Chapter 1 Psychology

What is the role of biology in behavior and survival?

Biological psychologists study the influences of genes on personality traits, psychological health, and various behavior patterns. Evolutionary psychologists believe that people learn to act in certain ways for their survival and then pass their behavior down.

Human

Most psychologists are interested in human behavior.

Personality psychologists

___________ _________ identify human characteristics, or traits

Contemporary psychologists

____________ ____________ have been influenced by the work of earlier pioneers. They have expanded traditional research to develop new and different approaches.

Psychology

_____________ is a science. It seeks to explain and control behavior and mental processes and test their ideas through research methods.

Pyschoanalysis

The school of thought called __________ emphasizes the importance of unconscious motives and internal conflicts in determining human behavior.

How are behavior and mental processes different?

Behavior is any action that people can observe or measure. Some examples are walking, talking, pressing a switch, and sleeping. Cognitive activities are mental processes, including dreams, perceptions, thoughts, and memories.

Rehabilitation psychology

Branch of psychology that deals with patients that are struggling with disabilities

Industrial psychology

Branch of psychology that deals with people and work

Health psychology

Branch of psychology that examines the relationships between behavior and physical health

community psychology

Branch of psychology that studies social systems that promote and foster individual well being for members of a community

What role does the mind play in determining behavior?

Cognitive psychologists study mental processes to understand human nature. Humanistic psychologists believe that "self awareness", experience, and choice permit us to "invent ourselves." Psychoanalytic psychologists believe that aggressive impulses are common reactions to the frustrations of daily life.

BF Skinner

Concluded that people learn to behave in certain ways because they have received positive reinforcement for their behavior.

William James

Disagreed with the structuralist and argued that experience is a constant stream of consciousness.

Structuralism

Discovering the basic elements of consciousness.

Learning perspective

Emphasizes the effects of experience on behavior

Psychoanalysis

Emphasizes the importance of unconscious motives and internal conflicts in determining and understanding behavior

Biological perspective

Emphasizes the influence of biology on our behavior

Cognitive perspective

Emphasizes the role that thoughts play in determining behavior

Evolutionary perspective

Focuses on the evolution of behavior and mental processes

Sigmund Freud

Founded psychoanalysis and the theory of psychodynamic thinking

What were some early views and beliefs about human behavior?

In Ancient Greece, they found out that biological factors can affect our thoughts, feelings, and behavior. During the Middle Ages, they used tests such as the "water-float" test which was used to test for possession.

Psychodynamic thinking

Most of what exists in an individual's mind is unconscious and consists of conflicting impulses urges, and wishes

Behavior and mental processes

Psychologists work in many different fields, but they all focus on studying and explaining __________ and ___________ ____________.

developmental psychology

The field of psychology that is concerned with the changes that occur throughout a person's life span

School Psychology

The field of psychology that is dedicated to identifying and helping students who have problems that interfere with learning.

What are some basic goals of psychology?

The goals of psychology is to try and observe, describe, explain, predict, and control the events that psychologists study.

Geriatrics

_________ is the branch of medicine that focuses on the diseases and problems of the elderly

Behaviorism

__________ is the scientific study of observable behavior

Gestalt

___________ psychology is based on ideas that our perceptions of objects are more than the sums of their parts

Principle

a basic truth or law

Behavior

any action that people can observe or measure

Introspection

"To look within"

How is psychology a science?

Although psychology is a social science, it has foundations in the natural sciences as well, such as biology, chemistry, and physics. It is a social science because it deals with the structure of human society and the nature and interactions of the individuals who make up society. Like natural scientists, psychologists seek to answer questions by following the steps involved in scientific research.

Social psychology

Deals with society and how it affects human beings

Social sciences

Human society and the nature and interactions of individuals are the focus of the _______ _________, including history and economics

Cognitive activities

mental processes

Psychology

the scientific study of human behavior and mental processes

Psychological constructs

used to talk about something we cannot see, touch, or measure directly

Psychoanalytic perspective

stresses the influence of unconscious forces on human behavior

Gestalt Psychology

An alternative to behaviorism and structuralism

Functionalism

Concerned with how mental processes help organisms adapt to their environment.

Behaviorism

Observable and measurable events

Basic research

Research that has no immediate application and is done for its own sake.

Philosophers and scientists

Since ancient times, _________ and _________ have studied behavior and mental processes. Psychologists throughout history have continued to refine and develop these studies.

What modern developments in psychology have dominated much of the 20th century?

Some modern developments are behaviorism, reinforcement and Gestalt psychology.

What are some of the major fields of psychology?

Some of the major fields of psychology are clinical, counseling, school, educational, developmental, personality, social, and experimental psychology.

Who were some pioneers of psychology?

Some pioneers of psychology were Wilhelm Wundt, William James, Sigmund Freud, John B. Watson, and B. F. Skinner.

Introspection

Some psychologists believe that _________, or looking within, is one way to learn about ourselves.

Humanistic perspective

Stresses the human capacity for fulfillment and the importance of consciousness and the capacity to make choices

Natural sciences

The ________ _________, such as chemistry and physics, are concerned with the nature of the natural world.

Morality

The concept of right or good conduct

Structuralism

The field of __________ is based on the discovery of the basic elements of consciousness

Clinical psychology

The field of psychology that deals with evaluating psychological problems, such as anxiety and depression, and helping people overcome them.

experimental psychology

The field of psychology that focuses on conducting research through experiments

Counseling Psychology

The field of psychology that helps mainly people who have adjustment problems

Sociocultural perspective

The influences of ethnicity, gender, culture, and socio-economic status on behavior and mental processes

Associationism

The theory that our understanding of the world occurs through ideas associated with similar sensory experiences and expressions.

Cross-cultural psychology

branch of psychology that studies the effects of culture on behavior and mental processes

Theory

A statement that attempts to explain why things are the way they are and why they happen the way they do.

forensic psychologist

A __________ ___________ works within the criminal justice system

Psychiatrist

A medical doctor who specializes in the treatment of psychological problems and can prescribe medication for clients.

How do specialists in some applied fields of psychology serve people's needs?

In industrial and organizational psychology, these people are employed by corporations to improve working conditions and increase worker output. Human factors psychology is when psychologists attempt to find the best ways to design products for people to use. Community psychology is when psychologists study and help create social systems that promote and foster individual well being. Forensic psychologists help police officers deal with job stress and train police officers in dealing with dangerous situations. Health psychologists examine the ways in which behavior and mental processes are related to physical health. Rehabilitation psychologists work with the effects of a disability. Cross cultural psychologists study behavior and mental processes under different cultural conditions.

How does the role of experience affect behavior?

Learning is the essential factor in observing, describing, explaining, predicting, and controlling behavior. People can learn intentionally by observing others.

What factors influence the biopsychosocial perspective?

Mental processes are influenced by the interaction of biological processes, psychological dispositions, and social factors.

Social-learning theory

People can change their environments or create new ones