The History of Psychology

Question 1

nature vs. nurture

Answer 1

Plato: we inherit character and intelligence, but certain ideas are inborn
Aristotle: there is nothing in the mind that does not first come from the external world via the senses

Question 2

nativism and biological determinism

Answer 2

Charles Darwin and natural selection
some forms of knowledge are innate –> nativism
biological determinism –> all behavior is innate
largely lack support

Question 3

nativism

Answer 3

some forms of knowledge are innate

Question 4

biological determinism

Answer 4

all behavior is innate

natural extension of nativism

Question 5

Gestalt’s law of closure

Answer 5

the WWF panda

Question 6

empiricism

Answer 6

knowledge we have from direct experience

Question 7

Wilhelm Wundt

Answer 7

1832-1920
Germany
first experiment that measured reaction time
studies the immediate conscious experience - “atoms of the mind”
first person to self identify as a psychologist
advocated for using scientific techniques to study the mind
used introspection and self-reports

Question 8

early schools of psychology

Answer 8

structuralism - Edward Titchener
functionalism - William James
behaviorism - Watson/Skinner
psychoanalysis - Freud
humanism - Rogers/Maslow

Question 9

structuralism

Answer 9

Edward Titchener (student of Wundt)
popularized experimental psychology in North America
focus: break down conscious experience into its basic elements and understand those elements combine to create experience
method: introspection and self-report

Question 10

functionalism

Answer 10

William James
influenced by evolutionary theory
structuralism focuses on the organization of the visual system, but functionalism focuses on the purpose of the visual system
seeing is what the eyes do, but what is their function?
focus: identify the function or purpose of a process
method: introspection was used

Question 11

behaviorism

Answer 11

John B Watson and BF Skinner
focus: science is rooted in observation
the mind is “unknowable” but behavior can be observed
method: focus only on observable behavior –> observe learning and reaction in various situations

Question 12

psychoanalysis

Answer 12

Sigmund Freud
focus: emphasized the influence of the unconscious mind and childhood experiences
the first major movement in clinical psychology in modern history
method: used psychoanalysis to help patients solve psychological problems through insight
free association, dream analysis, etc.

Question 13

flaws of psychoanalysis

Answer 13

heavy emphasis on sexual frustrations and aggressions, belief that people could not work through their own issues without extensive psychotherapy

Question 14

humanism

Answer 14

Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow
focus: behaviorism and psychoanalysis are limited
focused on positive aspects of the human condition and capacity for change
method: Rogers used client-centered therapy
Maslow focused on the human drive to satisfy survival and psychological needs
strove for self-actualization

Question 15

the cognitive revolution

Answer 15

focus: renewed interest in how our mind processes and retains information
reprioritized mental events as explanation for complex cognition
methods: measurements and methodological advancements

Question 16

cognitive psychology today

Answer 16

information perception, processing, and memory
interaction between thinking and emotion in anxiety, depression, and other disorders
heavily influenced by the computer and other technology
advancements in imaging allowed us to “peek under the hood”

Question 17

today we define psychology as

Answer 17

the scientific study of both behavior and mind

Question 18

areas of psychology

Answer 18

basic research - seeks to understand the “how” and why” of behavior and the mind
applied research - seeks to understand how to change behavior to solve a practical problem
applied practice - seeks to apply techniques gathered from research to solve a practical problem

Question 19

basic research

Answer 19

abnormal psychology
behavioral genetics
behavioral neuroscience
cognitive psychology
comparative psychology
developmental
personality psychology
social psychology

Question 20

abnormal psychology

Answer 20

how and why unusual or maladaptive behavior patterns develop

examine thoughts and emotions as well as the underlying biology of mental illness

Question 21

behavioral genetics

Answer 21

how and why genetic structure and expression influence behavior
eg examine genetic markers for Huntington’s disease

Question 22

behavioral neuroscience

Answer 22

how and why specific brain regions produce behavior

Question 23

cognitive psychology

Answer 23

how we percieve, think, and solve problems

attention, memory, perception, language, thought

Question 24

comparative psychology

Answer 24

connections between human and non-human animal behavior

often but not always interested in discovering underlying universal commonalities

Question 25

developmental

Answer 25

how we change and develop across the lifespan
both physiological and behavioral development
“from womb to tomb”

Question 26

personality psychology

Answer 26

study of individual differences

investigates how and why people behave differently based upon their characteristics or traits

Question 27

social psychology

Answer 27

how and why the environment influences behavior
focus on an individual’s thoughts and actions and how they are influenced by the social environment and the presence of others

Question 28

applied research

Answer 28

consumer behavior
human factors - how to improve product function/comfort via design
industrial/organizational psychology
forensics and legal psychology
health psychology
educational psychology
school psychology
political psychology

Question 29

applied practice

Answer 29

clinical psychology - most dominant type of work
psychiatry
counseling psychology - help people manage ongoing life crises or situations