PSYCHOLOGYSchacterGilbertWegner

INTRODUCTION

SYLLABUS QUIZ

• How many tests will there be in this class?• Are make-up tests given?• What optional assignment can be turned in before

each test?• Is the final comprehensive?• Is attendance taken?• Is cheating on tests/papers allowed?• Am I expected to be in class, seated and ready to

participate at the beginning of class?• What can I do to make the best grade possible?

TRUE OR FALSE

The titles “psychologist” and psychiatrist” refer to the same profession.

Psychologists study behavior and the mind but not biology. Negative reinforcement is the same as punishment. We can’t do much to improve our memory. Eyewitness testimony is the most reliable evidence in court. Psychologists just do therapy. A correlation between two variables means that one causes the

other. A person with schizophrenia has a split personality. Adolescents emerge from this stage with emotional scars and

conflicts. Most old people are at least a little bit senile.

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WHAT IS PSYCHOLOGY?

Psychology: the scientific study of the mind and behavior.

Mind: our private inner experience of perceptions, thoughts, memories, and feelings.

Behavior: observable actions of human beings and nonhuman animals.

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Philosophical Developments

How are mind and body related?AristotleRené Descartes (1596–1650)—Interactive

dualismThe mind and body interact to produce

conscious experience

Psychology separated from philosophy in 19th century

Wilhelm Wundt (1832–1920)–Leipzig, Germanyestablished first psychology lab “stream of consciousness” - a person’s

subjective experience of the world applied laboratory techniques to study of the

mind (reaction times)

Foundations of Modern Psychology

Wilhelm Wundt’s First Psychological Laboratory

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Foundations of Modern Psychology

Edward Titchener (1867–1927) Wundt’s student, professor at Cornell University

structuralism— breaking down stream of consciousness into elemental components

introspection- method of examining one’s own conscious experience

focused on basic sensory and perceptual processes

44,000 elemental qualities of conscious experience

Edward Titchener and William James

William James (1842-1910)

Edward Titchener (1867-1927)

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Foundations of Modern Psychology

William James-started psychology at Harvard Opposed Wundt and Titchener Functionalism: the study of the purpose

mental processes serve in enabling people to adapt to their environment.

Charles Darwin (1809-1882)natural selection: the features of an

organism that help it survive and reproduce are more likely than other features to be passed on to subsequent generations.

Schools of Psychology-Psychoanalysis

Sigmund Freud (1856-1939)unconscious: the part of the mind that operates

outside of conscious awareness but influences conscious thoughts, feelings, and actions.

psychoanalytic theory: an approach to understanding human behavior that emphasizes the importance of unconscious mental processes in shaping feelings, thoughts, and behaviors.

psychoanalysis: a therapeutic approach that focuses on bringing unconscious material into conscious awareness to better understand psychological disorders

Sigmund Freud’s Psychoanalytic Couch

Schools of Psychology- Behaviorism

John Watson (1878-1958)Behaviorism: an approach that advocates

psychologists to restrict themselves to the scientific study of objectively observable behavior.

Key Influence: Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936)

Behaviorism grew out of his work with dogs associating a neutral stimulus with an automatic behavior

John Watson and Ivan Pavlov

John Watson (1878-1958)

Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936)

Schools of Psychology- Behaviorism (cont’d)

B. F. Skinner (1904–1990)

American psychologist at Harvard studied learning and effect of reinforcement reinforcement: the consequences of behavior

determine whether it will be more or less likely to occur again

Carl Rogers (1902-1987)Humanistic psychology: an approach to

understanding human nature that emphasizes the unique potential for psychological growth and self-direction

Abraham Maslow (1908-1970)Hierarchy of Needs

Schools of Psychology- Humanism

Perspective is a way of viewing phenomena Psychology has multiple perspectives

Biological Psychodynamic Behavioral Humanistic Positive Psychology Cognitive Cultural Evolutionary

Major Perspectives in Psychology

Biological PerspectiveStudies the physiological mechanisms in

the brain and nervous system that organizes and controls 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

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Psychodynamic Perspective

Psychoanalytic approach (Sigmund Freud)both a method of treatment and a theory of

personalitydrives and urges within the unconscious

component of mind influence thought and behavior

early childhood experiences shape unconscious motivations

Just for fun…

Behavioral Perspective

View of behavior based on experience or learning (Watson, Skinner, Pavlov)Classical conditioningOperant conditioning

Psychologists associated: Ivan PavlovJohn WatsonB.F. Skinner

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Humanistic Perspective

Developed by Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow

behavior reflects innate ‘actualization’; growth and unique potential of person

focus on conscious forces and self perception; free will

more positive view of basic forces than Freud’s

Cognitive Perspective Advent of computers

model for human mind (both register, store, and retrieve information).

information processing systems. Cognitive psychology: the scientific study of mental

processes, (how knowledge is acquired, organized, remembered) which includes perception, thought, memory, and reasoning.

Influences include: Noam Chomsky –cognitive account of language

acquisition Jean Piaget-intellectual development of children

Digital Computers in the 1950’s

Cultural Perspective

The study of how cultural factors influence patterns of behavior and mental processes

The study of psychological differences among people living in different cultural groups

How are people’s thoughts, feelings and behavior influenced by their culture?

Positive Perspective

Focuses on the study of positive emotions, states, and traits that increase personal well-being

Evolutionary Perspective

Influenced by Darwin and the emphasis on innate, adaptive behavior patterns

Application of principles of evolution to explain behavior and psychological processes

Review-Perspectives

Column A Column BPerspective Emphasis

___1. Behavioral A. How cultural factors influence behaviour

___2. Biological B. Darwin’s theory of natural selection

___3. Cognitive C. The study of observable behaviour

___4. Cultural D. The study of positive emotions, psychological states, and positive individual traits

___5. Humanistic E. The unconscious, sex, aggression, conflicts, early childhood trauma, repression

___6. Psychoanalytic F. Physical bases of human and animal

behaviour

___7. Evolutionary G. How mental processes work

___8. Positive H. Human potential, self-actualization, and free

will

Specialty Areas in Psychology

Biological Clinical Cognitive Counseling Educational Experimental Developmental

Forensic Health Industrial/organizational Personality Rehabilitation Social Sports

The Major Subfields in Psychology

Employment Settings of Psychologists

Similarities/Differences-Psychiatrists and Psychologists

Both trained in the diagnosis, treatment, causes, and prevention of psychological disorders

Clinical psychologists receive doctorate (Ph.D. or Psy.D.)

Psychiatrists receive a medical degree (M.D. or D.O.) followed by years of specialized training in treatment of mental disorders