Psych terms
Empiricism: the view that knowledge originates in experience and that science should rely on observation and experimentation.
Structuralism: an early school of psychology that used introspection to explore the structural elements of the human mind. Introduced by Edward Titchener.
Introspection: looking inward
Subjective: existing in the mind: personal emotions, beliefs, feelings, etc.
Objective: intending to complete a goal, the same applies to everyone.
Functionalism: a school of psychology that focuses on how our mental and behavioral processes function and how they enable us to adapt, survive, and flourish. Introduced by William James.
Experimental psychology: the study of behavior and thinking using the experimental method.
Behaviorism: the view that psychology (1) should be an objective science that (2) studies behavior without reference to mental processes. Most research psychologists today agree with (1) but not with (2).
Humanistic psychology: historically significant perspective that emphasized the growth potential of healthy people and the individual’s potential for personal growth.
Cognitive neuroscience: the interdisciplinary study of the brain activity linked with cognition (including perception, thinking, memory, and language).
Psycholoy: the science of behavior and mental processes of people and organisms. Wilhelm Wundt established the first psychology lab in Leipzig, Germany.
Nature-Nurture issue: the longstanding controversy over the relative contributions that genes (nature) and experience (nurture) make to the development of psychological traits and behaviors.
Natural Selection: the principle that among the range of inherited trait variations, those contributing to reproduction and survival will most likely be passed on to succeeding generations. Charles Darwin proposed this theory.
Psychometrics: the scientific study of the measurement of human abilities, attitudes, and traits.
Applied research: scientific study that aims to solve practical problems.
Basic research: pure science that aims to increase the scientific knowledge base.
Developmental psychology: the scientific study of physical, cognitive, and social change throughout the life span.
Educational psychology: the study of how psychological processes affect and can enhance teaching and learning.
Personality psychology: the study of an individual’s characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting.
Social psychology: the scientific study of how we think about, influence, and relate to one another.
Industrial-Organizational psychology: the application of psychological concepts and methods to optimizing human behavior in workplaces.
Human factors psychology: the study of how people and machines interact and the design of safe and easily used machines and environments.
Counseling psychology: a branch of psychology that assists people with problems in living (often related to school, work, or marriage) and in achieving greater well-being.
Clinical psychology: a branch of psychology that studies, assesses, and treats people with psychological disorders.
Psychiatry: a branch of medicine dealing with psychological disorders; practiced by physicians who often provide medical (for example, drug) treatments as well as psychological therapy.
Levels of Analysis: the differing commentary, from biological to psychological to social-cultural, for analyzing any given phenomenon.
Biopsychosocial approach: an integrated approach that incorporates biological, psychological, and social-cultural levels of analysis.
Socrates and Plato: the mind is separable from the body and continues after the body dies. Knowledge is innate.
Aristotle: derived principles from careful observations. Knowledge is not preexisting. It grows from the experiences stored in our memories.
Rene Descartes: agreed with Socrates and Plato about the existence of innate ideas and mind’s being “entirely distinct from body” and able to survive its death. Surmised that people’s brains have “animal spirits” (we now call them nerves).
William Wundt: established the first psych lab in Germany.
Edward Titchener: Cornell professor who introduced the school of structuralism by using introspection to search for the mind’s structural elements.
William James: Harvard philosopher-psychologist who introduced the school of functionalism by considering the functions of our thoughts and feelings. Wrote the textbook Principles of Psychology and tutored Mary Calkins.
Mary Calkins: student of William James who became the first female president of the American Psychological Association. She also became a pioneering memory researcher.
Margaret Floy Washburn: became the first woman to receive a Ph. D. in Psychology. She also studied animal behavior.
Max Wertheimer: developed the Gestalt perspective.