PSY 101 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1-1: Hermann Von Helmholtz, Wilhelm Wundt, Folk Psychology
KEY
people--BLUE
works/ideas/beliefs/theories--ORANGE
importance--YELLOW
Psychology: the scientific study of behaviors of things that you can see, but also hidden behavior (aka
the scientific study of the mind)
• Mental processes
o Thinking
o Emotions
o Motivation
o Etc.
"Armchair Psychology"
• What early psychologists did to try to explain people's behavior
• Aka folk psychology
Founders of the science of psychology
• William James (1842-1910)
• Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920)
Psychology appears among the 7 major areas of science
• Psychology
• Social sciences
• Mathematics
• Physics
• Chemistry
• Earth sciences
• Medicine
Cognitive psychology: the thinking mind
Abnormal psychology: the troubled mind
Behavior: any action that we can observe
Introspection: the personal observation of your own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors
• Difficult for others to confirm your introspections
René Descartes (1596-1650)
• Philosopher
• Argued that ideas and emotions were innate or inborn
Aristotle (384-322 BCE)
• Philosopher
• Believed that all knowledge is gained through sensory experience
Empiricism
• Empiricists viewed the mind as a "blank state" at birth that was filled with ideas gained by
observing the world
Hermann von Helmholtz (1821-1894)
Document Summary
Psychology: the scientific study of behaviors of things that you can see, but also hidden behavior (aka the scientific study of the mind: mental processes, thinking, emotions, motivation, etc. "armchair psychology: what early psychologists did to try to explain people"s behavior, aka folk psychology. Founders of the science of psychology: william james (1842-1910, wilhelm wundt (1832-1920) Psychology appears among the 7 major areas of science. Social sciences: psychology, mathematics, physics, chemistry, earth sciences, medicine. Introspection: the personal observation of your own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors: difficult for others to confirm your introspections. Ren descartes (1596-1650: philosopher, argued that ideas and emotions were innate or inborn. Aristotle (384-322 bce: philosopher, believed that all knowledge is gained through sensory experience. Empiricism: empiricists viewed the mind as a "blank state" at birth that was filled with ideas gained by observing the world. Key people--blue works/ideas/beliefs/theories--orange importance--yellow: worked on reaction time, helped establish the mind as something that could be studied scientifically.
