prescientific psychology prologue: the story of psychology€¦ · an objective way to answer...
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Prologue:The Story of Psychology
James A. McCubbin, PhD
Clemson University
Worth Publishers
�The science of behavior and the mind� behavior - observable actions of a person or animal
� mind - thoughts, feelings, sensations, perceptions, memories, dreams, motives and other subjective experiences
� science� an objective way to answer questions
� based on observable facts / data and well described methods
� A set of questions about mental functioning� trace back to philosophy
� Aristotle asked about memory, personality, emotions, etc.
� A set of theories and procedures for asking and answering questions� the scientific method
� evolved over centuries, first in physics
� A product of history� philosophy asked many of the basic questions
� physiology used similar methods
Prescientific Psychology� Is the mind connected
to the body or distinct?
� Are ideas inborn or is the mind a blank slate filled by experience?
�Psychological Science Is Born� Empiricism
� Knowledge comes from experience via the senses
� Science flourishes through observation and experiment
�A Question: How are mind and body related?
� Dualism - body and soul are separate but
interrelated
� origins in medieval religion
� soul is seat of intellectual function and will
� mind is product of the soul� mind not subject to scientific inquiry
� to challenge this was punishable by death
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� A Question: How are mind and body related?
� Rene Descartes (1596-1650) - modified
dualism
� since animals have no soul, much behavior does not
require soul
� the body can therefore control much behavior� led him to study reflexes
� the soul’s main function is thought, a uniquely human
attribute
� Materialism: Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679)
� mind is a product of the brain
� soul is not involved in human behavior
� Empiricism:
� knowledge and intellect are acquired
� sensory experiences produce elementary ideas
� elementary ideas become associated into complex thought
and ideas
� A Question: How are mind and body related?
� Another Question: Empiricism vs. Nativism
� Nativism is the view that elementary ideas are
innate
� If knowledge is innate � What is the purpose of education?
� Can intellect be changed by experience?
� Are abilities determined by our genes or our
experiences?
� This is known as Nature vs. Nurture � appears throughout modern psychology
� Natural selection� principle that those
inherited trait variations contributing to survival will most likely be passed on to succeeding generations
� Charles Darwin (1809-1882)
� Theory of natural selection (1859)� physical characteristics evolve through natural
selection
� behavioral patterns also influence selection
� inborn knowledge and behavioral tendencies with survival value are passed on
� Human beings are part of nature and can be understood through the methods of science
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� Darwin’s theory encouraged scientific inquiry
� 19th century developments in physiology
demonstrated the approach to use
� based on scientific methods, controlled laboratory experiments
� influential beliefs from early physiology� reflexology - all human behaviors occur through reflexes
� localization of function - specific structures of the brain serve specific functions in the control of mental experiences and behavior
� Separated from philosophy in 19th century� influences from physiology remain
� Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920)� Leipzig, Germany
� wrote the first psychology textbook
� applied laboratory techniques to study of the mind
� structuralism - identify ‘atoms’ of the mind� focused on basic sensory and perceptual processes
� measured reaction times
� Wilhelm Wundt opened the first psychology laboratory at the University of Liepzig (c. 1879)
� Edward Titchener (1867-1927)� Wundt’s student, professor at Cornell University
� William James (1842-1910)� started psychology at Harvard in 1870s
� opposed Wundt and Titchener’s approach
� functionalism - influenced by Darwin to focus on how behaviors help us adapt to the environment
� Sigmund Freud (1856-1939)� Austrian physician that focused on illness
� psychoanalytic theory of mental disorders
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/10/freudian-slips-politicians_n_806871.html
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� Alfred Binet (1857-1911)
� French intelligence researcher
� developed first intelligence test
� Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936)� Russian physiologist
� discovered conditioned reflexes
� B.F. Skinner (1904-1990)� American psychologist at Harvard
� studied learning and effect of reinforcement
� behaviorism
� Structuralism used introspection (looking in) to explore the elemental structure of the human mind
� Functionalism focused on how behavioral processes function- how they enable organism to adapt, survive, and flourish
� Psychological Science Develops� Wundt--German philosopher and
physiologist
� James--American philosopher
� Pavlov--Russian physiologist
� Freud--Austrian physician
� Piaget--Swiss biologist
� http://quizlet.com/4521323/psychology-flash-cards/
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Figure 1.6 Membership in the American Psychological Association, 1900–2004
Figure 1- British Psychological Society membership
�Definition of Psychology� The science of behavior (what we do)
and mental processes (sensations, perceptions, dreams, thoughts, beliefs, and feelings)
�Psychology’s Big Issues� Nature-nurture controversy
� the relative contribution that genes and experience make to development of psychological traits and behaviors
� Psychology’s Perspectives� A lot depends on your viewpoint
�Perspective is a way of viewing phenomena
�Psychology has multiple perspectives� ethological
� biological
� psychoanalytic
� cognitive
� cross- cultural
� social
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� The study of animal behavior in the natural environment rather than in a lab setting
� Influenced by Darwin and the emphasis on innate, adaptive behavior patterns
� European approach to studying behavior founded by animal researchers, Lorenz and Tinbergen
� Study the physiological mechanisms in the brain and nervous system that organize and control behavior
� Focus may be at various levels� individual neurons
� areas of the brain
� specific functions like eating, emotion or learning
� Interest in behavior distinguishes biological psychology from many other biological sciences
� View of behavior based on experience treating patients
� Psychoanalytic approach (Sigmund Freud)� both a method of treatment and a theory of the mind
� behavior reflects combinations of conscious and unconscious influences
� drives and urges within the unconscious component of mind influence thought and behavior
� early childhood experiences shape unconscious motivations
�View of behavior based on experience treating patients� Humanistic approach
� developed by Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers
� behavior reflects innate ‘actualization’
� focus on conscious forces and self perception
� http://www.wadsworth.com/psychology_d/templates/student_resources/0534642667_weiten/dd_figs/12.11.html
� More positive view of basic forces than Freud’s
�The study of psychological differences among people living in different cultural groups
�How are people’s thoughts, feelings and behavior influenced by their culture?
�What are the common elements across culture? Are these innate?
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�How is knowledge acquired, organized, remembered, and used to guide behavior ?
� Influences include� Piaget - studied intellectual development
� Chomsky - studied language
� Cybernetics - science of information processing
The Eclectic ModelPeople pick and choose from the previous models and come up with a personal set of values that guide behavior.
"Thought is action in rehearsal."-Sigmund Freud
�American Psychological Association had 52 divisions in 1998
�Some represent areas of training and specialization (e.g., developmental, clinical)
�Some are applied (i.e., teaching in psychology, psychology and the law)
�Psychology’s Subfields� Basic Research
� Biological psychologists explore the links between brain and mind
� Developmental psychologists study changing abilities from womb to tomb
� Cognitive psychologists study how we perceive, think, and solve problems
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�Psychology’s Subfields� Basic Research
� Personality psychologists investigate our persistent traits
� Social psychologists explore how we view and affect one another
�Psychology’s Subfields� Applied Research
� Industrial/organizational psychologists study and advise on behavior in the workplace
� Clinical psychologists study, assess, and treat people with psychological disorders
� Psychiatry� A branch of medicine dealing with
psychological disorders
� Practiced by physicians who sometimes use medical (for example, drug) treatments as well as psychotherapy
� Clinical� abnormal behavior and
psychological disorders
� psychologist vs. psychiatrist
� Health psychology� psychological factors in
physical health
� Counseling� dealing with normal life
situations
� provide guidance
OtherPsychology
15%
Developmental 6%
Clinical36%
Biological andExperimental
16%
Industrial/Organizational 3%
Social andPersonality 8%
Educational 3%
School 3%
Counseling 10%
� Developmental � psychological change
over the life span
� social, cognitive, personality
� School� counseling and guidance
in school settings
� Educational� learning and teaching
OtherPsychology
15%
Developmental 6%
Clinical36%
Biological andExperimental
16%
Industrial/Organizational 3%
Social andPersonality 8%
Educational 3%
School 3%
Counseling 10%
� Psychobiology� brain and behavior
� studied at many levels
� often uses animals as research model
� Experimental� basic laboratory focus
� animals or humans
� learning, memory, motivation
� Cognitive� experimental
� human memory, perception, etc.
OtherPsychology
15%
Developmental 6%
Clinical36%
Biological andExperimental
16%
Industrial/Organizational 3%
Social andPersonality 8%
Educational 3%
School 3%
Counseling 10%
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� Social� social influences on cognition
and emotion
� attitudes and beliefs
� Personality� individual differences
� perception by others
� Industrial/organizational� people and work
� job satisfaction
� training and selection
OtherPsychology
15%
Developmental 6%
Clinical36%
Biological andExperimental
16%
Industrial/Organizational 3%
Social andPersonality 8%
Educational 3%
School 3%
Counseling 10%
�Colleges and universities
�Clinical settings
�Elementary and secondary schools
�Business
�Government
PrivatePractice
Government
Universities &College
Business& Industry
School
Employment Settings of Psychologists