Presentation prepared by

Dr Janet DicksonSwinburne University

of Technology

Psychology: the study of mental processes and

behaviour

Presentation prepared by

Dr Janet DicksonSwinburne University

of Technology

Chapter 1 - Psychology: The study ofmental processes and behaviour

Learning objectives• Define psychology• Discuss the contributions of biopsychology • Outline the history of psychology• Distinguish among the major theoretical perspectives in

psychology• Discuss the educational requirements for psychologists and

outline their most common work settings.• Understand how to study effectively

Presentation prepared by

Dr Janet DicksonSwinburne University

of Technology

Perspectives in psychology

• Any psychological issue can be approached using a number of perspectives.

• We can be biased in our perspectives.• A paradigm is a broad system of theoretical

assumptions employed by a scientific community.• Psychology lacks a unified paradigm but has a number

of schools of thought or “ism’s”

Presentation prepared by

Dr Janet DicksonSwinburne University

of Technology

Psychodynamic perspective

• The psychodynamic view posits that conscious and unconscious forces interact to control our thoughts and behaviours.– Mental processes can be in conflict, resulting in

anxiety.– Iceberg metaphor.

• Meanings of speech and dreams sought• Data collected through case studies to

understand thoughts, feelings and actions.

Presentation prepared by

Dr Janet DicksonSwinburne University

of Technology

Behaviourist perspective

• The behaviourist view is that environmental stimuli control behaviour through learning.

• The behaviour of humans (and animals) can be understood without reference to internal states such as thoughts or feelings.

• Stimuli become associated through conditioning– Classical conditioning– Operant conditioning

Presentation prepared by

Dr Janet DicksonSwinburne University

of Technology

Behaviourist perspective

• Seeks to understand the relations between stimuli and behaviour through the experimental method.

• Data is quantitative empirical data that can be analysed statistically and replicated.

Presentation prepared by

Dr Janet DicksonSwinburne University

of Technology

Humanistic perspective

• The humanistic perspective focuses on the uniqueness of the individual and that people are motivated to reach their full potential (self-actualisation).

• The metaphor for the humanistic perspective is that people are innately good and will strive to realise goals and ambitions.

• The humanistic perspective is person-centred

Presentation prepared by

Dr Janet DicksonSwinburne University

of Technology

Cognitive perspective

• The cognitive view focuses on how people process, store and retrieve information

• The metaphor for the cognitive perspective is that the mind is like a computer (information processing model).

• Uses experimental methods to infer mental processes at work

Presentation prepared by

Dr Janet DicksonSwinburne University

of Technology

Evolutionary perspective

• Evolutionary view is that human behaviours evolved because they helped our ancestors survive and reproduce.

• Some behaviours are biologically determined (e.g., the impulse to eat, sexual impulses).

• Sociobiology:– Natural selection operates on psychological functions

and social behaviour as well as physical functions.

Presentation prepared by

Dr Janet DicksonSwinburne University

of Technology

Evolutionary perspective

• The metaphor for the evolutionary perspective is that ‘we are all runners in a race, competing for resources…’

• Gather information through deductive methods with more recent use of experimentation.

• Often start with a known behaviour in a species and attempt to explain it on the basis of evolutionary principles.

Evolutionary perspective example: grandparental investment

Figure 1.6

Presentation prepared by

Dr Janet DicksonSwinburne University

of Technology

Contributions of the psychological perspectives

• Psychodynamic psychology: focus on unconscious processes, conflict, and early experiences

• Behavioural psychology: focus on learning (behaviour modified by consequences)

• Humanistic psychology: focus on the unique individual and motivation to achieve goals

• Cognitive psychology: focus on thought and memory• Evolutionary psychology: focus on why we feel, think or

behave