Introduction to Psychology – Exam Review Notes

Definition: scientific study of behavior & mental processes
Historical roots: structuralism, functionalism, Gestalt, psychoanalysis, behaviorism
Contemporary approaches: biological, cognitive, behavioral, psychodynamic, humanistic, evolutionary, sociocultural
Specializations & careers: clinical, counseling, school, developmental, cognitive, social, industrial-organizational, health, forensic, sport, research/academia
Health & wellness link: $\text{biopsychosocial model}$ ; stress management, lifestyle, resilience

Core idea: each person is simultaneously like all, some, and no other people (Henry Murray)
Major perspectives
• Psychodynamic: unconscious motives, defense mechanisms
• Humanistic: self-actualization, unconditional positive regard
• Trait: stable dimensions (e.g., Big Five) predict behavior
• Social-cognitive: reciprocal interaction of person, behavior, environment; self-efficacy
• Personology/Life-story: narrative identity, unique life themes

Learning types
• Associative: classical & operant conditioning
• Observational: modeling/imitative learning
Factors influencing learning: cognitive, biological, cultural, psychological
Memory processes: encoding → storage → retrieval; forgetting = failure in any stage
Thinking: concepts, problem solving, reasoning/decision making, creative & critical thinking, coping strategies
Motivation theories: evolutionary, drive-reduction, optimum arousal, Maslow’s hierarchy, self-determination (autonomy, competence, relatedness), self-regulation (goal setting/monitoring)
Consciousness: levels of awareness—controlled, automatic, subconscious, unconscious

Social cognition: person perception, attribution, the self, attitudes
Social behavior: altruism, aggression determinants
Social influence: conformity, obedience, group processes (decision making, deindividuation)
Intergroup relations: social identity, prejudice & discrimination, reducing bias

Organizational side: job satisfaction, commitment, meaning of work, leadership styles, workplace stress, organizational culture (types, toxic factors)
Industrial side: job analysis & evaluation, personnel selection, training & development, performance appraisal

Clinical disorders: anxiety, trauma-related, OCD, mood disorders & suicide risk, somatic & dissociative disorders, eating & sleep-wake disorders, sexual & gender-related disorders, substance-related & impulse-control disorders
Personality disorders: dramatic/emotional, odd/eccentric, fearful/anxious clusters
Psychotic disorders: schizophrenia spectrum (delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thought/behavior)