Introduction to Psychology

BF Skinner

• Investigated positive and negative reinforcement for learned behavior.

• Developed the theory of cognitive dissonance.

• Pioneered the study of classical conditioning.

• Introduced the concept of multiple intelligences.

Behavior

• Observable and measurable actions of people and animals.

• Random actions that cannot be predicted.

• Emotional responses to stimuli.

• Thought processes that are not visible.

Gestalt psychology

• A school of psychology that focuses on individual behavior.

• The study of how people learn through reinforcement.

• The school of psychology that emphasizes the tendency to organize perceptions into meaningful wholes.

• A theory that suggests all behavior is learned through interaction with the environment.

Sociocultural perspective

• The perspective that emphasizes biological factors in personality development.

• The perspective that focuses on the role of ethnicity, gender, culture, and socioeconomic status in personality formation, behavior, and mental processes.

• The perspective that prioritizes cognitive processes over social influences.

• The perspective that examines the impact of childhood experiences on adult behavior.

Sigmund Freud

• Founded psychoanalysis.

• Developed behaviorism.

• Introduced cognitive therapy.

• Pioneered humanistic psychology.

Psychoanalytic perspective

• The perspective that emphasizes the role of conscious thought in behavior.

• The perspective that focuses on observable behavior and its consequences.

• The perspective that stresses the influences of unconscious forces on human behavior.

• The perspective that prioritizes genetic factors in shaping personality.

John B. Watson

• Founded behaviorism.

• Developed psychoanalysis.

• Introduced cognitive therapy.

• Pioneered humanistic psychology.

Cognitive activity

• Private, unobservable mental processes such as sensation, perception, thought, and problem solving.

• Observable behaviors that can be measured and quantified.

• Physical actions taken in response to stimuli.

• Emotional responses to external events.

Basic research

• Research conducted for its own sake, without seeking a solution to a specific problem.

• Research aimed at solving a specific issue or problem.

• Research that is primarily focused on commercial applications.

• Research that involves practical experimentation and field studies.

Functionalism

• A school of psychology that focuses on the structure of the mind.

• A school of psychology, founded by William James, that emphasizes the purpose of behavior and mental processes.

• A theory that suggests all behaviors are learned through interaction with the environment.

• A psychological approach that prioritizes unconscious motives and conflicts.