Intro. to Psychology

Mr. Cameron – Jeannette Senior High

School

Why Study Psychology?Psychology – the scientific study of behavior and mental processesBehavior – any action that other people can observe or measureExamples:Walking, talking, eating, pressing a buttonHeart rate, blood pressure, brain activity

Behavior and Mental Processes

Cognitive activities – private, unobservable mental processes such as sensation, perception, thought, and problem solvingDreams, perceptions, thoughts, and memoriesBrain waves that indicate dreaming can be measuredCell activity in an eye responding to color can be measured

Behavior and Mental ProcessesPsychologists also want to measure emotionsEmotions affect behavior and mental processesEmotions must be studied through psychological constructsPsychological constructs – concepts that enable a person to discuss something that cannot be seen, touched , or measured directly

Goals of PsychologyObserve behavior and mental processes to gain a better understandingEnables psychologists to describe, explain, predict, and control behaviorDealing with anxietyPositive visualization

Psychology as a SciencePsychology is a social science (sociology, history)Closely tied to natural sciences (biology, physics)Answer questions by following scientific research steps1. Conducting surveys and experiments2. Collecting and analyzing data3. Drawing conclusions

Psychological TheoriesPsychologists organize their research into theoriesTheory – Statement that attempts to explain why things are the way they are & happen the way they doDiscuss principals that govern behavior and mental processesPrincipals – Rule or law

Areas of Psychology1. Clinical PsychologistsMake up the largest group of psychologistsHelp people with psychological problems

Areas of Psychology2. Counseling Psychologists Use interviews and tests to identify problemsTreat people who have adjustment problems

Areas of Psychology3. School PsychologistsAid students with problems that interfere with learning4. Educational Psychologists Focus on course planning and instructional methods

Areas of Psychology5. Developmental PsychologistsStudy changes that occur throughout a person’s life (behavior, thoughts, feelings)

Areas of Psychology6. Social PsychologistsStudy people’s behavior in social situationsPhysical and psychological factors of attractionWays men and women behave in situationsReasons people conform to group standardsHow behavior changes when in a group

Areas of Psychology7. Forensic PsychologistsTestify about the psychological competence of a defendant

History of PsychologyBegan as part of philosophyWilhelm Wundt “father of psychology”Studied conscious experiencesSensations, images, feelings?Observed and measured stimuliStimuli = lights, sounds, painStimulus – physical energy that evokes a sensory response

StructuralismWundt also used “introspection”Introspection is “looking inward”Basic elements of consciousness:1. Objective sensations2. Subjective feelingsStructuralism – Human mind functions by combining these basic elements of experience (Objective and Subjective)

FunctionalismDeveloped by William JamesHow the mind functions to help us survive and adaptInfluenced by Charles Darwin (natural selection)James wanted to know how the mind helps us adaptAdaptive behavior is learned because it is successfulAdaptive (successful) behavior is repeated and eventually becomes a habit…studying = success!

Behaviorism Cartoons!

BehaviorismBehaviorism – Study of observable behaviorJohn B. Watson…introspection was “unscientific”Observed the relationship between stimuli and an animal’s response (can’t ask animals questions)Used Pavlov’s idea of conditioning to explain behaviorConditioned response – learned behavior to a particular stimulus

John B. Watson“Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, and my own special world to bring them up in and I’ll guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become any type of specialist I might select – doctor, lawyer, artist, merchant-chief, and yes, beggarman and thief”

B.F. Skinner

Believed behavior is controlled by positive reinforcements (rewards)Worked with animals, ideas applied to humansIf rewarded, an animal is more likely to perform actPeople behave in certain ways because they have been reinforced for doing so

Gestalt SchoolGestalt is German for “form, pattern, or whole”Gestalt psychologists studied thinking, learning, and perception in whole units, not by analyzing experiences into parts

Gestalt SchoolPlaying the same song on a guitar and on the drumsPlaying a song with only one note per hourPerception is affected by the context in which it appearsThe human eye sees objects in their entirety before perceiving their individual parts

Example 1

Example 2

Example 3

Example 4

PsychoanalysisEmphasized unconscious motives and internal conflicts in determining human behaviorBelieved that mental life is like an iceberg…huh?Unconscious – Area of the mind that lies outside of our personal awarenessOur behavior is deeply influenced by unconscious thoughts, impulses, and desire…especially those concerning sex and aggression

PsychoanalysisFreud theorized that many unconscious thoughts are threatening, so they are repressedRepressed – Restrained, held out of awarenessUnconscious thoughts are revealed by dreams, emotions, and slips of the tongueBelieved all thoughts, emotions, etc. are determinedThere are no accidents, every thought has a cause!

PsychoanalysisFreud was one of the first psychologists to appreciate that childhood affects adult personality“The child is father to the man”…what does this mean?Known for creating psychoanalysis, “talking therapy”Gained his understanding of behavior through meetingsTheorized that behavior is aimed at satisfying needs / desiresHelp people find socially acceptable ways of meeting needs

Contemporary Perspectives

The study of psychology has changed over the yearsTheories of Skinner and Watson have been modifiedMany contemporary psychoanalysts do not use the same methods as Sigmund FreudNew perspectives still use historical traditions of psychEach perspective emphasizes different topics/approaches

Biological PerspectiveEmphasizes the influence of biology on our behaviorAssume our mental processes (thoughts, fantasies, & dreams) are made possible by the nervous systemLook for connections between events in the brainStudy brain activity when listening to music, solving problems, experiencing psychological disordersInterested in the influences of hormones and genes

Hormones and Genes

Hormones – Chemicals that glands release into the bloodstream to set in motion body functionsBody functions can include growth or digestionGenes – Basic unit of heredityBiological psychologists study the influence of genes on personality traits, psychological health, as well as various behavior patterns

Evolutionary Perspective

Focuses on the evolution of behavior and mental processesDarwin believed that the most-adaptive organisms have a greater chance of surviving to maturityPeople who are resistant to certain diseases are more likely to transmit those genes to future generationsBehavior (aggression) have a hereditary basis

Cognitive PerspectiveEmphasize the role thoughts play in behaviorStudy mental processes to understand human natureLook at the ways people perceive information, make mental images, solve problems, and dreamCognitive psych. study the mind

Humanistic PerspectiveStresses the human capacity for self-fulfillment and the importance of consciousness, self-awareness, and the capacity to make choicesConsiders people’s personal experiences to be the most important aspect of psychologyUnlike behaviorists (stimuli acting upon us) believe that we are free to choose our own behaviorView people as basically good & desiring to help others

Psychoanalytic Perspective

Stresses the influence of unconscious forces on human behaviorFocus less on unconscious sexual and aggressive impulses Focus more on conscious choice and self-direction

Learning PerspectiveEmphasizes the effects of experience on behaviorSocial learning theory – People can change their environments or create new onesBehavior is learned either from direct experience or by observing other peopleWe learn to act hostile/friendly based on the situation

Sociocultural Perspective

Studies the influence of ethnicity, gender, culture, and socioeconomic status on behavior and mental processesHelps people appreciate the cultural heritages and historical issues of various ethnic groupsEthnic groups – United by heritage, race, language, and historySociocultural theorists also study gender

Sociocultural Perspective

Gender is not simply a matter of being male or femaleInvolves cultural expectations and social rolesThese can affect self-concepts, aspirations, & behaviorSociocultural psychology addresses the similarities and differences between men and womenAs of 2005, women made up 72% of psychology PhD’s