psychology

mental processes or cognitive activities

Private unobservable mental processes such as: sensation, perception, thought, problem solving and dreaming.

Positive visualization

Process by which an actor imagines delivering that line, a singer hitting that note, and a basketball player making that shot before doing so.

John Watson

an american psychologist who became a leader of a revolutionary movement in psychology called behaviorism. Behaviorism --- the school of psychology, founded by John watson, that defines psychology as the scientific study of human behavior. Behaviorism focuses on evident behavior and is based on the belief that our personalities are determined by rewards and punishments. From infancy on, our behavior is influenced by the rewards and punishment that have made us who we are. As the founder of the school of behaviorism, Watson defined psychology as the scientific study of observable behavior.

basic research

research that is conducted for its own sake, that is, without seeking a solution to specific problem. Basic research into learning and memory has helped educational psychologists enhance learning conditions in school.

theory

a set of assumptions about why something is the way it is and happens the way it does. Psychological theories may include statements about behavior (aggression). The more violence one views on t.v. the more violent ones behavior becomes.

Sigmund Freud (psychiatrist)

. Austrian physician who revolutionized ideas on how the human mind works. he is the most famous of the early psychologists. b. he founded the school of thought called psychoanalysis. c. Psychoanalysis: psychodynamic thinking; the process which emphasizes the importance of unconscious motives and conflicts as determinants of human behavior. d. more than any others, Freud's theories have become part of popular culture. e. his work is cited in literature f. he believed that people could reveal some of their unconscious motives in their dreams . g. he greatly advanced the field of psychiatry. h. his theories brought us new approaches in raising children, education, and sociology.

associationism

A learned connection between two ideas/ events or things. The face of someone we love makes us feel secure. Deja Vu --- various experiences may have reminded us of experiences we have previously had

B.F. Skinner

Another Harvard psychologists who put forth the concept of reinforcement. Reinforcement --- a stimulus or event that follows a response and increases the frequency of that response. Skinner pointed out that when an animal is reinforced for performing an action, he or she is more likely to perform that action again in the future. People learn in very similar ways that animals do. Like animals, people behave in certain ways because they have been reinforced for doing so. He is very well known for his research into the learning process and his belief in a planned society. In his book, Walden Two, published in 1948, he described his ideas of an ideally planned society based on principles of learning. In another book, Beyond freedom and dignity, published in 1971, he called for the restriction of certain individual freedoms which hinder the development of the ideally planned society (Utopia)

Ivan Pavlov

Russian physiologist who first described the phenomenon of conditioning in experiments that he conducted with dogs. b. he was interested in the relationship between the nervous system and digestion c. specifically he was studying salivation in dogs. he is primarily known for his development of the concept of conditioned reflex. d. conditioned=learned e.unconditioned=unlearned f. conditioned reflex/response 1. a learned reflex/response to a previously neutral stimulus (bell) g. conditioned stimulus

Kenneth Clark

When the supreme court struck down segregation in our nation's public schools in 1954 in the Brown case, it cited the work of this man on the effects of discrimination on both African American and White children.

modern psychology

Wilhelm Wundt and his students founded the first psychological laboratory in Germany. (133 years ago)

William James

Wrote first psychology textbook (principles of psych) b. believed that the proper emphasis of psychology should be on how the human mind functions in adapting to our environment. Hence, his approach to psychology to functionalism c.believed that everyone must make up their minds about freedom vs. destiny. d. James stated that if we believe in a future event taking place, this belief will increase our power to make the event happen when the time comes for action.

ethnic groups

a group united by cultural heritage, race, language, or common history. All of these are psychological issues related to ethnicity: prejudice bilingualism ethnic differences in intelligence test scores Ethnic differences in vulnerability to health problems sickle cell anemia --- african americans a group united by cultural heritage, race, language, or common history. All of these are psychological issues related to ethnicity: prejudice bilingualism ethnic differences in intelligence test scores

principle

a rule or law. Our childhood experiences have a definite and specific influence on our personalities.

sociocultural perspective

focuses on the roles of ethnicity, gender, culture, and socioeconomic status in personality formation, behavior and mental processes.

biological perspective

he psychological perspective that emphasizes the influence of biology on behavior. Biological psychologists are interested in the influences of hormones and genes. Hormones are involved with digestion and growth, Genes are involved with personality traits/ psychological health.

Albert Bandura

maintains that we acquire knowledge and skills observing and imitating others, this is called observational learning. Children learn to speak, eat, and play at least partly by observing their parents and others do these things. We learn by watching and imitating role models. Role models are people who serve to others as examples of how to behave. After observational behavior takes place, the newly learned behavior continues because it has been reinforced. T.V. is a source of behavior modeling. Violent, aggressive movies, shows could lead to an increased incidence of violent/hostile behavior directly related to the aggression they have witnessed on TV. Therefore, children can or may imitate the behavior which they have witnessed on TV.

pysche

mind or soul

behavior

observable and measurable actions of people and animals.

biomedical treatment

prescribed medication

wilhelm Wundt

students believed in structuralism interested in structure of the human brain he and his students founded the first psychological lab, wundt is known as the father of modern psychology because wundt and his students studied the structure of human consciousness, his approach to psychology became known as structuralism. wundt is best known for turning the study of behavior into science.

logos

study of

learning perspective

the psychological point of view that emphasizes the effects of experience on behavior. it is the view of many psychologists that learning is the essential factor in observing, describing, explaining, predicting and controlling behavior.

Gestalt psychology

the school of psychology that emphasizes the tendency to organize perceptions into meaningful wholes. Gestalt psychology is based on the idea that perception are more than the sum of their parts. They are wholes that give shape and meaning to parts.

psychology

the scientific study of behavior and mental processes.

evolutionary perspective

the theory of focusing on the evolution of behavior and mental processes. Charles Darwin theorized that in the struggle for survival, the most adaptive organisms have a greater chance of survival when they reproduce.

social learning theory

the theory that suggests that people have the ability to change their environment or create a new one. The theory concludes that people can intentionally learn by observing others.

humanistic perspective

the view that assumes the existence of the self and emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and the freedom to make choices. Humanistic psychology maintains that people's personal experiences are the most important aspect of psychology. We are free to choose our own behavior. Humanists believe in the basic goodness of people.

psychoanalytic perspective

the view that stresses the influences of unconscious forces on human behavior. During the 1940's and 1950's psychoanalytic theory dominated psychotherapy and greatly influenced psychology. The focus today is more on conscious choice and self -- directions as opposed to the unconscious.

cognitive perspective

the viewpoint that emphasizes the role of thought processes in determining behavior. Cognition: the act of thinking / knowing. Cognitive psychologists study the mind and how we process information.

psychological concepts

theoritical entities or concepts that enable one to discuss something that cant be seen, touched, or measured directly.