PSY 2012 Study Guide - Spring 2018, Comprehensive Midterm Notes - Memory, Arousal, William James
PSY 2012
MIDTERM EXAM
STUDY GUIDE
Fall 2018
INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY
TEST 1:
1. What is Psychology?
a. Study of:
i. Behavior.
ii. Mental processes.
b. Based on:
i. Empiricism- acquire information by direct observation and measurement
using systematic scientific methods.
2. Goals of Psychology:
a. Description- what does happen and when.
b. Prediction- what will happen and when.
c. Explanation- why will it happen.
d. Change- improve what will happen.
3. The Evolution of the Science of Psychology:
a. Nativism- the philosophical view that certain kinds of knowledge are innate or
io, people hae had-ied koledge ad ailities. PLATO
b. Philosophical Empiricism- the philosophical view that all knowledge is acquired
though epeiee, people stat as a "taula asa o lak state. ARISTOTLE
4. The Mind-Body Problem:
a. Body- material substance. Flesh and blood.
b. Mind- immaterial or spiritual substance, thoughts, feelings; our inner experience.
c. Mind-Body Problem- how are the mind and body connected? How do they
interact?
d. Dualism- how mental activity connects to physical behavior.
e. Argued against Descartes; said the mind is what the brain does. THOMAS HOBBS
5. Linking the mind to the Brain:
a. Franz Joseph Gali (1758-1828)
b. Phrenology- Now defunct theory that specific mental abilities and characteristics
are localized in specific regions of the brain.
c. Pierre Flourens (1794-1867)- surgically removed brain pieces; argues against
Gali’s ethods.
d. Paul Broca (1824-1880)- studied brain-damaged patterns; linked specific part of
brain with specific dysfunction > showed mind and brain are closely linked
localization to ability.
6. Moving toward the Scientific Method:
a. Herman Von Helmholtz (1821-1894)- studied human reaction time; estimated
the length of nerve impulse.
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INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY
b. Stimulus- Sensory input from the environment.
c. Reaction Time- Amount of time taken to respond to a specific stimulus.
7. The Development of Psychology:
a. Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920) University of Leipzig Germany:
i. Created the first psychology lab.
ii. Measured conscious processes.
iii. Independent discipline.
b. Titchener (1867-1927)- Wundt student:
i. Brings structuralism to the U.S.
ii. Studies structure of the conscious mind.
c. Research described dimensions of felling:
i. Pleasure/displeasure.
ii. Tension/relaxation.
iii. Excitement/depression.
d. Methodology introspection- self-efletio ad epot oe’s o thoughts ad
feeligs, osees oe’s o etal state.
e. Method had poles> feeligs a’t e epliated.
8. Psychology and Evolution:
a. Charles Darwin (1809-1882)
i. Natural selection
1. There exists a constant struggle for resources.
2. Nature will favor those traits that promote reproduction and
survival.
3. Environmental changes after evolutions course.
9. Functionalism:
a. William James (1842-1910)- first to use the scientific approach to study
psychology
10. Rejected structure list idea:
a. Consciousness is a stream.
b. Focused on interactions with environment.
11. Beginnings of Clinical Psychology:
a. Sigmund Freud (1856-1939)- worked in clinical setting trying to understand
unconscious experiences; learn about how the mind works by studying why it
breaks and what happens
b. Carl Jung (1875-1961), Alfred Adler (1870-1937); followed but broke away from
Freud.
12. The Humanistic Response:
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