Introduction to Psychology

What is it?

• Study of how and why humans act as they do.

• Instead of studying how humans function in cultures or societies, psychology focuses on the individual,and the personal and unique experiences that influence how the individual acts and thinks.

Psychoanalytic TheoryPsychoanalytic Theory

• The mind is divided into two parts: The mind is divided into two parts: the conscious and the unconscious. the conscious and the unconscious.

• We are aware of our conscious, but We are aware of our conscious, but not aware of our unconscious. not aware of our unconscious.

• According to psychologists, our According to psychologists, our unconscious mind has more influence unconscious mind has more influence than our conscious mind on our than our conscious mind on our personalities and our behaviour. personalities and our behaviour.

The Unconscious MindThe Unconscious Mind

The Unconscious mind is divided into three The Unconscious mind is divided into three parts: parts:

• IdId – which encourages us to seek – which encourages us to seek physical satisfaction physical satisfaction

• SuperegoSuperego – prompts us to do the – prompts us to do the moral thing, not the one that feels best moral thing, not the one that feels best

• EgoEgo – the referee between the two and – the referee between the two and deals with external reality, this is our deals with external reality, this is our most conscious selfmost conscious self

Sigmund Freud (1856-Sigmund Freud (1856-1939)1939)

• The founder of The founder of psychoanalytic theory. psychoanalytic theory.

• He believed our early He believed our early childhood experiences, childhood experiences, usually involving our usually involving our relationships with relationships with parents and family, are parents and family, are stored in our stored in our unconscious mind. unconscious mind.

• While we are normally While we are normally unaware of these unaware of these memories, they can have memories, they can have a powerful influence on a powerful influence on the way we function.the way we function.

Alfred Adler (1870-1937)Alfred Adler (1870-1937)

• Adler believed that Adler believed that difficulties people difficulties people encounter in gaining self-encounter in gaining self-esteem and recognition, esteem and recognition, if not overcome by the if not overcome by the normal means lead to normal means lead to compensatory behaviour compensatory behaviour and resultant personality and resultant personality disorders which are now disorders which are now widely referred to as an widely referred to as an inferiority complexinferiority complex..

Carl Jung (1875-1961) Carl Jung (1875-1961)

• Responsible for the Responsible for the identification of the identification of the ExtrovertedExtroverted (outward- (outward-looking) and looking) and IntrovertedIntroverted (inward-looking) (inward-looking) personality types. personality types.

• Worked closely with Worked closely with Freud but split later in Freud but split later in their careers. their careers.

• The other aspect of The other aspect of Jung's work which has Jung's work which has been very influential is been very influential is his approach to the his approach to the analysis of dreams.analysis of dreams.

BehaviourismBehaviourism

• Behaviourists believe that psychologists Behaviourists believe that psychologists can predict and control or modify human can predict and control or modify human behaviour by identifying the factors that behaviour by identifying the factors that motivate it in the first place. motivate it in the first place.

• Behaviourists placed particular stress on Behaviourists placed particular stress on the early childhood years, and the rules the early childhood years, and the rules or practises parents use to raise their or practises parents use to raise their children because they believe these children because they believe these methods have a huge influence on the methods have a huge influence on the character of individuals even into character of individuals even into adulthood.adulthood.

John B. Watson (1878-John B. Watson (1878-1958) 1958)

• The founder of The founder of behaviouralism. behaviouralism.

• He used animal He used animal experiments to experiments to determine whether determine whether strict of flexible strict of flexible learning patterns are learning patterns are more effective.more effective.

• He believed children He believed children should be brought up should be brought up using strictly using strictly scheduled, rules-based scheduled, rules-based models.models.

Benjamin Spock (1903-Benjamin Spock (1903-1998)1998)

• He believed that a He believed that a permissive approach permissive approach to child rearing, to child rearing, rather than a strict rather than a strict one, would result in one, would result in successful, well-successful, well-adjusted adults. adjusted adults.

• He encouraged He encouraged parents to be loving, parents to be loving, flexible and flexible and supportive.supportive.

Learning TheoryLearning Theory

• Learning Theorists agree that Learning Theorists agree that humans are born with little instinct humans are born with little instinct but much learning potential.but much learning potential.

• They believe that most human They believe that most human behaviour is learned, especially in behaviour is learned, especially in childhood and youth.childhood and youth.

Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936) Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936)

• Pavlov’s experiments Pavlov’s experiments with dogs showed that with dogs showed that is was possible to get is was possible to get a dog to associate the a dog to associate the sound of a bell with sound of a bell with the imminent arrival the imminent arrival of food. of food.

• At the sound of a bell, At the sound of a bell, the dog would salivate the dog would salivate in anticipation.in anticipation.

B.F. Skinner (1904-1990)B.F. Skinner (1904-1990)• Skinner proved that Skinner proved that

pigeons could be trained pigeons could be trained to peck at a particular to peck at a particular coloured disk to get food coloured disk to get food rewards. rewards.

• Rats received food Rats received food rewards for pressing a bar rewards for pressing a bar in a complicated sequence in a complicated sequence leading many theorists to leading many theorists to believe that learning was believe that learning was a a STIMULUS-RESPONSESTIMULUS-RESPONSE effect. effect.

• He believed that if the He believed that if the subject is correctly subject is correctly stimulated it will give the stimulated it will give the appropriate response.appropriate response.

Albert Bandura (Born in Albert Bandura (Born in 1925)1925)

• Bandura concluded Bandura concluded that learning is that learning is largely a modelling largely a modelling experience. experience.

• When humans When humans observe behaviour – observe behaviour – either acceptable or either acceptable or unacceptable – they unacceptable – they are more likely to are more likely to practise it. practise it.

• Question - What does Question - What does this mean to us?this mean to us?