Questions and Answers
What does the term empiricism refer to?
What is structuralism?
The view that using self-reflective introspection, one can understand the elements of their experience.
What characterizes a functionalist?
A person who encourages exploring emotions, memories, willpower, and habits.
Who are experimental psychologists?
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What do behaviorists study?
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What is the focus of humanistic psychology?
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What is cognitive neuroscience?
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Define psychology.
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What does the nature-nurture issue address?
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What does natural selection refer to?
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What are levels of analysis?
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What is the bio-psychosocial approach?
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What does biological psychology study?
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What is the focus of evolutionary psychology?
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What is psycho-dynamic psychology?
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Study Notes
Key Psychological Terms and Concepts
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Empiricism
- Knowledge is derived from experience, emphasizing observation and experimentation.
- Contrasts with intuition-based understanding.
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Structuralism
- Involves self-reflective introspection to analyze experiences.
- Results are subjective and can vary greatly between individuals.
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Functionalism
- Focuses on emotions, memories, willpower, and consciousness streams.
- Examines mental and behavioral functions in adapting and thriving; likened to understanding a car by examining its parts.
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Experimental Psychologists
- Conduct experiments to explore behavior and thinking.
- Aim to understand fundamental psychological processes across various subjects.
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Behaviorists
- Study subjects' behaviors in response to environmental stimuli.
- Analyze how specific environments elicit certain reactions from individuals.
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Humanistic Psychology
- Highlights the role of environmental influences on growth potential.
- Focus on fulfilling needs for love and acceptance.
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Cognitive Neuroscience
- Investigates brain activity associated with mental processes.
- Researches the transfer and use of stored brain data in cognition.
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Psychology
- Defined as the science of behavior and mental processes.
- Behavior: observable actions (e.g., yelling, smiling).
- Mental processes: inferred internal experiences (e.g., perceptions, thoughts).
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Nature-Nurture Issue
- Debate around the impact of biology versus experience in human traits.
- Poses questions about hereditary vs. environmentally influenced characteristics.
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Natural Selection
- Concept of "survival of the fittest," whereby traits beneficial for survival are naturally selected.
- Successful adaptations proliferate within a species’ genome.
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Levels of Analysis
- Different complementary views for understanding phenomena.
- An analysis can be conducted from multiple perspectives, such as biological or sociological.
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Bio-Psychosocial Approach
- Considers biological, psychological, and social-cultural influences on behavior.
- Useful for understanding complex issues, such as depression.
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Biological Psychology
- Examines the link between biology (e.g., brain health) and behavior.
- Investigates how bodily processes and brain circuits affect emotional and sensory experiences.
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Evolutionary Psychology
- Studies behavior and mental processes through the lens of natural selection.
- Example: Aggressiveness may have been advantageous for ancestral survival.
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Psycho-Dynamic Psychology
- Focuses on unconscious motivations driving behavior and psychological disorders.
- Utilizes insights into unconscious drives for therapeutic purposes.
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Description
Explore essential terms and definitions in AP Psychology with this set of flashcards. Learn key concepts like empiricism and structuralism to enhance your understanding of psychological principles. Perfect for exam preparation and mastery of foundational ideas in psychology.
