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THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF PSYCHOLOGY Flashcards

Define psychology etymologically, define psychology according different schools of thoughts,identify the role of major researchers and theorist in the development of the field of psychology,characterize the following schools of thought ;structuralism,functionalism,behaviorism,psychoanalysis,humanism,and gestalt psychology (71 cards)

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1
Q

What is the etymological origin of the word ‘psychology’?

A

It comes from the Greek words psyche (mind) and logos (study/science).

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2
Q

How is psychology generally defined?

A

Psychology is the scientific study of human mind and behavior.

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3
Q

What is behavior in psychology?

A

Everything a person does that can be directly observed.

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4
Q

What are mental processes?

A

Internal thoughts, feelings, and motives that cannot be directly observed.

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5
Q

What is a school of thought in psychology?

A

A perspective of a group of people who share a common opinion or philosophy.

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6
Q

Who led the Structuralism school of thought?

A

Wilhelm Wundt (1832–1920).

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7
Q

What did Structuralism focus on?

A

The basic elements or structures of mental processes (e.g., sensation, perception, attention).

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8
Q

What method did Structuralists use?

A

Introspection — examining one’s own conscious thoughts and feelings.

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9
Q

Name one key criticism of Structuralism.

A

It was seen as unscientific because introspection was subjective and excluded unconscious processes and animals.

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10
Q

Who founded Functionalism?

A

William James (1842–1910).

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11
Q

What did Functionalism emphasize?

A

The functions of the mind — how mental activities help people adapt to their environment.

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12
Q

Which modern fields did Functionalism influence?

A

Educational, evolutionary, and industrial/organizational psychology.

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13
Q

What does Gestalt Psychology emphasize?

A

The whole of an experience is greater than the sum of its parts.

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14
Q

Name two proponents of Gestalt Psychology.

A

Max Wertheimer and Wolfgang Köhler.

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15
Q

What was a key idea in Gestalt theory?

A

The mind processes information simultaneously, not sequentially.

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16
Q

Who are two main Behaviorists?

A

John B. Watson and B.F. Skinner.

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17
Q

What did Behaviorism reject?

A

Mental processes — it focused only on observable behavior.

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18
Q

What concept did Ivan Pavlov contribute to Behaviorism?

A

Conditioned learning through environmental stimuli.

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19
Q

Why was Behaviorism criticized?

A

It ignored mental processes and couldn’t fully explain human behavior.

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20
Q

Who established Constructivism/Cognitivism?

A

Frederic C. Bartlett.

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21
Q

What is the main idea of Constructivism?

A

We use past experiences to understand new ones.

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22
Q

Who coined the term ‘flashbulb memory’?

A

Roger Brown.

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23
Q

What was George Miller known for?

A

Studying memory capacity — 7 ± 2 chunks of information.

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24
Q

What is SPSSI?

A

The Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues, founded in 1936.

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25
Who was Helen Thompson Woolley?
A pioneer who studied sex differences and debunked myths about women's emotions.
26
What did Leta S. Hollingworth find?
Menstruation does not affect women's cognitive or motor abilities.
27
28
What is the modern definition of psychology?
Psychology is the scientific study of the human mind and behavior.
29
How is the mind defined in psychology?
The mind includes internal thoughts, feelings, and motives that cannot be directly observed.
30
What does behavior refer to in psychology?
Any action or response that can be directly observed.
31
What two Greek words form the basis of the word 'psychology'?
Psyche (mind) and Logos (study or science).
32
What is the etymological definition of psychology?
The science or study of the mind.
33
What does 'school of thought' mean in psychology?
A perspective held by a group sharing a common philosophy about how psychology should be understood and practiced.
34
Who is considered the father of Structuralism?
Wilhelm Wundt.
35
What was the main focus of Structuralism?
Studying the structure of the mind through components like sensation, memory, and emotion.
36
What is introspection?
A method where individuals observe and report their own conscious experiences.
37
Why was introspection criticized?
It was too subjective and not scientifically reliable.
38
What are three criticisms of Structuralism?
Ignored unconscious/subconscious states, excluded animal studies, relied on subjective introspection.
39
Who founded Functionalism?
William James.
40
What did Functionalism emphasize?
The functions of the mind in helping individuals adapt to their environment.
41
What psychological fields were influenced by Functionalism?
Educational, evolutionary, and industrial/organizational psychology.
42
How did Functionalism differ from Structuralism?
Functionalism focused on purpose and adaptation, while Structuralism focused on mental components.
43
What is the core belief of Gestalt psychology?
The mind perceives things as unified wholes, not just as the sum of parts.
44
What famous phrase summarizes Gestalt psychology?
“The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”
45
Who were the main proponents of Gestalt psychology?
Max Wertheimer, Kurt Koffka, Wolfgang Köhler, and Kurt Lewin.
46
What was Gestalt psychology a response to?
The structuralist focus on parts instead of whole experiences.
47
What processing style did Gestalt psychology advocate?
Simultaneous (rather than sequential) processing of information.
48
Who are the two main figures of Behaviorism?
John B. Watson and B.F. Skinner.
49
What was Behaviorism's primary focus?
Observable behavior instead of the mind.
50
Which Russian physiologist influenced Behaviorism?
Ivan Pavlov, with his work on classical conditioning.
51
What was Behaviorism's goal?
To discover laws of learning that allow prediction and control of behavior.
52
Why did Behaviorism decline?
It ignored mental processes, which are essential to understanding human behavior.
53
Who established Constructivism in psychology?
Frederic C. Bartlett.
54
What is the key idea behind Cognitivism?
People use past experiences to make sense of new ones.
55
Name three pioneers in cognitive psychology.
Jerome Bruner, Roger Brown, George Miller.
56
What is “flashbulb memory” and who coined the term?
A vivid memory of an emotionally significant moment; coined by Roger Brown.
57
What did George Miller discover about short-term memory capacity?
It holds 7 ± 2 bits of information.
58
How did computer science influence cognitive psychology?
It provided analogies to understand how the mind processes information.
59
How has psychology contributed to social change?
By challenging stereotypes, assumptions, and stigma using scientific methods.
60
What is the SPSSI and when was it founded?
Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues, founded in 1936.
61
Who were Helen Thompson Woolley and Leta Hollingworth?
Early female psychologists who debunked myths about women's emotional instability and mental performance.
62
What did Leta Hollingworth prove about menstruation?
It does not impair cognitive or motor function.
63
Match the following with their key concepts: Wilhelm Wundt
Introspection / Structuralism
64
Match the following with their key concepts: William James
Functionalism
65
Match the following with their key concepts: Max Wertheimer
Gestalt psychology
66
Match the following with their key concepts: John B. Watson
Behaviorism
67
Match the following with their key concepts: Frederic Bartlett
Constructivism / Cognitivism
68
What is Gestalt Psychology?
Gestalt Psychology is a theory that says we understand the world by looking at whole patterns, not just the small parts. It teaches that: > “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”
69
Who are the key thinkers behind Gestalt Psychology?
- Max Wertheimer - Kurt Koffka - Wolfgang Köhler
70
What are some key Gestalt principles?
1. Similarity – We group things that look alike. 2. Proximity – We group things that are close together. 3. Closure – We fill in missing parts to see a complete shape. 4. Continuity – We follow lines and patterns. 5. Figure and Ground – We separate objects (figure) from the background.
71
Why is Gestalt Psychology important?
It helps us understand how people see, think, and understand the world in a way that’s fast and organized — like recognizing faces, shapes, or solving puzzles even when information is incomplete.

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