Video Notes: Key Psychology Concepts (Critical Thinking & Schools of Thought)

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is a mode of thinking that does not blindly accept arguments and conclusions. It involves examining assumptions, appraising the source, discerning hidden biases, evaluating evidence, and assessing conclusions. This approach is essential for engaging with psychological claims and scientific statements, helping to separate solid reasoning from faulty or partial arguments. In practice, critical thinking encourages skepticism, demands justification for claims, and supports careful judgment about what counts as credible evidence.

Empiricism

Empiricism is the idea that knowledge comes from experience, and that observation and experimentation enable scientific knowledge. This view underpins the scientific method, which relies on sensory data and repeatable observations to build reliable understanding. By privileging what can be observed and tested, empiricism provides a foundation for collecting data, forming hypotheses, and drawing conclusions that others can verify through replication and systematic inquiry.

Structuralism

Structuralism is an early school of thought promoted by Wilhelm Wundt and Edward B. Titchener; it used introspection to reveal the structure of the human mind. The approach sought to break down mental processes into their most basic components and understand how these elements combine to form conscious experience. Structuralism relied on trained participants who reported their immediate sensations and thoughts in response to stimuli, aiming to map the architecture of consciousness.

Introspection

Introspection is the process of looking inward in an attempt to directly observe one's own psychological processes. It involves individuals examining their own thoughts, feelings, and sensations as they occur, typically under controlled conditions. While introspection provided a method for studying conscious experience within structuralism, it is limited by subjectivity and variability across individuals, which later contributed to methodological criticisms.

Functionalism

Functionalism, an early school of thought promoted by William James and influenced by Darwin, explored how mental and behavioral processes function—how they enable the organism to adapt, survive, and flourish. Rather than focusing on the structure of the mind, functionalism emphasizes the purpose and utility of mental states and behaviors, linking psychological processes to their practical roles in helping organisms interact with a changing environment. This perspective laid groundwork for applied psychology and the study of learning and adaptation.

Behaviorism

Behaviorism is the view that psychology should be an objective science that studies behavior without reference to mental processes. It asserts two main claims: (1) psychology should be an objective science, and (2) it should focus on observable behavior rather than internal mental states. Most psychologists today accept the first claim but not the second, recognizing that mental processes, though often difficult to measure directly, play a crucial role in behavior and learning. Behaviorism favored rigorous experimental methods and measurable outcomes, shaping early research in conditioning and behavior analysis, while later developments in cognitive science expanded understanding beyond purely observable phenomena.

Humanistic Psychology

Humanistic psychology is a historically significant perspective that emphasized human growth potential. It centers on aspects such as self-actualization, personal growth, and the intrinsic drive toward well-being and fulfillment. This approach offers a more positive view of human nature compared to some earlier schools, highlighting individual experience, choice, and the therapeutic relationship in fostering growth. The ending garbled text on the page, “eolicia bidW,” appears to be a transcription artifact rather than substantive content.