Unit 1: Chapter 1: The Evolution of Psychology

Question 1

What is psychology?

Answer 1

A way of thinking. It addresses basic issues such as how we see, how the brain forms and stores memories, and what is the nature of consciousness.

Question 2

The term psychology means?

Answer 2

It comes from two Greek words, psyche-meaning soul, and logos-referring to the study of a subject; its literal meaning: “the study of the mind.”

Question 3

Wilhelm Wundt

Answer 3

German professor, who mounted a campaign to make psychology an independent discipline. He impacted the development of psychology.

Question 4

Structuralism

Answer 4

Notion that the task of psychology is to analyze consciousness into its basic elements and investigate how these elements are related.

Question 5

Structuralists

Answer 5

They wanted to identify the fundamental components of conscious experience, such as sensations, feelings, and images.

Question 6

Introspection

Answer 6

A method, or careful, systemic self-observation of one’s own conscious experience; practiced by structuralists.

Question 7

Functionalism

Answer 7

Based on the belief that psychology should investigate the function or purpose of consciousness, rather than its structure.

Question 8

Functionalists

Answer 8

Investigate mental testing, patterns of development in children, the effectiveness of educational practices, and behavioral differences between the sexes.

Question 9

William James

Answer 9

Functionalist supporter that believed consciousness is a flow of thoughts, stream of consciousness.

Question 10

Consciousness

Answer 10

Consists of a continuous flow of thoughts.

Question 11

Behaviorism

Answer 11

The premise that scientific psychology should study only observable behavior.

Question 12

John B. Watson

Answer 12

Proposed to abandon the study of consciousness and focus exclusively on behaviors that they could observe directly.

Question 13

B.F. Skinner

Answer 13

Asserted that free will is an illusion; fundamental principle of behavior is organisms tend to repeat responses that lead to positive outcomes, and they tend to not repeat responses that lead to negative outcomes. Expressed that we are all controlled by our environment, not by ourselves.

Question 14

Behavior

Answer 14

Any observable response/ activity by an organism.

Question 15

Psychoanalytic Theory

Answer 15

Behavior explained by unconscious influence.

Question 16

Sigmund Freud

Answer 16

Austrian physician who invented the procedure called psychoanalysis. He discovered the existence of what he called the unconscious.

Question 17

Unconscious

Answer 17

Thoughts, memories, and desires that are well below the surface of conscious awareness, and still influence behavior.

Question 18

Stimulus

Answer 18

Any detectable input from the environment.

Question 19

Humanism

Answer 19

Theoretical orientation that emphasizes the unique qualities of humans, especially their freedom and their potential for personal growth.

Question 20

Carl Rogers

Answer 20

A humanist. He argued that human behavior is governed primarily by each individual’s sense of self.

Question 21

Humanist

Answer 21

Optimistic view of human nature.

Question 22

Applied Psychology

Answer 22

Psychology concerned with everyday, practical problems. Includes four areas of specialization: clinical psychology, counseling psychology, educational and school psychology, industrial and organizational psychology.

Question 23

Clinical Psychology

Answer 23

Evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of individuals with psychological disorders.

Question 24

Counseling Psychology

Answer 24

Provide assistance to people struggling with everyday problems of moderate severity.

Question 25

Educational and School Psychology

Answer 25

Work to improve curriculum design, achievement testing, teach trainings, and other aspects of the educational process.

Question 26

Industrial and Organizational Psychology

Answer 26

Tasks in the world of business and industry.

Question 27

Cognitive Perspective

Answer 27

Manipulations of mental images surely influence how they behave.

Question 28

Cognition

Answer 28

Mental processes involved in acquiring knowledge; involved thinking or conscious experience.

Question 29

Donald Hebb

Answer 29

Highlighted the importance of physiological and neuropsychological perspectives. He introduced the cell assembly.

Question 30

Evolutionary Psychology

Answer 30

Examines behavioral processes in terms of their adaptive value for members of a species over the course of many generations.

Question 31

Natural Selection

Answer 31

Favors behavior that enhance organisms’ reproductive success-passing on genes to the next generation.

Question 32

Positive Psychology

Answer 32

Uses theory and research to better understand the positive, adaptive, creative, and fulfilling aspects of human existence.

Question 33

Martin Seligman

Answer 33

Launched new initiative within psychology known as the positive psychology movement.

Question 34

Developmental Psychology

Answer 34

Human development across the lifespan.

Question 35

Social Psychology

Answer 35

Focus on interpersonal behavior and the role of social forces in governing behavior.

Question 36

Experimental Psychology

Answer 36

Focus on sensation, perception, learning, conditioning, motivation, and emotion-traditional topics of early psychology.

Question 37

Behavioral Neuroscience

Answer 37

Influence of genetic factors on behavior and the role of the nervous system, endocrine system, bodily chemicals, and the brain.

Question 38

Cognitive Psychology

Answer 38

Focuses on “higher” mental processes, such as memory, reasoning, information processing, language, problem solving, decision making, and creativity.

Question 39

Personality Psychology

Answer 39

Understanding/ describing someone’s consistency in behavior; assessment of personalisty.

Question 40

Psychometrics

Answer 40

Measurement of behavior and capacities, psychological tests, tests designed to assess intelligence.

Question 41

Educational Psychology

Answer 41

Studies how people learn and the best way to teach them.

Question 42

Health Psychology

Answer 42

Focuses on how psychological factors relate to the promotion and maintenance of physical health and the causation, prevention, and treatment of illness.

Question 43

Psychiatry

Answer 43

Branch of medicine concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of psychological problems and disorders.

Question 44

Psychology is Empirical

Answer 44

Empiricism: knowledge should be acquired through observation.

Question 45

Psychology is Theoretically Diverse

Answer 45

Theory: a system of interrelated ideas used to explain a set of observations.

Question 46

Behavior is Shaped by Cultural Heritage

Answer 46

Culture: widely shared customs of a community over generations.

Question 47

Critical Thinking

Answer 47

Use of cognitive skills and strategies to increase the probability of a positive outcome.