Intro to Psychology and its History

History of Psychology, Types of Psychologists

What is Psychology?

Psychology is the science of behavior and mental processes

Mental processes: what the brain does when we think, remember, feel, etc.

Behavior: outwardly observable acts of an individual, alone, or in a group.

What is Psychology?

The Goals of PsychologyDescribeExplainPredictControl mental processes and behavior.

The experimental study of behavior and the practical applications that arise from them

A very broad and interdisciplinary field

Brief History of PsychologyEarliest roots: philosophyE.g., Descartes

What is the mind? Is it different from the body?Cartesian dualism – “I think, therefore, I am.” Wilson’s corollary: “I tell jokes, therefore I am.”

Studied reflexes – That which can’t be explained by reflexes must be mind.

Focused on the existence of mind

Toward a Scientific Psychology: Biology

Pierre Flourens - Experimental AblationRemoved parts of

animals brains and noted the efffects.

Case of Phineas Gage

Scientific Study of Psychology: Structuralism (ca 1870’s -1900)

Wilhelm Wundt – the father of psychologySet up the first psychology lab in 1879.Created the approach of structuralismWanted to know what the structure of the mind wasUsed introspection

Edward Titchener – student of Wundt, introduced experimental psychology to the USA.

Functionalism (ca 1880’s – current)

Arose in protest to the private mental events studied by structuralists

Focused on the process of conscious activity

Had its roots with evolution. How is a particular behavior adaptive?

William James: Not what mind does, but why it does it

Became incorporated into all of psychology

Gestalt Psychology

School of thought that emphasized the total experience of the individual and not just parts of the mind or behavior

The whole is greater than the sum of its partsWanted to stay away from reductionismLacked scientific rigor and was displacedMajor influence in sensation and perceptionWhat images or patterns do you see in the

next two slides?

Psychoanalysis

Sigmund FreudFocused on the causes and treatment of

emotional disturbances, and particularly the unconscious.

Assumed that psychological maladjustment is a consequence of unresolved conflict

Important in the history of psychotherapy

Behaviorism (ca 1915 – current)

Rejected mental events.Psychology should only study observable

and verifiable events.John Watson – Father of behaviorism.Simplicity; belief in reductionism.

Stimulus – responseUsed animals (pigeons and rats)

B. F. SkinnerDominated psychology for over 50 years.

The Cognitive Revolution (mid 1970’s)

A return to the studies of the mind and how it worked

The computer largely influenced theories of the mind.

Study of perception, representation, decision making, memory, etc.

Evolutionary Psychology

Relies heavily on concepts of Darwinian evolution.

Traits and behaviors exist because they were selected during evolution.Individuals who possessed the particular trait had

a reproductive advantage on individuals who did not.

Behaviors exist for a reason.

Compare human behaviors with other animals. Comparative psychology.

Behavioral Neuroscience (1990’s especially)

The “Decade of the Brain”

Technological advances

Goal is a biological explanation of behavior.

P Positron emission tomography

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) lets us view activity in the brain as it happens

Behavioral Genetics (2000’s)

How does our genetic makeup influence our behavior

Encouraged by newer technologies and developments

Human genome project

Level of analysis is the gene

Types of Psychologists

Experimental vs. Applied

Experimental: Use the scientific method to uncover principles of psychology.

Applied: take the principles and apply them to help others

Biological psychology – also called physiological psychology, neuroscience, neuropsychology

Studies how the brain works. How does it produce the behavior that we show?

How are things learned in the brain? How are emotions generated?

Often studies animals and cases of brain damage

Very interdisciplinary

Learning / Animal Behavior

Very influenced by behaviorism

Study how animals (including humans) learn.

Comparative psychology / evolutionary psychology

Based around evolution – how has behavior evolved.

Learning / Animal Behavior

Compares behavior between species

Some examples of study include:

The evolution of emotion Chimpanzees and

language Animal problem solving

Cognitive psychology– study of the mind Emphasizes internal mental processes

Emphasizes the importance of cognitive processes, such as perception, memory, and thinking

Social psychology - study of how people's thoughts, feelings, and actions are affected by others

Study attitudes, conformity, helping behavior, and others, such as:

Why does Bob like Diet Coke?

How does a jury reach a verdict?

Developmental psychology – studies how behavior changes over time

Studies children – lifespan approach

How do we change as we age? When do infants start walking? What can be done to help children that are

not thriving. Is it healthy for teens to vent to their

friends?

Applied Psychologists

Clinical – PhD in clinical psychology Tries to help individuals suffering from psychological

maladjustment Uses psychotherapy to treat psychological disorders E.g., treat depression, anger management, etc.

Psychiatry – MD or DO – branch of medicine that specializes in psychological disorders

Can prescribe medication to help alleviate a problem

May also use psychotherapy E.g., treat depression, anger management, etc.

Counseling psychologyVery similar to clinicalTypically deal with healthier individuals

career and vocational assessment

Industrial / Organizational Seek to apply psychological principles to practical

problems of education, industry, marketing, etc.E.g., implement leadership programE.g., Help companies get the most out of

employees

School psychologist – help children in schoolAddress things like:

Learning disabilitiesAttention-deficit disorderBehavioral disorders

Sport psychologist – applies psychological principles to improve athletic performance

Forensic psychologist - applications of psychological knowledge to the understanding of crime and criminal justice

Study abnormal psychology

Personality psychology

Social psychology

Ethics

Immoral studiesExperiments in Nazi GermanyOther studies in the US and around the world

Research with humans and animals must now be carefully reviewed.

All research must be approved by an institutional review board (IRB).IRB’s consist of both scientists and people in the

community.The IRB considers the risks and benefits of each

research proposal and decides if it should be performed.

Requirements with Human Research

1. Must have informed consent.2. Be advised of the possible risks and benefits

of the procedure.3. Be told that they can withdraw from the study

at any time without being penalized.4. After the experiment, participants must be

debriefed.5. Deceiving participants is approved only when

the participant will not be harmed and knowledge gained outweighs the use of dishonesty.

Research with Animals

All research with animals must have the approval of an IRB.

The IRB ensures that:1. Animals are housed properly2. Animals are not mistreated.3. Researchers may not cause animals pain unless

that is what is explicitly being studied and there are potential benefits to humans of inflicting pain.

Labs may also inspected by USDA, OSCA (Occupational Safety Councils of America), and must have a veterinarian in charge of care.

PETA may also have an eye on laboratories.