Introduction to Psychology — Key Concepts (Video Notes)

Set of fill-in-the-blank flashcards covering core psychology concepts from the video lecture, including definitions, key figures, and foundational ideas.

Psychology is defined as the scientific study of __ and mental processes.

behavior

Science is the use of systematic methods to observe the natural world and to __ conclusions.

draw

Behavior refers to __ that we can directly observe.

everything we do

Mental processes refer to the thoughts, feelings, and motives that we experience privately but that cannot be __.

observed directly

The three main goals of psychology are to describe, __, and explain behavior.

predict

The four attitudes at the core of the scientific approach are critical thinking, skepticism, objectivity, and __.

curiosity

Pseudoscience is information filled with scientific terminology but not actually supported by sound scientific __.

research

The empirical method is a means of gaining knowledge through the observation of events, the collection of data, and __ reasoning.

logical

Critical thinking is the process of reflecting deeply and actively asking questions and __ the evidence.

evaluating

Objectivity means looking at what is actually true using the __ method.

empirical

Curiosity involves noticing things in the world and wanting to know __ and why they are that way.

what they are

The earliest roots of psychology can be traced back to ancient philosophers such as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle who debated the nature of __ and behavior.

thought

Wilhelm Wundt established the first psychology lab in 1879 in __, Germany.

Leipzig

Wundt's approach was called __, which sought to identify the basic elements or structures of mental processes.

structuralism

Introspection is the process of looking inside our own mind by focusing on our own __.

thoughts

William James proposed __, emphasizing the functions and purposes of the mind and behavior in adaptation to the environment.

functionalism

Stream of consciousness, according to James, says the mind is characterized by constant __ in response to a continuous flow of information.

change

Charles Darwin proposed natural __, the evolutionary process by which organisms better adapted to their environment survive and reproduce.

selection

The case of Phineas Gage demonstrated that damage to the __ lobe can alter personality and behavior.

frontal

Mary Whiton Calkins was the first woman president of the American Psychological Association in __.

1905

Charles Henry Turner is considered the first Black American to conduct __ research.

psychological

Inez Beverly Prosser earned the first PhD in psychology by a Black American woman in __.

1933

The biological/physiological approach focuses on the brain and central nervous system; researchers may study pupil dilation or use animal studies because some experiments can't be done on __.

humans

Behavioral approach studies observable __ and their environmental determinants.

behavior