Approaches in Psychology

• What is the definition of psychology?

  Psychology is the scientific study of the brain and behavior.
• Why is psychology considered one of the youngest fields of science?

  Because it started around 150 years ago.
• Who is considered the first person to study behavior using scientific techniques?

  Wilhelm Wundt.
• What are the key features of scientific study in psychology?

  • Systematic observation
  • Objective measurement
  • Empirical methods (observation and experimentation)
• What does it mean for a study to be systematic?

  It means working according to a fixed or controlled method.
• Why is objectivity important in psychological research?

  To ensure that personal opinions do not influence the research design, results, and conclusions.
• What is empiricism in the context of scientific research?

  It is the idea that conclusions must be based on testing ideas with data collected from the world.
• What is the significance of following the scientific method in psychology?

  It helps to trust the results of psychological studies.
• Who is considered the father of experimental psychology?

  Wilhelm Wundt.
• What was Wundt's approach to studying the mind called?

  Structuralism.
• What method did Wundt use in his research?

  Introspection.
• What does introspection involve?

  Participants report their conscious experiences as objectively as possible.
• How did Wundt control his studies?

  He controlled the experimental conditions and the environment.
• What is an inference in psychological research?

  An inference is an educated guess about internal mental processes based on behavior.
• What is a criticism of Wundt's introspective methods?

  Participants may not accurately report their own mental states.
• What did behaviorists focus on in their research?

  Observable stimulus-response mechanisms.
• What is the main idea behind social learning theory?

  Humans learn not just from direct experiences but also by observing others.
• What do humanists argue about human behavior?

  Humans have free will in deciding how to act.
• How do cognitive psychologists view the mind?

  They compare it to a computer, with inputs and outputs.
• What has allowed psychologists to study the active brain in recent decades?

  The development of tools like fMRI scanners.
• What are the main psychological approaches introduced in the timeline of psychology?

  • Structuralism (Wundt)
  • Psychodynamics (Freud)
  • Behaviorism (Pavlov, Skinner)
  • Social Learning Theory
  • Humanism
  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Biological Psychology
• What did Freud develop in psychology?

  The psychodynamic approach.
• What is a key concept of Freud's psychodynamic theory?

  The existence of an unconscious mind that directs behavior.
• What did behaviorists reject in their approach to psychology?

  Introspection and the study of internal mental processes.
• What do social learning theorists emphasize in their studies?

  The importance of internal mental processes in learning.
• What do humanists focus on in psychology?

  Helping individuals achieve self-actualization.
• How do cognitive psychologists explain mental processes?

  By creating theoretical models similar to computer software.
• What is the significance of biological psychology in understanding behavior?

  It links behavior to biological and medical factors.
• What is the role of fMRI scanners in psychology?

  They allow psychologists to study the active brain.
• Who are often considered the first truly scientific psychologists?

  The behaviorists
• Why do behaviorists focus on observable phenomena?

  Because they can only study what can be observed objectively
• What is the relationship between stimulus and response in behaviorism?

  A stimulus leads to a response from the creature
• What is a major sacrifice made by behaviorists in their research approach?

  They gave up studying internal mental processes
• How do behaviorists view the brain?

  As a black box that is not objectively observable
• What are the three features of the Psych Boost app?

  • Flashcards
  • Multiple choice quizzes
  • Key term tester
• What are the two main types of conditioning discussed in behaviorism?

  Pavlovian classical conditioning and Skinnerian operant conditioning
• What do behaviorists believe about the origin of behavior?

  It originates from interaction with the environment
• What do behaviorists believe should be the focus of psychology?

  Only on objectively measurable behaviors
• What is the definition of a stimulus in behaviorism?

  A stimulus is something applied to a subject that elicits a response
• How do behaviorists view mental processes?

  As not directly observable and not measurable