PS101 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: B. F. Skinner, Wilhelm Wundt, Clinical Psychology
Document Summary
Psychology: the discipline concerned with behaviour and mental processes and how they are affected by an organisms physical state, mental state, and external environment. Empirical: relying on or derived from observation, experimentation, or measurement. Psychobabble: pseudoscience and quackery covered by a veneer of psychological and scientific sounding language, pseudoscience promises easy fix to life challenges. Belief in unscientific approaches widespread, even in advanced countries: 1/3 and canadians and americans believe in astrology, often meaningless. Psychobabble persists as it gives people a sense of control and predictability. Confirms existing beliefs and prejudices, scientific psychology challenges them. Ask questions/willing to wonder: be curious, to wonder, to inquire. Define your terms: definition makes all the difference, bullying being mistreated once, or physically attacked and threatened. Examine the evidence: accepting conclusions without evidence, or expecting others to, sure sign of laziness, sometimes checking reliability not reasonable, reliable authorities exercise critical thinking, share evidence, don"t pressure others.
