Chapter 1Discovering Psychology

Psychology

Systematic, scientific study of behaviors and mental processes Behaviors refer to observable actions or responses in both

humans and animals Mental processes refer to a wide range of complex mental

processes, such as thinking, imagining, studying, and dreaming

4 Goals of Psychology

Describe different ways organisms behave Explain the causes of behavior Predict how organisms will behave Control an organism’s behavior

“Psychology has a long past…..but only a short

history!!!!”

How Did Psychology Begin?

Wilhelm Wundt Father of psychology Established the 1st psychology laboratory

in Leipzig, Germany Structuralism

Study of the most basic elements

primarily sensations & perceptions that

make up our conscious mental experiences Emphasis on the STRUCTURE of consciousness (awareness)

Introspection Method of exploring conscious mental processes by asking

subjects to look inward and report their sensations & perceptions

Functionalism

Study of the FUNCTIONS rather than the structures of consciousness

Interested in how our minds adapt to changing environments William James

Viewed mental activities as having

developed through ages of evolution

because of their adaptive functions

Behaviorism

Emphasized the objective, scientific analysis of observable behaviors

John B. Watson Rejected introspection as a psychological

technique because its results could not be

scientifically verified by other psychologists

Women in Psychology

Mary Calkins Although she completed all of the requirements for a Ph.D., she

was denied a doctorate by the Harvard administration because she was a woman

Margaret Washburn 1st woman to earn a Ph.D. in psychology (1908)

Today, women earn more Ph.D.s in psychology than men, however, in 1991 there were more male full-time psychologists than women

Minorities in Psychology

See page 24 First African-American woman to receive a Ph.D. in psychology

(1934)

Between 1920 and 1966, only 8 Ph.D.s were awarded to Black students, compared to 3,767 doctorates to Whites

From 1892 to 1990, the cumulative membership of the APA was 128,000; 700 African American, 700 Latino, and 70 Native American

Careers in Psychology

Psychologist vs. Psychiatrist A psychologist is someone who has completed 4 or 5 years of

postgraduate education and has obtained a Ph.D. in psychology Some states permit individuals with master’s degrees to call

themselves psychologists A psychiatrist is a medical doctor (M.D.) who has spent several

years in clinical training, which includes diagnosing possible physical and neurological causes of abnormal behaviors

Careers in Psychology

Many Career Settings

55% of psychologists work as clinical psychologists in one of the following settings:

Source: Pie graph data from “Psychological Science Around the World,” by M. R. Rosenzweig, 1992, American Psychologist, 47, 718-722.

Careers in Psychology (cont.)

private practice or therapy setting a mental health center psychiatric, drug, or rehabilitation ward of a hospital private office

27% work in academic settings of colleges & universities

Areas of Specialization

Social & Personality Social psychology involves the study of social interactions,

stereotypes, prejudices, attitudes, conformity, group behaviors, and aggression

Personality psychology involves the study of personality development, personality change, assessment, and abnormal behaviors

Developmental Examines moral, social, emotional, and cognitive development

throughout a person’s life span Experimental

Includes areas of sensation, perception, learning, human performance, motivation, and emotion

Biological Involves research on the physical & chemical changes that occur

during stress, learning, and emotions

Areas of Specialization

Cognitive Involves how we process, store, and retrieve information and

how cognitive processes influence our behaviors Psychometrics

Focuses on the measurement of people’s abilities, skills, intelligence, personality, and abnormal behaviors