Unit 1: Scientific Foundations of Psychology

Psychology

The scientific study of behavior and mental processes.

Wilhelm Wundt

Known as the 'Father of Psychology,' established the first psychology laboratory in 1879.

Introspection

A technique where subjects report their conscious experiences.

G. Stanley Hall

Established the first U.S. psychology lab and founded the American Psychological Association.

Structuralism

An early school of thought focused on breaking down mental processes into their basic components.

Functionalism

An early school of thought influenced by Darwin, focusing on the purpose of consciousness and behavior.

Gestalt Psychology

A school of thought that emphasizes that 'the whole is greater than the sum of its parts'.

Biopsychology

The perspective that explains behavior through brain chemistry and genetics.

Evolutionary Psychology

The approach based on natural selection, focusing on traits that promote survival and reproduction.

Psychodynamic Perspective

This perspective, stemming from Freud, emphasizes unconscious conflicts and childhood experiences.

Behaviorism

The school of thought that focuses only on observable behavior and learning.

Cognitive Psychology

The approach concerned with mental processes like thinking, memory, and problem-solving.

Humanistic Psychology

An approach emphasizing human potential and growth, focusing on self-actualization.

Sociocultural Perspective

The viewpoint that studies how cultural and social contexts influence behavior.

Descriptive Research

Research methods that describe behavior but do not establish causation.

Case Study

An in-depth examination of a single individual or group.

Naturalistic Observation

A research method that involves observing subjects in their natural environment without manipulation.

Correlation Research

Research measuring the relationship between two variables.

Experimental Method

The only research method that can establish cause and effect through manipulation of variables.

Independent Variable (IV)

The variable that is manipulated by the researcher in an experiment.

Dependent Variable (DV)

The variable being measured in response to the independent variable.

Statistical Significance

Indicates the likelihood that a result occurred by chance, often represented by a p-value.

Ethics in Psychology

Standards that guide researchers to conduct studies responsibly and protect participants.

Informed Consent

Participants must be informed enough to make a voluntary decision about their participation.

Double-Blind Procedure

A method where neither participants nor researchers know who is in the control or experimental group.

Random Sample

A subset of the population where every individual has an equal chance of being selected.

Confounding Variables

Outside factors that may skew the results of an experiment.