Questions and Answers
What is psychology?
The scientific study of behavior and mental processes.
What is behavior?
Outward or overt actions that can be directly observed.
What are mental processes?
Internal activity of our mind.
What does description in psychology involve?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the purpose of explanation in psychology?
Signup and view all the answers
What does prediction refer to in psychology?
Signup and view all the answers
What is control in the context of psychology?
Signup and view all the answers
What are psychology's four primary goals?
Signup and view all the answers
Why is bias a negative factor in psychological observations?
Signup and view all the answers
What three fields formed the basis of psychology?
Signup and view all the answers
What did philosophers study related to psychology?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the role of physiologists in psychology?
Signup and view all the answers
What does psychophysics study?
Signup and view all the answers
What is objective introspection?
Signup and view all the answers
What does structuralism study?
Signup and view all the answers
What is functionalism?
Signup and view all the answers
What is perceiving?
Signup and view all the answers
What is sensing?
Signup and view all the answers
What is Gestalt psychology?
Signup and view all the answers
What is psychoanalysis?
Signup and view all the answers
What is behaviorism?
Signup and view all the answers
What is conditioning?
Signup and view all the answers
What is a phobia?
Signup and view all the answers
Who is the important person behind Gestalt psychology?
Signup and view all the answers
What are the three Gestalt principles?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the basic idea of psychoanalysis according to Sigmund Freud?
Signup and view all the answers
What role does early childhood experience play, according to Freud?
Signup and view all the answers
Who are the important people behind behaviorism?
Signup and view all the answers
Who is known as the father of African-American psychology?
Signup and view all the answers
What does psychodynamic psychology examine?
Signup and view all the answers
What does the behavioral perspective focus on?
Signup and view all the answers
Study Notes
Psychology Basics
- Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes.
- Behavior encompasses observable actions such as talking and facial expressions.
- Mental processes refer to internal activities like thinking, feeling, and remembering.
Research Goals
- Primary goals include description, explanation, prediction, and control of behavior.
- Description involves careful observation and detailed depiction of behavior.
- Explanation seeks to understand the underlying reasons for behavior.
- Prediction allows forecasting future behaviors based on past data.
- Control aims to modify behaviors through knowledge and strategies.
Importance of Objectivity
- Bias in psychological observations is detrimental; observations must be clear and unaffected by personal beliefs.
Foundations of Psychology
- Psychology emerged from three main fields: philosophy, medicine, and physiology.
- Philosophers studied the human mind through rational insight instead of scientific methods.
- Physiologists connected mental processes to physical actions, contributing to understanding behavior.
Key Concepts and Theories
- Psychophysics explores the relationship between physical stimuli and psychological impressions.
- Objective introspection involves methodical reporting of thoughts in response to stimuli.
- Structuralism focuses on understanding the basic elements of the mind.
- Functionalism studies how the mind operates as a dynamic entity.
Perception and Sensation
- Perceiving refers to awareness through senses, while sensing includes the physical act of seeing, hearing, and feeling.
Gestalt Psychology
- Gestalt Psychology emphasizes perception and sensation, highlighting that "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts."
- Key principles include the Law of Closure, Law of Similarity, and Law of Continuity.
Psychoanalysis and Behaviorism
- Psychoanalysis, based on Sigmund Freud's work, posits that early childhood experiences significantly shape adult personality, with a focus on the unconscious mind.
- Behaviorism, primarily influenced by John Watson and Ivan Pavlov, studies observable behavior and learned responses (conditioning).
Phobias and Key Figures
- A phobia is an irrational and persistent fear, demonstrated in the Little Albert experiment.
- Max Wertheimer is recognized as a pivotal figure in Gestalt psychology.
Freudian Theory
- Freud believed that major personality development occurs in the first six years of life, with significant problems stemming from early experiences.
Contributions to Psychology
- Francis Cecil Sumner is regarded as the father of African-American psychology, noted for being the first African-American to earn a PhD in psychology in 1920.
- The psychodynamic approach looks at the development of self and personality, focusing on the influence of the unconscious mind.
Behavioral Perspective
- The behavioral perspective exclusively measures observable behaviors, with key figures like B.F. Skinner shaping its framework.
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
Description
Test your knowledge with these flashcards covering key terms in psychology. Each card presents a definition for important concepts such as behavior and mental processes. Perfect for students looking to reinforce their understanding of the fundamentals of psychology.