Introduction to

Psychology

Psychology: DefinitionThe study of mental functions and behaviors.

“The human brain is by far the most

complex physical object known to us in the entire cosmos.”

Owen Gingerich (Astronomer)

Psychology

Topics of focus: Behavior

Mental Processes Consciousness

Perception Personality

Development Memory

Intelligence Disorders

Psychology

Psychologist: evaluates, diagnoses, treats, and studies behavior and mental processes. Clinical and counseling psychologists provide mental

health care.

Psychiatrist: specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. Psychiatrists are medical doctors who must evaluate patients to

determine whether their symptoms are the result of a physical or mental illness.

History of Psychology“Trepanning” (drilling a

hole into a person’s head to relieve pressure or let

out evil spirits) was practiced as a treatment for abnormal behavior in neolithic times through

the 1700s.

“The Extraction of the Stone of Madness” (c.1488)

History of PsychologyIn Ancient Greece, Hippocrates (c. 460 – 370 BC)

introduced the idea of “four temperaments of personality.” sanguine (optimistic, leader-like), choleric (bad-tempered, irritable), melancholic

(analytical, quiet), and phlegmatic (relaxed, peaceful). A person’s personality was determined by by an excess or lack of body fluids (called "humors"):

blood, yellow bile, black bile, and phlegm.

History of Psychology

John Locke (1632-1704) published the idea that children are born as

“blank slates” (a “Tabula Rasa”), and that life

experiences form who they become as adults.

This idea contradicted the previous notion that we

are born with some knowledge and habits.

History of PsychologyFranz Joseph Gall

argued that you could learn about a person’s intelligence, character, and personality based on the size, shape, and number of bumps on

their head. The study of Phrenology, popular in

the 1800s, was based on this theory.

History of PsychologyWilhelm Wundt (1832 - 1920) was the first person to call himself a “psychologist.” He built the first laboratory for

psychological research in Germany. He provided his subjects with stimuli, and asked them to describe how it made them

feel. This strategy came to be called “Structuralism.”

History of PsychologySigmund Freud (1856-1939)

created psychoanalysis (dialogue between a patient and a

psychoanalyst, thought to bring relief from psychological

disorders). He also developed the idea that the conscious

mind (everything we are aware of) is only the “tip of the

iceberg”, while the unconscious mind holds the primitive wishes, impulses, and repressed feelings

that influence our behavior.

History of Psychology

Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936) introduced the idea of “conditioning” as a form of learning and an explanation for certain habits and

behaviors shown by both animals and humans. This study led to an approach to Psychology called “behaviorism.”

History of PsychologyLeta Stetter Hollingworth studied exceptional children, and published The Psychology of the Adolescent (1928). During the late 1800s and early

1900s, intelligence testing (especially to assist with placement in schools) was widely practiced for the first time in history.

History of PsychologyJean Piaget (1896-1980) published influential theories about human

development from childhood to adulthood.

History of PsychologyIn 1954, Abraham Maslow developed the concept of “self-actualization”: the motive to realize one's full potential.

Expressing one's creativity, the pursuit of knowledge, the desire to give back to society, and “finding yourself” are

examples of self-actualization.

Psychology TodayPsychology is a diverse field today. Some sub-fields are more scientific, like neuropsychology or evolutionary psychology. Others, like cognitive psychology, are more philosophical.

There are 5 main perspectives in Psychology:

!1. Neuroscience 2. Psychodynamic

3. Behavioral 4. Cognitive

5. Humanistic

Psychology TodayThe Neuroscience perspective considers how people function

biologically, and how the functioning of the body shapes our behavior, hopes, and fears. This perspective also considers how

heredity can affect behavior.

Psychology TodayThe Psychodynamic perspective is about understanding the inner

person. It is based on the theory that behavior is motivated by inner forces and conflicts over which we have little awareness or

control. Proponents of the psychodynamic perspective see dreams and comments made accidentally as indications of what a

person is truly feeling.

Psychology TodayThe Behavioral perspective focuses on observable behaviors that can be measured objectively. Behaviorists believe that our behavior

is related to our environment, and we can modify behavior by modifying environment.

Psychology TodayThe Cognitive perspective focuses on how people think,

understand, and know about the world. Its emphasis is on how people represent the outside world within themselves, and how they process information. Cognitive psychologists ask, “how does

the way we think about the world influence our behavior?”

Psychology TodayThe Humanistic perspective acknowledges that environment and

heredity play a part in our development, but argue that what ultimately drives human behavior is individual choice. All humans naturally strive to grow, develop, and be in control of their own

lives and behavior.