Psychology Glossary

Discovery is defined as the pre-trial procedure whereby opposing sides supply information to each other.

In the context of psychology, discovery refers to the process of uncovering or learning new information, often through scientific research or empirical observation. Discoveries can range from small, incremental findings to groundbreaking, paradigm-shifting insights.

Here are a few examples of discoveries in psychology:

1. Pavlov's discovery of classical conditioning: Ivan Pavlov was a Russian physiologist who discovered classical conditioning, a type of learning where an organism learns to associate a neutral stimulus with a reflex response. His discovery, made in the early 1900s while studying dogs, laid the foundation for modern behaviorism.

2. Milgram's discovery of obedience to authority: In the 1960s, Stanley Milgram conducted a series of experiments in which participants were instructed to administer electric shocks to another person as part of a supposed "learning experiment." Milgram discovered that many people were willing to obey the experimenter's instructions even when they conflicted with their own moral beliefs.

3. Harlow's discovery of attachment in primates: In the 1950s and 60s, Harry Harlow conducted a series of controversial experiments on rhesus monkeys to study attachment and social isolation. His findings showed that infant monkeys would choose a soft, cloth-covered surrogate mother over a wire one with a bottle, even when the wire mother provided food. This discovery helped to shape our understanding of the importance of social and emotional bonding in early development.

4. Loftus's discovery of the misinformation effect: Elizabeth Loftus is a cognitive psychologist who has made important discoveries about the ways in which memory can be influenced by outside factors. Her research on the misinformation effect shows that people's memories can be distorted or altered by subtle cues or suggestions, leading them to remember events that never actually occurred.

These are just a few examples of the many discoveries that have been made in psychology over the years. Discoveries in psychology have important implications for understanding human behavior, and can inform interventions and treatments for a range of mental health issues.