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Questions and Answers
Which of the following contributions is attributed to Carl Rogers?
What aspect of psychology does evolutionary psychology focus on?
Which key figure is recognized as the father of neuropsychology?
Which concept is NOT associated with the contributions of David Buss?
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Which of the following is a key focus of positive psychology?
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Which of the following statements describes a contribution made by Wilder Penfield?
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What principle is tied to Donald Hebb's theory on neural connections?
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In which branch of psychology would you study mental processes alongside biological brain functions?
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What is a primary focus of psychoanalytic theory?
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Which key figure is associated with the foundational concepts of behaviorism?
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What was Edward Bradford Titchener's primary contribution to psychology?
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What does functionalism primarily seek to understand?
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How did B.F. Skinner's view differ from traditional psychoanalytic thought?
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What major aspect did William James criticize about structuralism?
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Which method did structuralists primarily use to study psychological experiences?
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What unifying concept did both Watson and Skinner reject in favor of behaviorism?
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Study Notes
Psychoanalytic Theory
- Attempts to explain personality, motivation, and mental disorders by focusing on unconscious determinants of behavior
- Key figure: Sigmund Freud
- Introduced the idea of the unconscious mind as a key factor in human behavior
- Proposed stages of psychosexual development
Behaviourism and Watson
- Suggests that psychology should only study observable behavior
- Key figure: John B. Watson
- Believed that behavior is shaped by environmental stimuli and responses and wanted psychology to move toward objectivity
- Made behaviorism a major school of thought in psychology
- Argued that only observable behaviour should be studied, rejecting introspection and focusing on environmental influence.
Structuralism
- Aimed to identify the basic elements (structures) of psychological experience
- Key figure: Edward Bradford Titchener (Wilhelm Wundt influences his perspective)
- Believed that the basic elements of consciousness were sensations, images, and feelings
- Wanted to create a “map” of the elements of consciousness, used a method called introspection, emphasized the importance of systematic observation
Functionalism
- Aimed to understand the adaptive purposes of psychological characteristics
- Key figure: William James (Influenced substantially by Darwin’s theory of natural selection)
- Rejected the structuralist approach and methods
- Believed that the structuralist approach was missing the nature of conscious experience
- Wanted to understand the flow itself
Behaviourism & Skinner
- Reversed the impact of psychoanalytic thought and both viewed the mind as a black box
- Key figure: B.F. Skinner
- Responses that lead to positive outcomes tend to be repeated and those that lead to negative outcomes tend not to be repeated
- Skinner wrote his famous book where he argues free will is an illusion
Humanism
- The opposition (behaviourism and psychoanalytic thought) grew into this new school of thought
- Humanism is a theoretical orientation that emphasizes the unique qualities of humans, especially their freedom and personal growth
- Key figures: Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow
- their treatments for psychological problems
- Carl Rogers developed influential person-centred therapy
Cognitive Revolution & Neuroscience
- The study of mental processes (cognition) with the biological functions of the brain (neuroscience)
- Emphasizes how brain structures and neural processes underlie mental activities like memory, perception, and learning
- Key figure: James Olds, Wilder Penfield, Donald Hebb
- James Olds demonstrated that certain regions of the brain were associated with reward
- Wilder Penfield began to map the brain and identified that certain brain regions are associated with specific functions
- Donald Hebb is considered the father of neuropsychology, and he developed new tests for brain surgery patients to test their functioning following an operation
- His famous book outlines cell assembly theory, providing a physiological mechanism for learning and memory.
- CELLS THAT FIRE TOGETHER WIRE TOGETHER
Evolutionary Psychology
- Examines behavioural processes in terms of their adaptive value for members of a species over the course of many generations.
- This perspective applies Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection to human and animal behaviour.
- Key figures: Charles Darwin, David Buss
- David Buss applied Darwin’s theory specifically to human psychology.
Positive Psychology
- Psychology was often too focused on the negative (dysfunctions, weakness)
- Developed to understand the positive, adaptive, creative aspects of human existence
- Key figure: Martin Seligman
- The three good things task, promoted research on what makes life worth living
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Description
This quiz covers foundational psychological theories, including Psychoanalytic Theory, Behaviorism, and Structuralism. Key figures such as Sigmund Freud, John B. Watson, and Edward Bradford Titchener are discussed, focusing on their contributions to the field. Test your knowledge of these influential concepts in psychology.
