PSYC290 > Unit 1 > Flashcards

Unit 1 Flashcards

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1
Q

What were Wundt’s contributions to psychology?

A

Founded the first psychology lab (1879, Leipzig); used introspection; aimed to study consciousness scientifically.

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2
Q

What are the chief tenets of structuralism?

A

Analyzes consciousness into basic elements using introspection; focused on the structure of mental processes (Titchener).

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3
Q

What are the chief tenets of functionalism?

A

Studies the functions of mental processes and how they help organisms adapt; emphasizes purpose over structure (James).

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4
Q

What are Freud’s principal ideas?

A

Unconscious motives shape behavior; personality consists of id, ego, superego; psychosexual stages and defense mechanisms.

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5
Q

Why were Freud’s ideas controversial?

A

Focused heavily on sex and aggression; theories were untestable and unscientific; challenged social norms.

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6
Q

What is behaviourism and how did it develop?

A

Shifted psychology to observable behavior; rejected introspection; influenced by Pavlov and advanced by Watson.

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7
Q

What was Watson’s impact on psychology?

A

Founded behaviourism; emphasized learning and environment; showed emotions can be conditioned (Little Albert).

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8
Q

What were Skinner’s key insights?

A

Proposed operant conditioning; behavior shaped by reinforcement and punishment; denied free will.

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9
Q

What is humanism and its core philosophy?

A

Reaction to Freud and behaviourism; stresses free will, self-actualization, and human potential (Maslow, Rogers).

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10
Q

Topic

A

Answer

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11
Q

Historical events and psychology’s emergence

A

Psychology emerged as a profession in the late 19th and early 20th centuries due to advances in physiology, the scientific revolution’s emphasis on empirical methods, and the influence of philosophers like Descartes and Locke. World War I and II further accelerated its growth as psychological testing, clinical treatment, and applied research became essential for military and civilian needs.

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12
Q

Trends of the 1950s–1960s

A

Two key trends marked a return to psychology’s roots: (1) the cognitive revolution, which revived interest in mental processes such as perception, memory, and problem solving, and (2) the humanistic movement, which emphasized consciousness, free will, and personal growth as a reaction to behaviorism and psychoanalysis.

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13
Q

Increased interest in cultural variables

A

Western psychology’s growing awareness of globalization, multicultural societies, and research biases led to more focus on cultural variables. Psychologists recognized that behavior and mental processes are shaped by cultural context, prompting the rise of cross-cultural and cultural psychology.

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14
Q

Evolutionary and positive psychology

A

Evolutionary psychology emerged in the 1980s–1990s, applying principles of natural selection to explain behavior and mental traits as adaptations for survival and reproduction. Positive psychology, developed in the late 1990s by Martin Seligman, focuses on human strengths, well-being, and factors that enable individuals and communities to thrive.

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15
Q

applied psychology

A

The branch of psychology concerned with everyday, practical problems.

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16
Q

behaviour

A

Any observable action made by a living person or animal.

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17
Q

behaviourism

A

A theoretical orientation based on the premise that scientific psychology should study only observable behavior.

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18
Q

biological psychology

A

The study of the physiological bases of behavior in humans and animals.

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19
Q

clinical psychology

A

The branch of psychology concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of psychological problems and disorders.

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20
Q

cognition

A

The mental processes involved in acquiring knowledge and understanding, including thinking, reasoning, and remembering.

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21
Q

counselling psychology

A

A branch of psychology that assists people with problems in living and in achieving greater well-being.

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22
Q

critical thinking

A

The use of cognitive skills and strategies that increase the probability of a desirable outcome.

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23
Q

culture

A

Shared customs, beliefs, values, norms, and institutions that are transmitted socially across generations.

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24
Q

developmental psychologist

A

Studies how behavior and mental processes change over the lifespan.

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25
empiricism
The view that knowledge originates in experience and that science should rely on observation and experimentation.
26
ethnocentrism
The tendency to view one's own group as superior to others and as the standard for judging other groups.
27
evolutionary psychology
Examines behavioral processes in terms of their adaptive value for members of a species over generations.
28
experimental psychologist
Conducts research on basic psychological processes, such as learning, memory, and perception.
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functionalism
An early school of psychology that focused on the purpose of consciousness and behavior.
30
humanism
A theoretical orientation that emphasizes the unique qualities of humans, especially their freedom and potential for personal growth.
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industrial/organizational psychologist
Applies psychological principles to the workplace to improve productivity and employee well-being.
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introspection
The process of looking inward to examine one's own conscious experience.
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natural selection
A process by which heritable traits that help organisms survive and reproduce become more common in successive generations.
34
personality psychology
The study of individual differences in characteristic patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving.
35
positive psychology
A field that studies the strengths and virtues that enable individuals and communities to thrive.
36
psychiatry
A branch of medicine dealing with psychological disorders; practiced by physicians who sometimes provide medical treatments as well as psychological therapy.
37
psychoanalytic theory
Freud's theory that unconscious motives and conflicts influence behavior.
38
psychometrics
The scientific study of the measurement of human abilities, attitudes, and traits.
39
psychology
The scientific study of behavior and mental processes.
40
social psychologist
Studies how people influence and are influenced by others.
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stimulus
Any event or situation that evokes a response.
42
structuralism
An early school of psychology that used introspection to explore the structure of the human mind.
43
theory
A system of interrelated ideas used to explain a set of observations.
44
unconscious
A reservoir of mostly unacceptable thoughts, wishes, feelings, and memories of which we are unaware.
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Sigmund Freud
Founder of psychoanalysis; emphasized the role of the unconscious in behavior.
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G. Stanley Hall
Established the first psychology lab in the U.S. and founded the APA.
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Donald Hebb
Proposed that learning involves the strengthening of connections between neurons ('cells that fire together wire together').
48
William James
Founder of functionalism; studied how humans use perception to function in their environment.
49
Carl Rogers
Humanistic psychologist who developed client-centered therapy emphasizing unconditional positive regard.
50
Martin Seligman
Founder of positive psychology; known for research on learned helplessness.
51
B. F. Skinner
Behaviorist who studied operant conditioning and the effects of reinforcement on behavior.
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John B. Watson
Founder of behaviorism; emphasized the study of observable behavior.
53
Wilhelm Wundt
Established the first psychology laboratory; considered the father of psychology.
54
Front
Back
55
Identify the origins of the word psychology.
The word 'psychology' comes from the Greek words 'psyche' (meaning soul or mind) and 'logos' (meaning study or knowledge). It originally meant 'the study of the soul.'
56
Summarize Wundt’s accomplishments and contributions to the field of psychology.
Wilhelm Wundt founded the first psychology laboratory in Leipzig, Germany, in 1879, marking the formal beginning of psychology as an experimental science. He emphasized introspection and the scientific study of conscious experience.
57
Compare structuralism and functionalism, and discuss their impact on the development of psychology.
Structuralism, led by Wundt and Titchener, analyzed the basic elements of consciousness through introspection. Functionalism, promoted by William James, focused on the purpose of consciousness and behavior. Both shaped early psychology, with functionalism paving the way for applied psychology and behaviorism.
58
Describe Watson’s view of psychology with special reference to the nature-nurture issue and animal research.
John B. Watson argued that psychology should study observable behavior, not consciousness. He emphasized nurture over nature, claiming that behavior is shaped entirely by environment and experience. He also used animal research to demonstrate learning principles.
59
Why did the Humanist psychologists take issue with the behaviourist school?
Humanist psychologists, like Rogers and Maslow, criticized behaviorism for ignoring human freedom, creativity, and potential. They argued that behaviorism’s mechanistic view reduced people to reactive machines.
60
Why did Freud’s psychoanalytic theory encounter resistance within psychology?
Freud’s ideas were controversial because they emphasized unconscious sexual and aggressive drives, which clashed with scientific objectivity and the moral values of his time.
61
Who was B. F. Skinner? Describe Skinner’s viewpoint with regard to private events and free will. Describe the influence that Skinner had on psychology and more widely outside of academia.
B.F. Skinner was a leading behaviorist who studied how consequences shape behavior (operant conditioning). He argued that private events like thoughts are behaviors subject to the same laws as observable ones, and that free will is an illusion. His ideas influenced education, therapy, and even social policy.
62
Describe humanistic psychology, and briefly discuss its contribution to psychology.
Humanistic psychology emphasizes personal growth, free will, and self-actualization. It contributed to therapy approaches that focus on empathy and the whole person, and inspired the positive psychology movement.
63
What are six contemporary theoretical perspectives within psychology? Briefly explain each.
1. Behavioral: how environment and learning shape behavior. 2. Humanistic: human potential and self-growth. 3. Cognitive: mental processes and information processing. 4. Biological: brain, genetics, and physiology. 5. Evolutionary: adaptive functions of behavior. 6. Sociocultural: influence of culture and social context.
64
Discuss how psychology developed in Canada, from the first departments to the establishment of the Canadian Psychological Association.
The first psychology departments in Canada were founded in the early 1900s at the University of Toronto and McGill. The Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) was established in 1939 to promote research and professional standards.
65
Describe two recent trends in psychological research that reflect a return to psychology’s intellectual roots.
1. The rise of positive psychology, focusing on well-being and strengths. 2. Renewed interest in consciousness through neuroscience and cognitive research.
66
Why has Western psychology had scant interest in other cultures? Why has this begun to change?
Western psychology was initially ethnocentric, assuming Western norms were universal. Globalization, multiculturalism, and cross-cultural research have increased recognition of cultural differences in behavior and mental processes.
67
Describe the most recent theoretical perspectives in psychology.
Recent perspectives include evolutionary psychology, positive psychology, and neuroscience, all integrating biological and social factors to explain behavior and mental processes.
68
List and describe the four professional specialties within applied psychology. Distinguish between clinical psychology and psychiatry.
1. Clinical psychology: assessment and treatment of mental disorders. 2. Counselling psychology: helping with everyday problems. 3. Educational psychology: learning and instruction. 4. Industrial/organizational psychology: workplace behavior. Psychiatry is medical and can prescribe medication; clinical psychology is non-medical.
69
Define what is meant by multifactorial causation of behaviour.
Behavior is influenced by multiple factors—biological, psychological, and environmental—rather than a single cause.
70
Discuss three important considerations in designing a program to encourage adequate studying.
1. Specify clear goals and feedback. 2. Use reinforcement for consistent behavior. 3. Manage time and minimize distractions.
71
Define critical thinking. Describe the skills exhibited by critical thinkers.
Critical thinking involves analyzing and evaluating information logically. Skills include recognizing bias, identifying assumptions, evaluating evidence, and reasoning systematically.
72
Discuss evolutionary theory explanations for gender differences in spatial abilities.
Evolutionary psychologists suggest men developed stronger spatial abilities due to roles in hunting and navigation, while women developed other cognitive strengths relevant to social and nurturing roles.
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