Term 1: Key Concepts in Psychology and Philosophy of Science, Quizzes of History of Psychology

Download Term 1: Key Concepts in Psychology and Philosophy of Science and more Quizzes History of Psychology in PDF only on Docsity! TERM 1 Presentism DEFINITION 1 implies that the present state of psychology (a discipline) represents its highest state of development and that earlier events led directly to this state. In this view, the present state of psychology is the best. TERM 2 Historicism DEFINITION 2 the study of the past for its own sake without attempting to show the relationship between the past and present). Does not assume that the present state of psychology is necessarily the best. TERM 3 Great-Person Approach DEFINITION 3 view that historical progress occurs through the actions of great persons who are able to synthesize events, and by their own efforts change the path of those events toward some innovation. Emphasizes the work of individuals such as Plato, Descartes, Freud etc TERM 4 ZEITGEIST DEFINITION 4 Spirit of the times. The times were right for something to develop/emerge. Argues that events by themselves have a momentum that permit the right person at the right time to express an innovation. (Brennan) Emphasizes the influence of non-psychological factors as developments in other sciences, political climate, technological advancement, and economic conditions. TERM 5 CORRELATIONAL LAWS DEFINITION 5 describe how classes of events vary together in some systematic way. Allow prediction TERM 6 CAUSAL LAWS DEFINITION 6 specify how events are causally related. Allow prediction and control TERM 7 DETERMINISM DEFINITION 7 assumption that what is being studied can be understood in terms of causal laws. Everything that occurs does so because of a known or knowable cause. There are knowable causes that precede an event. TERM 8 RATIONALISTS DEFINITION 8 believe that mental operations or principles must be employed before knowledge can be attained. The validity or invalidity of certain propositions can be determined by carefully applying the rules of logic. TERM 9 EMPIRICISTS DEFINITION 9 maintain that the source of all knowledge is sensory observation/experience TERM 10 PHYSICAL DETERMINISM DEFINITION 10 stresses material (physical/tangible) causes of behavior. o The causes are all directly measurable/quantifiable. o They include biological, environmental, & sociological. TERM 21 PUZZLE SOLVING DEFINITION 21 normal science is like puzzle solving in that the problems (i.e., research questions) worked on are specified by a paradigm, the problems have guaranteed solutions, and certain rules must be followed in arriving at those solutions. TERM 22 ANOMALIES DEFINITION 22 violations of expectation. Persistent observations that a currently accepted paradigm cannot explain. TERM 23 PREPARADIGMATIC STAGE DEFINITION 23 stage during which puzzle-solving activity called normal science occurs. TERM 24 REVOLUTIONARY STAGE DEFINITION 24 stage during which existing paradigms are replaced by another paradigm. TERM 25 MECHANISM DEFINITION 25 Heliocentric Theory TERM 26 VITALISM DEFINITION 26 life can never be completely reduced to material things and mechanical laws. Sometimes refers to the notion of the soul or spirit. TERM 27 NATIVISM DEFINITION 27 emphasizes the role of inheritance in their explanation of the origins of various human attributes. Nativists argue that some knowledge is innate. TERM 28 EPISTEMOLOGY DEFINITION 28 The study of the nature of knowledge. TERM 29 MONISTS DEFINITION 29 they attempt to explain everything in terms of one type of reality (e.g., matter, human consciousness etc). TERM 30 MATERIALISTS DEFINITION 30 attempt to explain everything in physical terms; so even the so-called mental events are ultimately explained by the laws of physics or chemistry. They believe that matter is the only reality, and therefore everything in the universe, including the behavior or organisms, must be explained in terms of matter. TERM 31 DUALISTS DEFINITION 31 accept the existence of both physical and mental events and assume that the two are governed by different principles. TERM 32 IRRATIONALISM DEFINITION 32 In contrast to rationalism, irrationalism is contrary to reason. Often emphasizes emotion/feeling, faith, unconscious etc. TERM 33 THEORY OF FORMS DEFINITION 33 everything in the empirical/physical world is a manifestation of a pure form (idea) that existed in the abstract. TERM 34 REMINISCENCE THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE DEFINITION 34 all knowledge is innate and can only be attained through introspection. TERM 35 INDUCTION DEFINITION 35 The method of reasoning that is observation driven. It says that knowledge is acquired through observation and the senses. TERM 46 HUMANISM DEFINITION 46 intense interest in humans. TERM 47 GEOCENTRIC THEORY DEFINITION 47 the sun, moon, and planets travel around earth in orbits that are circular and uniform. TERM 48 Heliocentric Theory DEFINITION 48 the sun is the center of the universe (not the earth) TERM 49 PRIMARY QUALITIES DEFINITION 49 These qualities are absolute, objective, unchangeable, and capable of precise mathematical description. Galileo drew a sharp distinction between objective and subjective reality. Attributes of objective reality were later called primary qualities. Primary qualities constitute physical reality (quantity, shape, size, position, and motion. They are tangible, measurable, and quantifiable. TERM 50 SECONDARY QUALITIES DEFINITION 50 (aka subjective qualities)These qualities are subjective and relative (depend on the context). Galileo drew a sharp distinction between objective and subjective reality. TERM 51 INDUCTION DEFINITION 51 The method of reasoning that moves from the particular to the general. After a large number of individual instances are observed, a theme or principle common to all of them might be inferred TERM 52 DEDUCTION DEFINITION 52 The method of reasoning y which conclusions must follow from certain assumptions, principles, or concepts. If there are five people in a room, for example, one can deduce that there are also four,