OpenStax College Psychology — Chapter 1: Introduction to Psychology

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms, people, theories, and concepts from the lecture notes on psychology.

Psychology

Scientific study of the mind and behavior.

Psych

Prefix from Greek psyche meaning ‘soul’; used to denote psychology concepts.

Ology

Suffix meaning ‘the science or study of’.

Structuralism

Early school focusing on conscious experience through introspection.

Functionalism

Focus on mental activities’ role in helping organisms adapt to their environment.

Psychoanalytic Theory

Freud’s theory about the unconscious mind’s influence on behavior and early experiences; dream analysis as a tool.

Gestalt Psychology

Perception emphasizes wholes; the whole is more than the sum of parts.

Behaviorism

Study of observable behavior; internal mental states are not the focus.

Humanism

Emphasizes innate potential for good; Maslow and Rogers influenced therapy and growth.

Wilhelm Wundt

Founder of experimental psychology; established the first psychology laboratory and promoted structuralism.

Introspection

Self-examination of conscious thoughts and feelings to break them into components.

William James

First American psychologist; championed functionalism and the practical study of mental processes.

Sigmund Freud

Founder of Psychoanalytic Theory; emphasized unconscious mind and early development.

Dream analysis

Psychoanalytic technique to explore unconscious thoughts through dreams.

Ivan Pavlov

Discovered classical conditioning; learning by associating stimuli.

Classical Conditioning

Learning through association between a neutral stimulus and a reflexive response.

John B. Watson

Father of behaviorism; emphasized study of observable behavior.

B.F. Skinner

Operator of operant conditioning; behavior shaped by reinforcement and punishment.

Operant Conditioning

Learning via consequences that follow a behavior.

Abraham Maslow

Humanist who proposed a hierarchy of needs guiding behavior.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Basic survival needs must be met before higher-level needs motivate behavior.

Carl Rogers

Humanistic psychologist; developed client-centered therapy emphasizing empathy and acceptance.

Client-centered therapy

Therapy in which the client leads the session with supportive, nonjudgmental guidance.

Unconditional Positive Regard

Therapist's accepting, nonjudgmental attitude toward the client.

Genuineness

Therapist’s authentic and sincere interactions.

Empathy

Understanding and sharing the feelings of another.

Noam Chomsky

Linguist who helped ignite the cognitive revolution by emphasizing mental processes.

Cognitive Revolution

Shift in psychology toward studying mental processes like thinking and memory.

Cognitive Psychology

Study of mental processes—attention, memory, problem solving, language.

Biopsychology

Study of how the nervous system’s structure and function generate behavior.

Evolutionary Psychology

Explores how evolution has shaped mind and behavior.

Sensation

Detection of sensory information by the sense organs.

Perception

Interpretation of sensory information; influenced by attention, experience, and culture.

Sensation and Perception

Sensation is detection; perception is interpretation of that information.

Developmental Psychology

Study of physical and mental maturation across the lifespan; Piaget contributed to cognitive development.

Jean Piaget

Researcher known for stages of cognitive development from infancy to adulthood.

Personality Psychology

Study of stable patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors; includes the Five Factor Model.

Five Factor Model (Big Five)

Openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism.

Social Psychology

Study of how people influence and relate to others; includes prejudice, attraction, obedience.

Stanley Milgram

Research on obedience to authority and the limits of following orders.

Health Psychology

Examines biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors in health and illness (biopsychosocial model).

Biopsychosocial model

Health is determined by the interplay of biological, psychological, and social factors.

Clinical Psychology

Diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders; CBT is one approach.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Therapy combining cognitive and behavioral strategies to change thoughts and actions.

Industrial-Organizational Psychology

Applying psychology to workplace settings to improve performance and well-being.

Sports and Exercise Psychology

Focus on motivation, anxiety, and mental well-being in athletic performance.

Forensic Psychology

Application of psychology to legal issues, including competency, testimony, and risk assessment.

Careers in Psychology

Most roles require a PhD or master's degree; options include teaching, research, clinical work, counseling, and more.

PhD (Doctor of Philosophy)

Doctoral degree focused on original research and scholarly contribution.

Master’s Degree

Graduate degree that can lead to practice or research roles in psychology.