushed for changes in the treatment of the mentally ill and founded 32 mental hospitals

Mary Whiton Calkins

American psychologist who conducted research on memory, personality, and dreams; first woman president of the American Psychological Association

G. Stanley Hall

american psychologist who established the first psychology research laboratory in the United States and founded the American Psychological Association

biological psychology

a branch of psychology concerned with the links between biology and behavior

behavioral genetics

the study of the effects of heredity on behavior

Behaviorism

the science of behavior that focuses on observable behavior only

John Watson

behaviorism; emphasis on external behaviors of people and their reactions on a given situation; famous for Little Albert study in which baby was taught to fear a white rat

classical conditioning

a learning process that occurs when two stimuli are repeatedly paired; a response that is at first elicited by the second stimulus is eventually elicited by the first stimulus alone.

B. F. Skinner

behaviorism; pioneer in operant conditioning; behavior is based on an organism's reinforcement history; worked with pigeons

behavior modification

the use of operant conditioning techniques to bring about desired changes in behavior

Cognitive Psychology

the scientific study of all the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating

humanistic approach

An approach to psychology emphasizing a person's positive qualities, the capacity for positive growth, and the freedom to choose any destiny.

Abraham Maslow

Humanistic psychologist known for his "Hierarchy of Needs" and the concept of "self-actualization"

Carl Rogers

Developed "client-centered" therapy

psychodynamic approach

an approach that regards personality as formed by needs, strivings, and desires largely operating outside of awareness-motives that can also produce emotional disorders

Psychoanalytic Approach

psychological perspective concerned with how unconscious instincts, conflicts, motives, and defenses influence behavior

Sigmund Freud

Austrian physician whose work focused on the unconscious causes of behavior and personality formation; founded psychoanalysis.

psychoanalytic theory

A theory developed by Freud that attempts to explain personality, motivation, and mental disorders by focusing on unconscious determinants of behavior

conscious mind vs. unconscious mind

The difference between the thoughts and feelings that we are aware of (conscious) and those that we are not aware of (unconscious).

repressed

restrained, inhibited, or oppressed

Sociocultural Approach

An approach to psychology that examines the ways in which social and cultural environments influence behavior.

Evolutionary Approach

An approach to psychology centered on evolutionary ideas such as adaptation, reproduction, and natural selection as the basis for explaining specific human behaviors.

biopsychosocial approach

an integrated approach that incorporates biological, psychological, and social-cultural levels of analysis

biological psychology

an approach to psychology focusing on the body, especially the brain and nervous system

social psychology

the scientific study of how we think about, influence, and relate to one another

clinical psychology

a branch of psychology that studies, assesses, and treats people with psychological disorders

Cognitive Psychology

the scientific study of all the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating

counseling psychology

a branch of psychology that assists people with problems in living (often related to school, work, or marriage) and in achieving greater well-being

developmental psychology

a branch of psychology that studies physical, cognitive, and social change throughout the life span

educational psychology

the study of how psychological processes affect and can enhance teaching and learning

experimental psychology

the study of behavior and thinking using the experimental method

industrial-organizational psychology

the application of psychological concepts and methods to optimizing human behavior in workplaces

personality psychology

the study of an individual's characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting

Psychometrics Psychology

measurement of behavior and capacities; assess personality, intelligence, etc.

positive psychology

the scientific study of optimal human functioning; aims to discover and promote strengths and virtues that enable individuals and communities to thrive