history of psychology Flashcards
(12 cards)
What is the meaning of psychology?
The study of the mind; “psyche” = mind/soul, “logia” = study.
What’s the difference between rationalism and empiricism?
Rationalism = knowledge through reason (Plato).
Empiricism = knowledge through experience (Aristotle).
What is Plato’s Allegory of the Cave about?
People mistake shadows (illusions) for reality; truth comes from reason.
What is mind-body dualism?
Descartes’ idea that the mind and body are separate.
What did John Locke believe about the mind at birth?
It’s a blank slate shaped by experience (empiricism).
What did David Hume say about reason and emotion?
Reason is the slave of passions; we are driven by emotion.
What is the zeitgeist that led to psychology’s rise?
A mix of empiricism, modernism, and materialism.
What is psychometrics?
The science of measuring mental traits like intelligence and personality.
Who created the first intelligence test?
Binet and Simon in 1905.
What is phrenology?
A now-discredited theory that bumps on the skull indicate mental traits.
What does Weber’s Law explain?
We notice a change only when it exceeds a certain proportion.
What’s the difference between Wundt and William James?
Wundt = studied consciousness with introspection.
James = focused on function of mind (functionalism).
