What method does psychology use that philosophy does not?
Psychology uses the scientific method to study behaviour, while philosophy does not.
What is mind-body dualism?
The belief that the mind and body are separate entities, with the mind being non-physical and not scientifically observable.
Who is a key figure associated with mind-body dualism?
René Descartes.
What is monism in psychology?
The belief that the mind and body are part of the same entity, and mental events are the result of physical processes.
What view do modern psychologists generally support: dualism or monism?
Monism.
What do physiologists study?
Bodily functioning through the lens of biology.
How do psychology and physiology overlap?
Both use the scientific method and ask questions about bodily reactions to mental events.
How does psychology differ from physiology in scope?
Psychology asks broader questions about how the mind works and what drives behaviour.
What was the main focus of structuralism?
Identifying the basic building blocks of conscious experience.
Who founded structuralism?
Wilhelm Wundt and Edward Titchener.
What method did structuralists use to study consciousness?
Introspection—training individuals to report their conscious experiences.
What influenced functionalism?
The theory of evolution and the adaptive purpose of mental processes.
Who developed functionalism?
William James.
What kind of questions do functionalists ask?
“Why” questions—exploring the purpose of behaviours and mental processes.
Why did many functionalists reject introspection?
Because it was subjective; they preferred studying observable behaviour.
What do behaviourists focus on?
Observable, external behaviours rather than internal experiences.
Who are two key figures in behaviourism?
B.F. Skinner and John Watson.
What is a major criticism of behaviourism?
It ignores internal thoughts and likens humans to animals.
What was the main critique Gestalt psychologists had of structuralism and functionalism?
They believed focusing on components of consciousness missed the bigger picture.
What is the core principle of Gestalt psychology?
“The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”
What did Gestalt psychologists aim to discover?
Principles of perceptual organization and thought that explain how we interpret the world.
What does social psychology study?
How the presence of others (real, virtual, or imagined) influences our behaviours, feelings, and thoughts.
What are some phenomena studied in social psychology?
Attitude formation, impression formation, social pain from rejection, group influence on thinking, and behavioural expectations.
What is culture in psychological terms?
The values, traditions, and beliefs shared by a particular group of people.
