The science of psychology (Kap 1)

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• Psychology The scientific study of behaviour and the mind
• Basic research Reflects the quest for knowlegde purely for its own sake
• applied research designed to solve specific, practical problems
• Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) excessive disproportionate anxiety about several different aspects of life
• mind-body dualism the belief that the mind is a spiritual entity not subject to physical laws that govern the body
• monism hold that mind and body are one and that the mind is not a separate spiritual entity
• empiricism held that all ideas and knowlegde are gained empirically, that is, through senses
• structuralism the analysis of the mind in terms of its basic elements
• functionalism held that psychology should study the functions of consciousness rather than its structure
• psychodynamic perspective searches for the causes of behaviour within the inner workings of our personality (our unique pattern of traits, emotions and motives), emphasazing the role of unconscious processes
• psychoanalysis the analysis of internal and primarily unconscious psychological forces
• decende mechanism psychological techniques that help us cope with anxiety and the pain of traumatic experiences
• object relations theories focus on how early experiences with caregivers shape the views that people form themselves and others
• behavioural perspective focuses on the role of the external environment in governing our actions
• behaviourism school of thought that emphasizes environmental control of behaviour through learning
• cognitive behaviourism proposes that learning experiences and the environment influence our expectations and other thoughts, and in turn our thoughts influence how we behave
• humanistic perspective (humanism) emphasized free will, personal growth and the attempt to find meaning in ones existence
• positive psychology movement emphasizes the study of human strengths, fulfilment and optimal living
• cognitive perspective examines the nature of the mind and how mental processes influence behaviour
• gestalt psychology examines how elements of exoerience are organized into wholes
• cognitive psychology focuses on the study of mental processes and embodies the cognitive perspective
• cognitive neuroscience uses sophisticated electrical recording and brain-imaging techniques to examine brain activity while people engage in cognitive tasks
• social constructivism maintains that what we consider ´reality´ is largely our own mental creation
• sociocultural perspective examines how the social encironment and cultural learning influence our behaviour, thoughts and feelings
• culture the enduring values, beliefs, behaviours and traditions that are shared by a large group of people and passed from one generation to the next
• norms rules (often unwritten) that specify what behaviour is acceptable and expected for members of a group
• socialization the process by which culture is transmitted to new members and internalized by them
• behaviour genetics the study of how behavioural tendencies are influenced by genetic factors
• cross-culture psychology explores how culture is transmitted to its members and examines psychological similarities and differences among people from diverse cultures
• individualistic an emphasis on personal goals and seld-identity based primarily on ones own attributes and achievements
• collectivist individual goals are subordinated to those of the group, and personal identity is defined largely by the ties that bind one to the extended family and other social groups
• biological perspective examines how brain processes and other bodily functions regulate behaviour
• behaviour neuroscience examines brain processes and other psychological functions that underlie our behaviour, sensory experiences, emotions and thoughts
• natural selection if an inherited trait gives certain members an advantage over others there members will be more likely to survive and pass these characteristics on to their offsprings
• neurotransmitters chemicals released by nerve cells that allow them to communicate with one another
• evolutionary psychology a growing discipline that seeks to explain how evolution shaped modern human behaviour
• interaction the way in which one factor influences behaviour depends on the presence of another factor

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