© 2008 the mcgraw-hill companies, inc. understanding psychology 8 th edition by robert s. feldman...
TRANSCRIPT
© 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
UNDERSTANDING PSYCHOLOGY 8th Edition
by Robert S. Feldman
Slides prepared by Kimberly Foreman
© 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Chapter 1: Introduction to Psychology
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Psychology at Work
• The scientific study of behavior and mental processes
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The Subfields of Psychology: Psychology’s Family Tree
• Biopsychology– Specializes in the biological bases of
behavior
• Sensation, perception, learning, and thinking– Experimental Psychology
• Methodological study of sensing, perceiving, learning and thinking
– Cognitive Psychology• Emphasis on higher learning processes
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Subfields of Psychology
• Sources of change and stability in behavior– Developmental psychology
• Changes in behavior over the lifespan (womb to tomb)
– Personality psychology• Examines consistencies in people’s behavior over
time and traits that differentiate us from one other
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Subfields of Psychology
• Physical and mental health– Health Psychology
• Explores relationship between psychological factors and physical ailments or disease
– Clinical Psychology• Investigates diagnosis and treatment of
psychological disorders
– Counseling Psychology• Focuses on educational, social, and career
adjustment problems
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Subfields of Psychology
• Understanding our social networks– Social psychology
• Studies how people are affected by others
– Cross-cultural psychology• Focuses on the similarities and differences in
psychological functioning across cultures and ethnic groups
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Subfields of Psychology
• New frontiers– Clinical neuropsychology
• Focuses on relationships between biological factors and psychological disorders
– Evolutionary psychology• Examines influence of our genetic heritage and our
behavior
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Subfields of Psychology
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The Education of a Psychologist• Doctoral Degrees
– Ph.D– Psy.D
• Master’s Degree
• Bachelor’s Degree
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A Science Evolves: The Past, the Present, and the Future
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The Roots of Psychology
• Historical Forces– “Tabula Rasa”
• John Locke
– Structuralism• Wilhelm Wundt• Uncovering the fundamental mental
components of perception, consciousness, thinking, emotions, and other mental states and activities
• Introspection
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The Roots of Psychology
• Historical Forces– Functionalism
• William James• Moved from structure to what the mind does and
how behavior functions
– Gestalt Psychology• Ebbinghaus and Wertheimer• “The whole is different from the sum of its parts”
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The Roots of Psychology
• Women in psychology: Founding mothers– Leta Stetter Hollingworth
• Child development and women’s issues
– Mary Calkins• First female president of the APA
– Karen Horney• Social and cultural aspects of personality
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The Roots of Psychology
• Women in psychology: Founding mothers– June Etta Downey
• Personality trait theorist
– Anna Freud– Mamie Phipps Clark
• Studied how children of color grew to recognize racial differences
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Today’s Perspectives
• Neuroscience – How people and nonhumans functions
biologically
• Psychodynamic– Behavior is motivated by inner forces and
conflicts
• Behavioral – Focus on observable behavior that can be
measured directly
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Today’s Perspectives
• Cognitive– How people think, understand, and know
about the world
• Humanistic– Free will– Natural tendency to be in control our own
world
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Today’s Perspectives