Image courtesy Ferrum College

The scientific study of the behavior of living things.

What is Psychology? Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and

mental processes of living things

Scientific? Not just common sense or guesses Scientific method

Behavior – what people do on the outside

Mental Processes –cognition.

Living Things - Psychology includes the study of both humans and animals

Essential Question:

How do the different approaches to psychology compare and contrast?

Approaches to the field of Psychology

1. Psychodynamic

2. Cognitive

3. Behavioral

4. Humanistic

5. Neurobiological

6. Social

7. Evolutionary

How would one explain the behavior of Dennis Rodman?

Psychodynamic Psychology

Personality theory that says behavior springs from unconscious drives and conflicts

Unconscious is a dynamic cauldron of primitive drives, forbidden desires and nameless fears

Psychoanalysis – patient lies on a couch and recounts dreams and conducts free association.

Sigmund Freud

Cognitive Psychology

School of psychology that studies mental processesThinking, feeling, remembering, making

decisions and judgments Studies how we encode, process, store,

and retrieve information. Studies behavior and makes inferences

about the mental processes behind the behavior

Thanks to new technologies like CAT scans, MRIs and fMRIs, we can open the black box.

Behavioral

Studies observable behavior focusing on how we learn, react and manipulate our environment. 

We learn observable responses through conditioning.

Mind is a BLACK BOX. Can’t see it? Don’t study it. Big names

Pavlov – Dogs Watson – Little Albert Skinner – Operant Conditioning

Self-concept?Self-talk?Feelings?

Decision Making Process?

Humanistic Psychology Emphasizes nonverbal experiences and altered

states of consciousness as a means of realizing one’s full human potential

Importance of love, belonging, human potential, and self-esteem.

Abraham Maslow, Carl Roberts

Biological Psychology Investigates the biological basis of human

behavior, thoughts and emotions. Looks at effect of biological mechanisms.BrainNeurotransmittersHormonesDrugs (both legal and illegal)Gender differences in brain structure and

function

Sociocultural Psychology Study of how people influence one another Topics include:

First impressionsInterpersonal attractionAttitude formationPrejudiceBehavior in a groupObedience to Authority

Some Applications include:Support groupsFamily TherapySensitivity Training

Why are some people considered beautiful?

Evolutionary Psychology Asks the question: How did our species get to be the

way we are?Language – Why do we talk?Altruism – Why are we nice to each other?Sexual attraction / mate selection – Why are some people

considered beautiful?

Answers these questions by looking at what would most help us pass on our genetic code.

Very concerned with reproduction!

Careers in Psychology

1. Clinical and counseling

2. Developmental

3. Educational

4. Experimental

5. Human factors

6. Industrial–organizational

7. Personality

8. Psychometric

1. Clinical and Counseling Psychology

About 50% of all Psychologists.

Counseling psychologists dealvwith “normal” problems, such as stress caused by career change or marital problems

Counseling psychologist’s focus more on the psychologically healthy individual where clinical focuses on individuals with serious mental illness (e.g. schizophrenia).

Clinical psychologists are concerned with diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders

Split time between treatment and researching the cause of psychological disorders and the effectiveness of different types of psychotherapy and counseling.

2. Developmental Psychology Study of physical and mental growth

from birth to old age study of changing abilities from womb to

tomb Subfields

Child psychologyAdolescent psychologyLife-span psychology

3. Educational Psychology

School Psychologist psychological evaluations consult with school personnel in relation to

students’ learning, behavior, and environments

they are trained to look at the effectiveness of academic programs, classroom agendas, and treatment interventions, which assists in the development of specific interventions.

4. Experimental Psychology Design research experiments May or may not have a direct impact on the

treatment of patients Animal subjects Drug trials

5. Human Factors The science of understanding the properties of

human capability (Human Factors Science). The application of this understanding to the

design, development and deployment of systems and services (Human Factors Engineering).

The art of ensuring successful application of Human Factors Engineering to a programme (sometimes referred to as Human Factors Integration).It can also be called ergonomics.

6. Industrial and Organizational Psychology Study of psychological principles in

industry and business Examples

Selecting and training personnelProductivity improvementOptimizing working conditionsManaging the impact of automation on

workers

7. Personality Psychology Study of how people differ from one

another on traits such asConscientiousnessAgreeablenessNeuroticismOpennessExtraversion

7. Psychometrics

Test creation Validity Reliablity Culture fair Statistics

Psychiatry

A branch of medicine dealing with psychological disorders

Practiced by physicians who sometimes use medical (for example, drug) treatments as well as psychotherapy

Licenses in Psychology

Psychologists - Ph.D., Psy.D. Psychiatrists - M.D. Psychoanalysts - M.D. or Ph.D. Social Workers (M.S.W.) - LSW Marriage Family Therapists - M.A.