Chapter 1: Foundations of Psychology

Psychology is the scientific study of the human mind and behavior. It is not mere “mind reading” but a discipline that seeks to discover universal laws through objective observation and experimentation.

1. Major Schools and Perspectives in Psychology

Psychology has developed various perspectives for observing humans over time.

School	Key Figures	Core Concept	Emphasis
Psychoanalysis	Freud	==Unconscious==, Childhood	Internal conflict and instinctual drives
Behaviorism	Watson, Skinner	==Stimulus-Response (S-R)==	Observable behavior and learning
Cognitivism	Piaget, Neisser	==Information Processing==	Humans as “thinking beings”
Humanism	Rogers, Maslow	==Self-actualization==	Human potential and free will

2. Core Keywords of Modern Psychology

(1) Metacognition

Often described as “thinking about thinking,” it is the awareness of one’s own cognitive processes. The ability to distinguish between what you know and what you don’t is key to learning and problem-solving.

(2) Mind-Body Connection

The perspective that mental states influence physical health and, conversely, that the physical state of the brain determines emotions and thoughts.

3. Research Methods in Psychology

Experimental Method: The most scientific method for establishing cause-and-effect by controlling variables.
Observation Method: Recording behavior in natural settings.
Case Study: Deeply analyzing unique cases (e.g., patients with specific brain damage).

Key Checklist

Which school of psychology claims that human behavior is determined by the ‘unconscious’? (Answer: Psychoanalysis)
What is the intellectual ability to objectively perceive and regulate one’s own cognitive processes? (Answer: Metacognition)
Which psychological perspective emphasizes only the relationship between observable ‘stimulus’ and ‘response’? (Answer: Behaviorism)

Foundations of Psychology & Human Behavior