Week 1 Flashcards
What is psychology?
Psychology is the science of behavior, thought and experience.
Why is behavior studied?
Behavior is studied to gain an understanding of why animals act the way that they do.
What is the scientific method?
The scientific method is a systematic approach to inquiry involving observation, hypothesis formation, experimentation, data analysis, and conclusion drawing, aimed at understanding natural phenomena and establishing reliable knowledge.
What are theories?
A theory is an attempt to explain a broad range of observations. Theories need to be falsifiable.
How are theories disproven?
Theories are disproven by testing hypotheses, which are the observable and testable predictions scientists make based on the theory.
Steps to the Scientific method
Observations, research, hypothesis, experiment, collecting data, analysis and conclusion
How was early psychology influenced and what is it?
Early psychology was heavily influenced by the scientific philosophy of empiricism, which states that knowledge comes from sensory experience (doing experiments).
What do empiricists mean by sensory experience?
Experimental evidence is primary
What else does science rely on and what is it?
Science relies on rationalism- the use of thought/logic to understand the world, experience is secondary to thought.
What does structuralism study?
Structuralism is the understanding of the basic components of consciousness through introspection.
What is introspection?
One examines and reports one’s own mental processes.
What is functionalism?
Functionalism in psychology is studied through the analysis of how mental processes and behaviors contribute to the effective functioning or operation of individuals in their environment
What is an example of functionalism?
The German Gestalt Theory, which believes that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
Explain the Gestalt theory alternatively from the whole is greater than the sum of its parts?
For example, you can’t understand the function of the brain by looking at each lobe separately, but only by how they all operate together.
Give an example of how they are all branches of psychology are related.
Psychologists use experiments (empiricism) to determine what structures in the brain (structuralism) are responsible for a particular behavior, such as short-term memory (functionalism).
