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Early Schools of Thought definitions

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  • Structuralism
    Earliest psychological approach aiming to isolate and analyze the basic elements of conscious thought using introspection.
  • Functionalism
    School of thought emphasizing the adaptive significance of mental processes, inspired by evolutionary theory.
  • Introspection
    Method involving trained participants reporting their moment-to-moment conscious experiences in response to stimuli.
  • Conscious Experience
    Immediate thoughts and sensations a person is aware of following an event or stimulus.
  • Unconscious
    Part of the mind containing thoughts, memories, and desires inaccessible to conscious awareness but influencing behavior.
  • Psychoanalysis
    Therapeutic technique designed to access and resolve unconscious conflicts through extensive dialogue.
  • Natural Selection
    Evolutionary process where traits promoting survival and reproduction become more common in a population over generations.
  • Psychoanalytic Theory
    Perspective focusing on the influence of unconscious motives and early experiences on personality and behavior.
  • Longitudinal Study
    Research method involving repeated observation of the same individuals or groups over extended periods.
  • Individual Differences
    Variations in strategies, behaviors, or traits among people, often overlooked by group-focused research.
  • Hysteria
    Historical diagnosis for unexplained physical or psychological symptoms, often linked to unconscious conflicts.
  • Empirical Evidence
    Data or findings obtained through systematic observation or experimentation, used to support or refute theories.
  • Personality
    Enduring patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that distinguish individuals, explored in psychoanalytic theory.
  • Sensory Experience
    Immediate perceptions resulting from stimulation of the senses, often analyzed in early psychological research.
  • Therapy
    Professional treatment aimed at alleviating psychological distress, with approaches shaped by different schools of thought.