copyright © allyn & bacon 2007 chapter 1 introduction and history of psychology

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Chapter 1Chapter 1

Introduction and History of

Psychology


What Is Psychology – What Is Psychology – and What Is It Not?and What Is It Not?

Psychology is a broad field, with many specialties, but fundamentally, psychology is the science of behavior and mental processes.


What Is Psychology?What Is Psychology?

Psychology – The scientific study of behavior and mental processes.• Must use an empirical approach

Psychology is Not:• Mere speculation about human nature.• A body of folk wisdom about people

that “everybody knows” to be true.


Pseudopsychology –

Erroneous assertions or practices set forth as being scientific psychology.

Confirmation bias –The tendency to attend to evidence that confirms our beliefs or expectations, while ignoring evidence that does not.

What Is Psychology – What Is Psychology – and What Is It Not? and What Is It Not?


What DoWhat DoPsychologists Do?Psychologists Do?

Psychology is a broad field with many specialties, grouped

in three major categories: experimental psychology,

teaching of psychology, and applied psychology.



Experimental psychologists:• Conduct most research across psychological

spectrum.• May work in private industry or for the

government. • Often teach at colleges

and universities.


I/OI/O SportsSports

School School

CounselingCounseling

EngineeringEngineering

RehabilitationRehabilitation

Use knowledge developed by experimental psychologists to solve human problems.

ClinicalClinical


Applied psychologists


What Are Psychology’s What Are Psychology’s Historical Roots?Historical Roots?

Modern psychology developed from several

conflicting traditions, including structuralism, functionalism, Gestalt

psychology, behaviorism, and psychoanalysis.


Devoted to uncovering Devoted to uncovering basic basic structuresstructures that make that make

up mind and thought.up mind and thought.

-Wilhelm Wundt-Wilhelm Wundt

TraditionTradition

StructuralismStructuralism

Functionalism

Psychoanalysis

Gestalt psychology

Behaviorism


Believed mental processes could best be understood in

terms of their adaptive purpose and function.

-William James

TraditionTradition

Structuralism

Functionalism Functionalism

Psychoanalysis

Gestalt psychology

Behaviorism


Interested in how we construct “perceptual

wholes.”

TraditionTradition

Structuralism

Functionalism

Psychoanalysis

Gestalt Gestalt psychologypsychology

Behaviorism


Argued psychology should deal solely with

observable events.

-John Watson

TraditionTradition

Structuralism

Functionalism

Psychoanalysis

Gestalt psychology

BehaviorismBehaviorism


Asserted mental disorders arise from conflicts in the

unconscious mind.

-Sigmund Freud

TraditionTradition

Structuralism

Functionalism

PsychoanalysisPsychoanalysis

Gestalt psychology

Behaviorism


What are the Perspectives What are the Perspectives Psychologists Use Today?Psychologists Use Today?

Seven main perspectives characterize modern

psychology: the biological, developmental, cognitive,

clinical, behavioral, trait, and socio-cultural views.


BiologicalBiological

DevelopmentalDevelopmental

PsychodynamicPsychodynamic

SocioculturalSociocultural

CognitiveCognitive

BehavioralBehavioral

TraitTrait

Nine Modern Perspectives of PsychologyNine Modern Perspectives of Psychology

HumanisticHumanistic

Evolutionary/Evolutionary/SociobiologicalSociobiological


View of Human Nature:View of Human Nature:

We are complex systems that We are complex systems that respond to hereditary and respond to hereditary and environmental influencesenvironmental influences

What Determines Behavior:What Determines Behavior:

Neural structures, Neural structures, biochemistry, and inborn biochemistry, and inborn

responses to external cuesresponses to external cues

Question for Study:Question for Study:

How do heredity, the nervous How do heredity, the nervous system, and the endocrine system, and the endocrine

system produce behavior and system produce behavior and mental processes?mental processes?

PerspectivePerspective

BiologicalBiological

Developmental

Psychodynamic

Sociocultural

Cognitive

Behavioral

Trait

Humanistic

Evolutionary/Sociobiological



We undergo predictable patterns We undergo predictable patterns of change throughout our livesof change throughout our lives


Interaction between Interaction between heredity heredity and and environmentenvironment

Questions for Study:Questions for Study:

What are the patterns that What are the patterns that characterize developmental characterize developmental

change?change?

What are the genetic and What are the genetic and environmental influences environmental influences

underlying these patterns?underlying these patterns?


Biological

DevelopmentalDevelopmental

Psychodynamic

Sociocultural

Cognitive

Behavioral

Trait

Humanistic




People are information-People are information-processing systemsprocessing systems


Mental interpretation of our Mental interpretation of our experienceexperience


How do mental processes, How do mental processes, including sensation, perception, including sensation, perception,

learning, memory, and language, learning, memory, and language, influence behavior?influence behavior?


Biological

Developmental

Psychodynamic

Sociocultural

CognitiveCognitive

Behavioral

Trait

Humanistic




We are driven by dark forces of We are driven by dark forces of the unconsciousthe unconscious



Unconscious needs, conflicts, Unconscious needs, conflicts, repressed memories, and repressed memories, and

childhood experienceschildhood experiences


How does the energy generated in How does the energy generated in the unconscious mind motivate the unconscious mind motivate

our actions and account for our actions and account for mental disorders?mental disorders?

Biological

Developmental

PsychodynamicPsychodynamic

Sociocultural

Cognitive

Behavioral

Trait

Humanistic




Emphasizes human growth and Emphasizes human growth and potentialpotential



The influence of self-concept, The influence of self-concept, perceptions, and interpersonal perceptions, and interpersonal relationships, and our need for relationships, and our need for

personal growthpersonal growth


How can humanistic theory be How can humanistic theory be applied to enhance mental health applied to enhance mental health through counseling and therapy?through counseling and therapy?

Biological

Developmental

Psychodynamic

Sociocultural

Cognitive

Behavioral

Trait

HumanisticHumanistic




Behavior is primarily shaped by Behavior is primarily shaped by learninglearning



Our history of rewards and Our history of rewards and punishmentspunishments


What are the “laws” that associate What are the “laws” that associate our responses with stimulus our responses with stimulus

conditions?conditions?

How can they be applied to How can they be applied to improve the human condition?improve the human condition?

Biological

Developmental

Psychodynamic

Sociocultural

Cognitive

BehavioralBehavioral

Trait

Humanistic




People are social animals, so People are social animals, so human behavior must be human behavior must be

interpreted in social contextinterpreted in social context



Cultures, social norms and Cultures, social norms and expectations, social learning expectations, social learning


Under what conditions is the Under what conditions is the social and cultural situation social and cultural situation

predictive of behavior?predictive of behavior?

How are social influences different How are social influences different across cultures?across cultures?

Biological

Developmental

Psychodynamic

SocioculturalSociocultural

Cognitive

Behavioral

Trait

Humanistic




Behavior is developed and Behavior is developed and adapted over timeadapted over time



Natural selection Natural selection


How do behavior and individual How do behavior and individual differences develop and change?differences develop and change?

Biological

Developmental

Psychodynamic

Sociocultural

Cognitive

Behavioral

Trait

Humanistic

Evolutionary/Evolutionary/SociobiologicalSociobiological



Individual differences result from Individual differences result from differences in our underlying differences in our underlying

patterns of stable characteristicspatterns of stable characteristics



Each person’s unique combination Each person’s unique combination of traits of traits


How many fundamental traits are How many fundamental traits are there?there?

How can we use trait patterns to How can we use trait patterns to predict behavior?predict behavior?

Biological

Developmental

Psychodynamic

Sociocultural

Cognitive

Behavioral

TraitTrait

Humanistic



The Changing Face of PsychologyThe Changing Face of Psychology

• In 1906 – 12% of psychologists were women

• By 1921 – 20% of psychologists were women

• Now – women receive 2/3 of the doctorates awarded in psychology each year

Video


Psychology as a Major

• Bachelor’s degree• 4 years

• Master’s degree• Additional 2 years (6 years)

• Doctorate • Additional 4 years + internship (8-10 years)• PhD• EdD• PsyD• MD


End of Chapter 1End of Chapter 1

copyright © allyn & bacon 2007 chapter 1 introduction and history of psychology

Documents

scientific psychology

mental processes

argued psychology

perspectives psychologists

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clinicalwhat dopsychologists

view of human nature