introduction to psychology philosophical foundations of the psychological sciences
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Introduction to Psychology Introduction to Psychology
Philosophical Foundations Philosophical Foundations of the Psychological of the Psychological
SciencesSciences
What comes to mind when you What comes to mind when you think of psychology?think of psychology?
Common myths from Common myths from psychological psuedo-sciencepsychological psuedo-science
•Our lives are determined by our Our lives are determined by our childhood experiences (it’s all childhood experiences (it’s all Mom’s fault)Mom’s fault)
•Our desires are hidden in our Our desires are hidden in our unconscious and emerge in our unconscious and emerge in our dreams dreams
Science can answer some Science can answer some questions but not othersquestions but not others
• The best things in life are free.The best things in life are free.
• Shakespeare’s Shakespeare’s Richard IIIRichard III is a better is a better play than play than Romeo and Juliet. Romeo and Juliet.
• The death penalty is wrong.The death penalty is wrong.
• There is a genetic predisposition to There is a genetic predisposition to schizophrenia.schizophrenia.
• Attitudes affect the course of cancer.Attitudes affect the course of cancer.
• 2 + 2 = 42 + 2 = 4
Folk wisdom can be Folk wisdom can be contradictorycontradictory
• ““Opposites attract” vs “birds of a Opposites attract” vs “birds of a feather flock together”feather flock together”
• ““Better safe than sorry” vs “nothing Better safe than sorry” vs “nothing ventured, nothing gained”ventured, nothing gained”
• ““Look before you leap” vs “he who Look before you leap” vs “he who hesitates is lost”hesitates is lost”
• ““Absence makes the heart grow Absence makes the heart grow fonder” vs “out of sight, out of mind”fonder” vs “out of sight, out of mind”
True or False?True or False?
• Opposites generally attractOpposites generally attract
• We use only 10 percent of our brain powerWe use only 10 percent of our brain power
• If you don’t vent your anger you’ll If you don’t vent your anger you’ll ‘explode’‘explode’
• Most of us suffer from low self-esteemMost of us suffer from low self-esteem
• Talking about your depression only makes Talking about your depression only makes it worseit worse
• Women crave chocolate when they have Women crave chocolate when they have PMSPMS
Psychology is:Psychology is:
• A set of questionsA set of questions
• A set of theories and procedures for A set of theories and procedures for asking and answering questionsasking and answering questions
• A product of historyA product of history
What is psychology?What is psychology?
•The science of behavior and The science of behavior and mental processesmental processes
•Also…Also…
•ExplanationExplanation
•UnderstandingUnderstanding
•Scientific investigationScientific investigation
Before Psychology:Before Psychology:A classical view of the A classical view of the body’s control centersbody’s control centers
• Liver Liver metabolic processes metabolic processes
• Heart Heart emotions & perception emotions & perception
• Brain Brain thought & reason thought & reason
Personality determined by Personality determined by bodily fluidsbodily fluids
The theory of HumorsThe theory of Humors
• Black bile Black bile moodymoody
• BloodBlood optimisticoptimistic
• Yellow bileYellow bile hot-temperedhot-tempered
• PhlegmPhlegm passivepassive
Philosophical developmentsPhilosophical developments
• DescartesDescartes– Dualism: human body contains 2 distinct Dualism: human body contains 2 distinct
entities:entities:•Material bodyMaterial body
•Mind/soulMind/soul
– What separates man from animals is What separates man from animals is thought (which requires having a soul)thought (which requires having a soul)
• Soul and mind are used interchangeably, Soul and mind are used interchangeably, here.here.
Mind-body movieMind-body movie
Problems with DescartesProblems with Descartes
• How can a non-material entity (soul/mind) How can a non-material entity (soul/mind) have a material effect on the body?have a material effect on the body?
• How can the body follow natural laws, yet How can the body follow natural laws, yet be moved by a mind that does not?be moved by a mind that does not?
• Precludes a scientific investigation of the Precludes a scientific investigation of the mind.mind.
Hobbes: MaterialismHobbes: Materialism• Basic axiom: everything (behavior, Basic axiom: everything (behavior,
thought, etc.) can be understood in terms thought, etc.) can be understood in terms of the body’s physical processes, of the body’s physical processes, especially the brain.especially the brain.
– Sort of the anti-DescartesSort of the anti-Descartes
– Paved the way for empiricismPaved the way for empiricism
– Founder of materialismFounder of materialism
Roots of PsychologyRoots of Psychology
Rationalism Empiricism
Emphasis on theory
Emphasis on data
Philosophy
Psychology
Emphasis on reason and logic
Emphasis on data
Willhelm WundtWillhelm Wundt
• Considered the founder of scientific Considered the founder of scientific psychologypsychology
• Interested in the speed of mental Interested in the speed of mental processesprocesses– Used reaction-time tests to determine Used reaction-time tests to determine
the amount of time it took to perform the amount of time it took to perform cognitive tasks.cognitive tasks.
– Basis for cognitive psychologyBasis for cognitive psychology
Wilhelm WundtWilhelm Wundt• "we learn little about our minds from "we learn little about our minds from
casual, haphazard self-observation...It is casual, haphazard self-observation...It is essential that observations be made by essential that observations be made by trained observers under carefully trained observers under carefully specified conditions for the purpose of specified conditions for the purpose of answering a well-defined question answering a well-defined question
Experimental Psychology Experimental Psychology Begins with StructuralismBegins with Structuralism• Edward Titchener used methods such Edward Titchener used methods such
as introspection to develop a new as introspection to develop a new school of thought that became known school of thought that became known as as structuralismstructuralism. .
• The basic idea of The basic idea of structuralism structuralism is is that conscious experience can be that conscious experience can be studied when it is broken down into its studied when it is broken down into its underlying components or elements.underlying components or elements.
• Focused on sensation using Focused on sensation using introspectionintrospection
Rules of IntrospectionRules of Introspection• 1. Be impartial. Do not form a preconceived idea of 1. Be impartial. Do not form a preconceived idea of
what you are going to find by the experiment; do not what you are going to find by the experiment; do not hope or expect to find this or that process. Take hope or expect to find this or that process. Take consciousness as it is.consciousness as it is.
• 2. Be attentive. Do not speculate as to what you are 2. Be attentive. Do not speculate as to what you are doing or why you are doing it, as to its value or doing or why you are doing it, as to its value or uselessness, during the experiment. Take the uselessness, during the experiment. Take the experiment seriously.experiment seriously.
• 3. Be comfortable. Do not begin to introspect till all 3. Be comfortable. Do not begin to introspect till all the conditions are satisfactory; do not work if you the conditions are satisfactory; do not work if you feel nervous or irritated, if the chair is too high or feel nervous or irritated, if the chair is too high or the table too low for you, if you have a cold or a the table too low for you, if you have a cold or a headache. Take the experiment pleasantly.headache. Take the experiment pleasantly.
• 4. Be perfectly fresh. Stop working the moment that 4. Be perfectly fresh. Stop working the moment that you feel tired or jaded. Take the experiment you feel tired or jaded. Take the experiment vigorously.vigorously.
What are the problems with the What are the problems with the method of introspection?method of introspection?
• The problem The problem with this approach is that with this approach is that experience is experience is subjective.subjective.
• Each person brings to introspection a Each person brings to introspection a unique perceptual system, and it is unique perceptual system, and it is difficult to determine whether subjects are difficult to determine whether subjects are using the criteria in a similar way. using the criteria in a similar way.
• Accordingly over the course of time Accordingly over the course of time introspection was largely abandoned in introspection was largely abandoned in psychology.psychology.
Functionalism Addresses Functionalism Addresses the Purpose of Behaviorthe Purpose of Behavior
• FunctionalismFunctionalism, was more concerned , was more concerned with how the mind operates than with with how the mind operates than with what the mind contains. what the mind contains.
• The mind came into existence over The mind came into existence over the course of human evolution, and it the course of human evolution, and it works the way it does because it is works the way it does because it is useful for preserving life and passing useful for preserving life and passing along genes to future generationsalong genes to future generations
William James and William James and FunctionalismFunctionalism
• Inspired by biology, DarwinismInspired by biology, Darwinism•What is the purpose of the What is the purpose of the
behavior?behavior?– Focused on the purpose and function of the Focused on the purpose and function of the
mind.mind.
•Behaviors serve “adaptive” functionBehaviors serve “adaptive” function• Influenced by DarwinInfluenced by Darwin• Paid lip service to the experimental Paid lip service to the experimental
method, but relied on introspectionmethod, but relied on introspection
William JamesWilliam James
A great many people think they are thinking A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their when they are merely rearranging their prejudices. prejudices.
Believe that life is worth living and your belief Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact. will help create the fact.
The greatest discovery of any generation is The greatest discovery of any generation is that a human being can alter his life by that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitude. altering his attitude.
Gestalt PsychologyGestalt Psychology• Mind must be understood in terms of Mind must be understood in terms of
organized wholes, not parts.organized wholes, not parts.– Looking at a duck, you first recognize it as Looking at a duck, you first recognize it as
“duck”, not a collection of wings, feathers, and “duck”, not a collection of wings, feathers, and a bill.a bill.
Gestalt Psychology Gestalt Psychology Emphasizes Patterns and Emphasizes Patterns and Context in LearningContext in Learning
Psychodynamic ApproachPsychodynamic Approach
Founded by Freud Emphasizes unconscious motivations (often sexual) & early childhood experiences
3 levels of mind3 levels of mind
Id
Ego
Superego
BehaviorismBehaviorism
•Took over psychology for the Took over psychology for the first half of the 20first half of the 20thth century century
•Experience “reinforces” behaviorExperience “reinforces” behavior
•Possessed scientific qualitiesPossessed scientific qualities
Behaviorist ApproachBehaviorist Approach
Skinner(“smiling”)
Watson
•Rejected Freud’s dependence on unobservable phenomena
• Should study directly observable behaviors
Displaced behaviorism Focuses on ability to acquire, organize, remember, and use knowledge to guide behavior Magic number 7
George MillerCognitive ApproachCognitive Approach
Modern PsychologyModern Psychology
•Return to cognitive psychology in Return to cognitive psychology in late 20late 20thth century century
•Cognition = mental processingCognition = mental processing
•Fundamental cognitive abilitiesFundamental cognitive abilities
Current fields in psychologyCurrent fields in psychology
•BiopsychologyBiopsychology
•CognitiveCognitive
•DevelopmentalDevelopmental
•HealthHealth
•ClinicalClinical
•SocialSocial
•EvolutionaryEvolutionary
