Introduction to Psychology

Based on Crash Course Psychology #1

What is the definition of psychology?

The scientific study of behavior and mental processes

What two major things does psychology study?

Behavior and mental processes

Which disciplines does psychology blend?

Biology, philosophy, sociology, and anthropology

What did Plato and Socrates believe about knowledge?

Knowledge is innate and the mind is separate from the body

What did Aristotle believe about knowledge?

Knowledge comes from experience and the mind and body are connected

What is the nature vs. nurture debate?

Whether behavior is shaped more by biology and genetics or by environment and experience

What is the modern view on nature vs. nurture?

They interact; both influence behavior

What is the stability vs. change debate?

Whether personality traits remain constant or change over time

Who is considered the father of psychology?

Wilhelm Wundt

What did Wundt establish in 1879?

The first psychology laboratory in Leipzig, Germany

What method did Wundt use to study the mind?

Introspection

What is introspection?

The method of examining one’s own conscious experience

What is structuralism?

A school of thought that aimed to break consciousness into basic components

Who founded structuralism?

Wundt and Edward Titchener

What was the main method used in structuralism?

Introspection.

What was a major problem with structuralism?

It was subjective and produced inconsistent results

What is functionalism?

A school of thought focused on the purpose of mental processes and how they help us adapt

Who is the key figure in functionalism?

William James

Which scientist influenced functionalism?

Charles Darwin

Who founded psychoanalysis?

Sigmund Freud

What does psychoanalysis emphasize?

The unconscious mind, childhood experiences, and “aggressive” drives

What methods did Freud use?

Dream analysis and free association

What is behaviorism?

A school of psychology that focuses only on observable behavior

Who are the major behaviorists?

John Watson and B.F. Skinner

What did behaviorists believe about learning?

Behavior is learned through conditioning

What does humanistic psychology emphasize?

Free will, personal growth, and self-actualization

Who are they key humanistic psychologists?

Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow

What does biological psychology study?

The brain, neurotransmitters, and genetics

What does cognitive psychology study?

Thinking, memory, language, and problem-solving

What does developmental psychology study?

How people change across their lifespan

What does social psychology study?

How people behave in groups and how social factors influence behavior

What does clinical psychology focus on?

Diagnosing and treating mental disorders

What does industrial-organizational psychology study?

Workplace behavior and productivity