Vocabulary Review

psychology – the science of behavior and mental processes

monism – seeing the mind and body as different aspects of the same thing

dualism – seeing the mind and body as two different things that interact

Nature-Nurture Controversy – the extent to which behavior results from heredity or experience

• Plato and Descartes believed that behavior is inborn (nature).
• Aristotle, Locke, Watson and Skinner believed that behavior results from experience (nurture).

Schools of Psychology

School of Structuralism – early psychological perspecitve that emphasized units of consciousness and identifcation of elemnts of though using introspection.

• Wilhelm Wundt – founder of scientific psychology in Leipzig, Germany; studied consciousness using introspection
• G. Stanley Hall – brought introspection to his lab at Johns Hopkins Universty in the United States; first president of the American Psychological Association
• Edward Titchener – studied elements of consciousness at his Cornell University lab
• Margaret Floy Washburn – first woman to complete her Ph.D. in psychology

School of Functionalism – early psychological perspective concerned with how an organism uses its perceptual abilities to adapt to its environment

• William James– wrote Principles of Psychology
• Mary Whiton Calkins – first woman president of the American Pyschological Association

Principal Approaches to Psychology

Behaviorial approach – psychological perspecitve concerned with behavior reactions to stimuli; learning as a result of expience

• Ivan Pavlov – known for classical conditioning of dogs
• John Watson– known for experiemnts in classical aversive conditioning
• B.F. Skinner – known for experiments in operant conditioning

Psychoanalytic/Psychodynamic approach – psychological perspective concerned with how unconscious instints,conflicts, motives, and defenses influence behavior

• Sigmund Freud – “Father of Pyschoanalysis”
• Jung, Adler, Korney, Kohut – psychodynamic psychologists

Humanistic approach – psychological perspective concenred with individual potential for growth and the role of unique perceptions in growth towards one’s potential

• Carl Rogers, Abraham Maslow – humanistic psychologists

Biological Approach – psychological perspective concerned with physiological and biochemical factors taht determine behavior and mental processes

Cognitive approach – psychological perspective concerned with how we receive, store and process information; think/reason; and use language

• Jean Piaget – studied cognitive development in children

Evolutionary approach– psychological perspective concerned with how natural selection favored behaviors that contributed to survival and spread of our ancestors’ genes; evolutionary psychologists take a Darwinian approach to the study of human behavior

Sociocultural approach – psycholoigical perspective concerned with how cultural differences affect behavior

Eclectic – use of techniques and ideas from a variety of approaches

Psychologists Specialize in Different Domains

Clinical psychologists – evaluate and treat mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders

Counseling psychologists – help people adapt to change or make changes in their lifestyle

Developmental psychologists – study psychological development throughout the lifespan

Educational psychologists – focus on how effective teaching and learning take place

Engineering psychologist and human factors psychologists – do research on how peple function best with machines

Experimental psychologists – do research on to add new knowledge to the field

Forensic psychologists – apply psychological principles to legal issues

Health psychologists – concentrate on biological, psychological, and social factors inolved in health and illness

Industrial/Organizational psychologists – aim to improve productivity and the quality of work life by applying psychological princples and methods to the workplace

Neuropsychologists – explore the relationships between brain/nervous systems and behavior.  Neuropsychologists are also called biological psychologists or biopsychologists, behavioral geneticists, physiological psychologists, and behavioral neuroscientists

Personality psychologists – focus on triats, attitudes, and goals of the individual

Psychometricians (also known as psychometric or measurement psychologists) – focus on methods for acquiring and analyzing psychological data

Rehabilitation psychologists – help clients with mental retardation, developmental disabilities, and disabilities resulting from stoke or accidents adapt to their situation

School psychologists – assess and counsel studetns, consult with educators and parents, and perform behavioral intervention when necessary

Social psychologists – focus on how a person’s mental life and behavior are shaped by interactions with other people

Sports psychologists – help athletes refine their focus on competiton goals, increase motivation, and deal with anxiety and fear of failure

Works Cited

Maitland, Laura Lincoln. AP Psychology: 5 Steps to a 5 (2012-2013). p. 48-50