Introduction to Psychology Concepts

The scientific study of behavior and mental processes.

Everything we do that can be directly observed, such as kissing, crying, or sneezing.

Thoughts, feelings, and motives that we experience internally, but cannot be directly observed by others.

Psychology uses systematic methods to study behavior and mental processes.

The first goal is to observe and describe behavior objectively.

The goal is to explain why behavior occurred, considering various factors.

The goal is to predict future behavior based on past observations and explanations.

The goal is to influence or change behavior in a positive way.

A school of psychology that focused on understanding the purpose and function of mental processes, rather than their structure.

The idea that mental processes and behaviors help us adapt to our environment and survive.

Repeated actions that become automatic and help us function efficiently.

A leading figure in functional psychology who argued that consciousness allows us to adapt to our environment and survive.

A school of psychology that emphasizes the importance of the whole, rather than just the sum of its parts.

A key figure in Gestalt psychology who studied how people perceive patterns and how those patterns affect our thinking.

A key figure in Gestalt psychology who contributed to the understanding of how people perceive the world.

A key figure in Gestalt psychology who studied how people learn and solve problems through insight.

A psychological perspective that emphasizes the role of social and cultural forces in shaping behavior, thoughts, and emotions.

The belief that an individual's personality and behavior are shaped by unconscious motives and past experiences.

A method widely used in psychology that relies on controlled experiments to study behavior and mental processes. It focuses on objectivity, control, and replicability.

A branch of psychology focused on the role of culture in shaping human behavior, thoughts, and emotions.

A field within psychology that examines the influence of groups, social rules, and the impact of others (friends, spouses, etc.) on individual behavior.

A perspective emphasizing the influence of thoughts, interpretations, and mental processes on human behavior, emotions, and decision-making.

A psychological perspective that suggests insights into mental processes can be derived from analyzing individuals' behavior, provided the inferences are supported by objective and empirical data.

Theories that draw inspiration from Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory but differ in conceptual detail.

A research method where psychologists observe behavior in natural settings without interfering.

A research method involving a detailed, in-depth study of a single individual.

A research technique used to gather information about a single individual's mental processes, behaviors, and experiences, often over a long period.

A research approach that aims to understand how development and external factors influence individuals' mental health.

A research approach that aims to understand individuals with specific mental disorders, symptoms, or characteristics.

Psychologists create tests to measure various aspects of human psychology, such as intelligence, personality, and emotions.

Psychologists develop and evaluate treatments to improve individuals' mental health and well-being.

A type of observation in which psychologists observe specific behaviors, often counted, in a real-world setting.

Gestalt psychologists believed that the mind works by organizing sensory information into meaningful patterns or configurations. This principle emphasizes that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

The German word Gestalt refers to the overall form, configuration, or pattern of something. It emphasizes the perception of relationships and organization within a whole.

Behaviorism was founded by John B. Watson, who argued that psychology should only study observable and measurable behavior. He rejected the study of consciousness and introspection.

Behaviorists believe that psychology should focus on observable behavior, which can be objectively studied and measured. They reject the use of introspection and subjective experiences.

Behaviorists propose that learning occurs through association between stimuli and responses. This process involves pairing a neutral stimulus with a naturally eliciting stimulus to create a new learned response.

Behaviorists emphasize the importance of environmental factors (stimuli) in shaping behavior. They believe that behavior is learned through interactions with the environment.

A research method involving collecting data from a large sample of people through questionnaires or interviews. It's quick and efficient, but the accuracy of responses can be questionable.

A research method that investigates the relationship between two or more variables. Its purpose is to determine if a relationship exists and how strong it is.

A study that manipulates a specific factor (independent variable) to observe its effect on a behavior (dependent variable), while controlling other factors.

The factor that is manipulated in an experiment, and whose effect is being studied. We change this to see its impact. It's the cause.

The factor that is measured in an experiment. We observe how it changes due to variations in the independent variable. It's the effect.

A variable that can influence both the independent and dependent variables, making it appear as if there's a direct relationship between them, when in reality, the third variable is causing the effect.

A potential issue in research, where the researcher's personal beliefs or biases influence the design, conduct, or analysis of their experiment.