psychology chapter 1. why study psychology? through the study of psychology, people can discover...
TRANSCRIPT
PSYCHOLOGY
Chapter 1
Why Study Psychology?
Through the study of psychology, people can discover psychological principles that have the potential to enrich the lives of humans.
Gaining insight into behavior Psychology can provide useful insight into
behavior Example
You may not be shy all the time You may just be uncomfortable in certain
situations.
Acquiring Practical Information You may learn how you are shaping the
behavior of those around you You may learn how development in your
past impact your actions today You may learn why you have certain fears
or anxieties
Overview of Psychology Psychology is the scientific study of
behavior and mental processes Psychology covers everything people
Think Feel Do
The study of behavior is systematic
Goals of Psychology Describe Behavior Explain Behavior
Develop a hypothesis Develop a theory
Predict Behavior Influence Behavior
Basic science – short-term/long-term studies Applied science – using psychological principle to
solve more immediate problems
The scientific basis of Psychology Scientific Method – psychologists used this
to make sure they are collecting and analyzing data accurately
William Wundt set up the first psychological laboratory in Germany in 1879 Said psychology was two kinds of elements
Sensations Feelings
Wundt’s beliefs led to the theory of introspection or the SCIENTIFIC METHOD
A Brief History of Psychology
The Origins of Psychology Greeks
5th and 6th Centuries Decided people were not dominated by the gods,
but by their own minds – people were rational Tried to interpret the world through human
perceptions Set the stage for the sciences, including
psychology, by using observation
Copernicus – mid 1500s Earth was not the center of the universe, it
revolved around the sun
Galileo – 1500s & 1600s Used a telescope to confirm predictions about
star position and movement based on Copernicus’s works.
17th Century Philosophers gave us DUALISM The mind and body are separate and distinct Descartes disagreed
The mind controlled the body’s movements, sensations and perceptions
Mind and body work together to influence each other and create a person’s experiences
Modern science began to emerge by combining philosophers’ reflections, logic, and mathematics with the observations and inventiveness of practical people.
19th Century – biologists announced the discovery of cells as the modern building blocks of life
Chemists developed the periodic table of elements Physicists made great progress in our
understanding of atomic forces Natural scientists were studying complex
phenomena by reducing them to simpler parts Psychology was formed
Historical Approaches Structuralism (Wundt) – established his
Laboratory of Psychology Became known as the founder of modern
psychology Wundt was interested in the basic elements of
the human mind Introspection is self-observation where Wundt
tried to map out the basic structure of thought processes
Functionalism – William James – father of psychology in the U.S. Wrote the first Psychology textbook, The
Principles of Psychology, in 1890 Theorized that all activities of the mind serve one
major function To help us survive as a species
Focused on the functions or actions of the conscious mind and the goals or purposes of behaviors
Functionalists study how animals and people adapt to their environments
Inheritable Traits – Sir Francis Galton – mathematician and scientist – wanted to understand how heredity influenced a person’s abilities, character, and behavior Traced ancestry of famous people and found
that greatness runs in families – thus genius or eminence is hereditary
Invented tests to assess the abilities and characteristics of a wide range of people – these are the forerunners of today’s personality and intelligence tests
Faults found because it was discovered that heredity and environment impact how a person behaves
Gestalt Psychology German scientists: Wertheimer, Kohler, and
Kofka argued that perception is more than the sum of its parts – it involves a whole pattern – Gestalt in German
The studied how sensations are assembled into perceptual experiences
This is the forerunner for cognitive approaches to Psycholody
Contemporary Approaches Psychoanalytic Psychology – Freud – was
interested in the unconscious mind Biological urges conflict with society and
morality Used free association to delve into his patients
minds Psychoanalyst’s role was to be objective – just
sit and listen then interpret the associations
Behavioral Approach – Pavlov – behavior can be influenced by conditioned responses Pavlov’s Dogs Experiment Psychologists who wanted to investigate
observable behavior became known as Behaviorists
Watson said psychology should only concern itself with observable facts
Skinner came up with the concept of reinforcement
Humanistic Psychology – Maslow, Rogers, & May – each person is unique and has a self-concept and potential to develop fully
Cognitive Psychology – Piaget, Chomsky, & Fetinger – focuses on how we process, store, and use information; how this information influences our thinking, language, problem solving, and creativity They believe behavior is more than a simple
response to a stimulus.
Biological Psychology – emphasizes the impact of biology on our behavior Psychobiologists study how the brain, the nervous
system, hormones, and genetics influence our behavior PET scans CAT scans
Sociocultural Psychology – The newest approach, studies the influence of cultural and ethnic similarities and differences on behavior and social functioning Also study the impact of immigration and integration in
the U.S. society Look at gender and socioeconomic status
Psychology as a Profession
Psychologists are trained to observe, analyze, and evaluate behavior patterns to develop theories of behavior, and to apply what they have learned to influence behavior
What is a psychologist? Psychologists are people who have been
trained to observe, analyze, and evaluate behavior
Psychiatry is a specialty of medicine – where one learns to treat people with disturbed behavior
Clinical Psychologists help people deal with their personal problems Private offices Mental hospitals Prisons Clinics
Counseling Psychologists usually work in schools or industrial firms advising and assisting people with the problems of everyday life.
Developmental Psychologists study physical, emotional, cognitive, and social changes that occur throughout life Educational Psychologists Community Psychologists Industrial/Organizational Psychologists
Educational Psychologists deal with topics related to teaching children and young adults Intelligence Memory Problem solving Specialists
Evaluate teaching methods, devise tests Develop new instructional devises
Community Psychologists may work in a mental health or social welfare agency operated by the state or local government or by a private organization May help design, run, or evaluate mental
health clinic Industrial/Organizational Psychologists are
employed by business firms and government agencies They study and develop methods to
Boost production Improve working conditions Place applicants in jobs they are best suited for Reduce accidents
Environmental Psychologists work in business settings or within the government to study the effects of the environment on people.
Forensic Psychologists work in legal, court and correctional systems. They help police by developing personality profiles of
criminal offenders or help law enforcement understand problems like abuse
Health Psychologists study the interaction between physical and psychological health factors Stress Depression How stress and depression lead to physical ailments
Experimental Psychologists perform experiments to understand how humans and animals operate physically and psychologically
American Psychological Association (APA) founded in 1892 is a scientific and professional society of psychologists and educators