CLEP Psychology, CLEP Introductory Psychology 2024

4 principles of psychology --organism, motivation, cognition, competence Began the first experimental psychology lab in 1870 at the University of Leipzig, Germany --Wilhelm Wundt Structuralism --Edward Titchener Examined the structure of the mind, analyzed structure and content of mental states by introspection, and was concerned with reducing experience to its basic parts Functionalism --William James Study of how the mind adapts us to our environment. Influenced by Charles Darwin. Felt conscious experience is adaptive and always changing. Behaviorism --Ivan Pavlov, John B Watson, BF Skinner Stressed the study of observable behavior, not unobservable consciousness. Behavior is assumed to be wholly determined by environmental factors. Psychoanalysis --Sigmund Freud Emphasized the study of unconscious mental processes; argued that people are driven by sexual urges and that the most emotional conflicts date back to early childhood experiences. Gestalt --Max Wertheimer Emphasized perception and that stimuli are perceived as whole entities rather than parts put together, (Whole may be greater than the sum of parts) Humanistic --Carl Rodgers, Abraham Maslow Stressed that humans have enormous potential for personal growth. Emphasized importance of free will, the human ability to make choices, and the uniqueness of the individual. Cognitive --Jean Piaget Studied the internal, mental representations that are used in perceiving, remembering, thinking, and understanding central nervous system --in bone, responsible for processing information and directing actions. peripheral nervous system --nerves no encased in bone, main function to carry messages to and from central nervous system 2 divisions: somatic and autonomic somatic division (also, efferent and afferent) --division of peripheral carries messages inward to the central nervous system from sensory organs (afferent or sensory neurons) and outward (efferent or motor neurons) to the muscles for action. reflex arc --when an afferent message travels to the spinal cord and an efferent message for action immediate returns to the muscle, bypassing the brain autonomic division --involuntary functions. 2 branches: sympathetic and parasympathetic parasympathetic --quiets the body and conserves energy - decrease heart rate sympathetic --activates body for emergencies - releases adrenaline cerebral cortex --outer surface of the brain surrounding the cerebral hemispheres. Small grooves (sulci) and large grooves (fissures) and bulges (gyri). Processes all perceptions and complex thoughts (most recently developed) hindbrain --extension of the spinal cord and oldest portion of the brain medulla --part of the hindbrain, an oblong structure at the top of the spinal cord that controls many vital life-support functions such as breathing. heart rate, and blood pressure pons --part of the hindbrain; located above the medulla, connects the lower brain regions with the higher, important for sleep, dreaming, and arousal cerebellum --part of the hindbrain; located at the rear of the brain and controls movement, coordination, balance, muscle tone, and learning motor skills Reticular Activating System (RAS) --monitors the general level of activity in the hindbrain and maintains a state of arousals, keeps the brain awake even during sleep. Part of reticular formation which extends to the upper border of midbrain Midbrain --it relays sensory information from the spinal cord to the forebrain. Where the upper portion of the RAS is located Forebrain --most developed part of the brain, also the largest cerebrum --largest part of the forebrain; responsible for complex mental activities, 2 cerebral hemispheres, outer surface is the cerebral cortex. 4 major lobes (frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal) temporal lobe --lobe of the cerebrum; contains auditory cortex occipital lobe --lobe of the cerebrum; contains visual cortex parietal lobe --lobe of the cerebrum; somatosensory area that manages skin senses frontal lobe --lobe of the cerebrum; controls voluntary movement, includes motor cortex limbic system --part of forebrain, controls emotion, motivation, memory amygdala and hippocampus corpus callosum --enormous communication network that connects left and right cerebral hemispheres thalamus --part of forebrain; relays and translates information from all of the sense except smell to higher parts of the brain hypothalamus --part of forebrain; major role in biological drives, hunger thirst, body temperature regulates pituitary gland Psychologists who are interested in behavioral similarities and differences between species are a. biological psychologists.