psychology introduction

INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY

PSYCHOLOGYSYSTEMATIC STUDY

OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND

MENTAL PROCESSES

SYSTEMATIC STUDYINVOLVES SCIENTIFIC PROCEDURES SUCH AS:

DEFINE THE PROBLEM

FORMULATE HYPOTHESIS

PLAN AND DESIGN THE METHOD

IMPLEMENT THE METHOD

•GATHERING OF DATA•ANALYSIS OF THE DATA GATHERED•MAKING OF A CONCLUSION•PUBLISH THE RESULTS OF THE

STUDY

HUMAN BEHAVIORS

REFERS TO THE OVERT AND COVERT BEHAVIORS

OVERT BEHAVIORS – BEHAVIORS THAT CAN BE SEEN AND OBSERVABLE.

COVERT – BEHAVIORS THAT ARE HIDDEN

MENTAL PROCESSESTHINKINGANALYSIS

COMPREHENSIONDAYDREAMING

DREAMS

GOALS OF PSYCHOLOGYDESCRIBE-tell what occurred

EXPLAIN-tells the whyPREDICT-under what conditions is the

behaviour/event likely to occurCONTROL-

how is the principle applied or what change in condition is necessary to prevent unwanted

occurrence or to bring about a desired outcome

DESCRIBEDESCRIBE THE

DIFFERENT WAYS THAT

ORGANISMS BEHAVE.

EXPLAINEXPLAIN HOW

ORGANISMS BEHAVE IN CERTAIN

SITUATIONS.

PREDICTPREDICT WHY

ORGANISMS BEHAVE IN CERTAIN SITUATION

CONTROLCONTROL

UNDESIRABLE BEHAVIORS

SPOTLIGHT EFFECT

FAMILIAR FEELING THAT THE WHOLE

WORLD IS WATCHING YOU.

DR. KENNETH SAVITSKY

PROFESSOR OF PSYCHOLOGY IN ONE OF

THE UNIVERSITIES IN UNITED STATES OF

AMERICA.

FIVE PIONEERING SCHOOLS OF PSYCHOLOGY

1. STRUCTURALISMTHE STUDY OF THE MOST BASIC

ELEMENTS, PRIMARILY SENSATIONS AND PERCEPTIONS THAT MAKE UP

OUR CONSCIOUS MENTAL EXPERIENCES.

WILHELM WUNDT

THE FATHER OF PSYCHOLOGY

INTROSPECTIONGREATEST CONTRIBUTION OF

WUNDT. THIS IS A METHOD WHICH ASKS A PERSON TO VERBALIZE HIS THOUGHTS

AND FEELINGS WITHOUT ANY CENSORSHIP.

ACTIVITYFOR 5 MINUTES. WRITE DOWN ALL

THE THINGS THAT GO THROUGH YOUR MIND NOW. REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO CENSOR

ANYTHING. THEN, ANALYZE WHAT YOU HAVE WRITTEN

WILLIAM JAMESHE VIEWED MENTAL ACTIVITIES AS

HAVING DEVELOPED THROUGH AGES OF EVOLUTION BECAUSE OF

THEIR ADAPTIVE FUNCTIONS SUCH AS HELPING HUMANS SURVIVE.

2. FUNCTIONALISMSTUDY OF THE FUNCTION RATHER

THAN THE STRUCTURE OF CONSCIOUSNESS, WAS

INTERESTED IN HOW MINDS ADAPT TO OUR CHANGING

ENVIRONMENT.

3. GESTALT APPROACHEMPHASIZES THAT PERCEPTION IS

MORE THAN THE SUM OF ITS PARTS AND STUDIED HOW

SENATIONS ARE ASSEMBLED INTO MEANINGFUL PERCEPTUAL

EXPERIENCES.

1.MAX WERTHEIMER

2. WOLFGANG KOHLER

3. KURT KOFFKA

For example, a set of dots outlining the shape of a star is likely to be perceived as a star, not as a set of dots. We tend to complete the figure, make it the way it “should” be, finish it. Like we somehow manage to see this as a "B"...

4. BEHAVIORISM

EMPHASIZED THE OBJECTIVE, SCIENTIFIC

ANALYSIS OF OBSERVABLE BEHAVIORS.

“GIVE ME A DOZEN HEALTHY INFANTS, WELL-FORMED AND MY OWN SPECIAL WORLD TO BRING

THEM UP IN AND I’LL GUARANTEE TO TAKE ONE AT RANDOM AND

TRAIN HIMTO BECOME ANY TYPE OF SPECIALIST I MIGHT SELECT-

DOCTOR, LAWYER, ARTIST, CRIMINAL….”.

JOHN B. WATSON

5. PSYCHOANALYSIS•BASED ON THE BELIEF THAT

CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES GREATLY INFLUENCE THE

DEVELOPMENT OF LATTER PERSONALITY TRAITS AND

PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS.

SIGMUND FREUD

1. REFER TO “SPOTLIGHT EFFECT” AND LIST POSSIBLE BEHAVIORS EXHIBITED BY SOMEBODY WHO SUDDENLY TRIPS

ON A CHAIR WHILE HE/SHE IS INSIDE THE CANTEEN. LIST AT LEAST 5.2. CONTRAST THIS METHOD WITH THE

“INTROSPECTION EXERCISE” WHICH OF THE TWO IS EASIER TO

ACCOMPLISH? WHY?

•Angeliqueart2001@yahoo.co.uk