Fundamentals of Psychology – Interim exam 1 summary (UNIVERSITY OF AMSTERDAM)

The characteristics of knowledge in preliterate societies are know-how without theoretical understanding (1), fluidity of knowledge (2) and the existence of a collection of myths and stories (3). Animism, the explanation of the workings of the world and the universe by means of spirits with human-like characteristics are often used in preliterate societies.

Representation refers to when

Descartes has several important characteristics:

• Introduces the mind-body problem through Cartesian doubt.
• Introduces the interaction problem.
• Dualist; he proposes that the mind is immaterial and the rest is material.
• Nativist; he attempts to prove the existence of God and uses innate knowledge for this.
• Mechanistic thinker; he believes the body can be

In the early 20^th century, psychology is dominated by the unscientific methods mesmerism (1), phrenology (2) and spiritualism (3). Psychologists start to explicitly oppose pseudo-science and the scientificity of psychology becomes a theme.

Positivism states that science is the way to the truth and, therefore, the objectivity of knowledge must be guaranteed. Eugenics refers to a social