Chapter 1: Intro to Psych Flashcards
Mental Processes
brain activity as we engage in thinking, observing environment, and using language
psychology
science of mental processes and behaviors
behavior
observable activites of an organism
4 goals of psychologist when they study mental processes and behavior
- Description (describe observation of behavior/mental processes)
- Explanation (Why?)
- Prediction (predict when it will occur)
- Control (limit or increase certain behaviors/mental processes)
Levels of Analysis in Psychology
Brain, person, group
anthropomorphism
human tendency to project mental and emotional characteristics onto nonhuman objects
Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920)
Believed experimental methods were the best way to study the mind and behavior.
Exposed research participants to simple, repeatable situations and then asked them to make observations.
Most famous experiment involved clock and pendulum. Believed he found evidence that humans need 1/10 of a second to shift focus from one object to another.
Studied processes of consciousness-our awareness of our behaviors and mental processes
Voluntarism- behavior is motivated and we focus our attention on something for a purpose
Edward Titchener (1867-1927)
Founded structuralism
Goal was to uncover the structure of the conscious mind
Introspection
endorsed by Wundt
“looking inwards” to carefully evaluate mental processes and how they expand simple thoughts into complex ideas
Structuralism and its criticism
Belief that mind is a collection of sensory experiences and that study should be focused on structure of mental processes rather than trying to explain it
Criticism- Only tried to describe processes but not explain or control mechanism
- contradictory findings
- failure to study animals and examine abnormal behavior
William James (1842-1910)
Shifted attention away from structure of mental content to the purpose and function of mental processes
Also interested on how the mind adapts and functions in a changing environment.
Functionalism vs. Structuralism
Functionalism- mental states are identified by what they do than what they are made of
Functionalism relied on more than one research method. Highlighted differences rather than similarities. Emphasized that research should include animals and abnormal behavior.
Gestalt Psychology
Based on the idea that we have inborn tendencies perceive things as broad units rather than individual sensations.
“whole is greater than the sum of its parts”
Gestalt Laws
Figure Ground- tendency to perceive objects as either in foreground or background
Proximity- tendency to group things that are close to each other
Continuity- tendency to see objects as continuous and not disjointed
Closure- tendency to see finished unit from incomplete stimulus
Similarity- tendency to group similar objects together
Sigmund Freud (1856-1939)
Believed that mind is a complex interaction of thoughts and memories that exist on both conscious and unconscious level.
Back and forth tension within and between conscious and unconscious mind shapes personality.
Believed childhood experiences help set the stage for later psychological functioning.
Psychoanalytic Theory
Theory that human mental processes are influenced by the competition between unconscious and conscious forces
Does not hold up to scrutiny
Behaviorism
Argue that psychology should study only direct observational behaviors rather than abstract mental processes
Focused on relationship between stimuli and responses
Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936)
Work with classical conditioning
Observed that dogs have been conditioned to salivate when lab assistant appear because they associate lab assistant with food.
Edward Thorndike (1874-1949)
Proposed that animal findings could help explain human behavior
Law of Effect
John Watson (1878-1958)
Pioneered the school of behaviorism
Little Albert experiment- researchercanz condition children to fear objects and situations
B. F. Skinner (1904-1990)
Operant Conditioning
Positive or negatively reinforce behaviors
Albert Bandura
Bobo doll experiment
Children often learned by social observation or modeling
People can learn without making any apparent change to their outside behavior
Carl Rogers (1902-1987)
Client centered therapy- based on notion that clients will make positive gains if therapists mirror their thoughts and feelings in an atmosphere of unconditional positive regard
Humanistic psychology
Focuses on potential of individuals and highlight each person’s unique viewpoint, conscious, free will, etc.
