Chapter 1 Flashcards
(20 cards)
Define behavioral perspective
Behaviors and personality are primarily determined
by learning
Define behaviorism
views psychology as the scientific study
of behavior that could be seen and/or measured; established by Watson; challenged by Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow
Define biological perspective
uses knowledge about underlying physiology to
explain behavior and mental processes; ex. genetic basis of physical fitness, hormonal influences on children’s brain structure
Define biopsychosocial perspective
explains behavior through the interaction of
biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors; used in health research
Define cognitive perspective
an approach examining the mental processes that
direct behavior
Define critical thinking
process of weighing pieces of evidence, synthesizing them (bringing them
together), and evaluating the contributions of each; Being open-minded and skeptical at the same time
Define empirical method
a process that uses objective
observation to measure and collect data; paved by Aristotle (384–322 BCE)
Define evolutionary perspective
Behaviors and mental processes are shaped by
the forces of evolution; based on the work of Charles Darwin
Define functionalism
An early school of psychology that
focused on the function of
thoughts, feelings, and behaviors
and how they help us adapt to the
environment; William James (1842–1910)
Define humanistic psychology
an approach suggesting that human nature is by
and large positive, and the human direction is toward growth;
Define introspection
the examination of one’s own conscious activities; used by structuralism
Define natural selection
evolved traits and behaviors that humans have adapted for their environment
Define nature
it is in our genes
Define nurture
we are made to behave this way
Define positive psychology
An approach that focuses on human flourishing and the positive aspects of
human nature; paved by Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow
Define psychoanalytic perspective
Personality development is heavily influenced by
processes that are set into motion early in life
and result from interactions with caregivers; thought of by Freud
Define psychologists
Scientists who work in a variety of subfields, each of which centers on the
study of behavior and underlying mental processes
Define psychology
The scientific study of behavior and mental processes
Define sociocultural perspective
an approach examining how social
interactions and culture influence
behavior and mental processes; noted by Lev
Vygotsky and Mamie Phipps Clark
Define structuralism
An early school of psychology that
used introspection to determine
the structure and most basic
elements of the mind; Edward Titchener (1867–1927); participants provided
detailed reports of their subjective
experiences
