The History & Scope of Psychology

Psychology Brainstorm

• What does it mean?• What do psychologists study?• Is psychology a true science?• How is psychology related to other

sciences?

Psychology: A Definition

The science of behavior and mental processes.

Science: based on research

Behavior: observable, measurable

Mental processes: thinking, dreaming…

Psychology’s Big Issues

Stability v. Change

Continuity v. Discontinuity

Nature v. Nurture

Stability v. Change

• As the years pass, do we change or remain the same?

• Do we become adults or are we always just big kids?

• Personality traits, physical appearance, sense of humor, tastes, etc…

Continuity v. Discontinuity

• Does growth occur gradually or in stages?

• Biology versus Experience• Am I the way I am because I was

born that way or because of my surroundings?

Nature v. Nurture

Can I ever be like these people, or does nature give me limitations?

Goals of Psychology

ObservePredictExplain

DescribeControl

• Form groups of 2-3• Identify the Goals of Psychology

Psychological Science is BornStructuralism

Wundt and Titchener studied the elements (atoms) of the mind by conducting

experiments at Leipzig, Germany, in 1879.

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Psychological Science is BornFunctionalism

Influenced by Darwin, William James established the school of functionalism, which

opposed structuralism.

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Psychological Science is BornThe Unconscious Mind

Sigmund Freud and his followers emphasized the importance of the unconscious mind and its

effects on human behavior.

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Psychological Science DevelopsBehaviorism

Watson (1913) and later Skinner emphasized the study of overt behavior as the subject

matter of scientific psychology.

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Psychological Science Develops

Humanistic Psychology

Maslow and Rogers emphasized current environmental influences on our growth

potential and our need for love and acceptance.

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Psychology Today

We define psychology today as the scientific study of behavior (what we

do) and mental processes (inner thoughts and feelings).

An eclectic approach is generally used when approaching the study of

psychology

Psychological Associations & Societies

The American Psychological Association is the largest organization of psychology with 160,000

members world-wide, followed by the British Psychological Society with 34,000 members.

Psychology’s Big Debate

Nature versus Nurture

Darwin stated that nature selects those that best enable the organism to survive and reproduce in a particular environment.

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Psychology’s Three Main Levels of Analysis

Psychology’s Perspectives

The Big Seven

Brainstorm

• "Bob was driving his car in traffic one day when another driver cut him off. Bob proceeded to flip the man off and yell obscenities at the driver."

• Now "Why did Bob flip off the other driver? What explains WHY he might have engaged in this action?"

• With a partner think of as many reasons why (not necessarily precipitating events like, he lost his job, his girlfriend left, he had a bad day...)

Neuroscience Perspective

• Focus on how the physical body and brain creates our emotions, memories and sensory experiences.

If you could not remember the names of your parents and went to a psychologist who adheres to the neuroscience perspective, what might they say?

Evolutionary Perspective

• Focuses on Darwinism.

• We behave the way we do because we inherited those behaviors.

• Thus, those behaviors must have helped ensure our ancestors survival. How could this behavior

ensured Homer’s ancestors survival?

Psychodynamic Perspective

• Fathered by Sigmund Freud.

• Our behavior comes from unconscious drives.

• Usually stemming from our childhood.

What might a psychoanalyst say is the reason someone always needs to be chewing gum?

Behavioral Perspective

• Focuses on our OBSERVABLE behaviors.

• Only cares about the behaviors that impair our living, and attempts to change them.

If you bit your fingernails when you were nervous, a behaviorist would not focus on calming you down, but rather focus on how to stop you from biting your nails.

Cognitive Perspective• Focuses on how we

think (or encode information)

• How do we see the world?

• How did we learn to act to sad or happy events?

• Cognitive Therapist attempt to change the way you think.

Meet girl Get Rejected by girl

Did you learn to be depressed

Or get back on the horse

Social-Cultural Perspective• Focus on how your culture effects

your behavior.

Even in the same high school, behaviors can change in accordance to the various subcultures.

Humanistic Perspective• Focuses on positive growth• Attempt to seek self-actualization• Therapists use active listening and

unconditional positive regard.

Mr. Rogers would have made a great Humanistic Therapist!!!

Psychology’s Current Perspectives

Perspective Focus Sample QuestionsNeuroscience How the body and

brain enables emotions?

How are messages transmitted in the body? How is blood chemistry linked with moods and motives?

Evolutionary How the natural selection of traits the promotes the perpetuation of one’s genes?

How does evolution influence behavior tendencies?

Behavior genetics

How much our genes and our environments influence our individual differences?

To what extent are psychological traits such as intelligence, personality, sexual orientation, and vulnerability to depression attributable to our genes? To our environment?

Psychology’s Current Perspectives

Perspective Focus Sample Questions

Psychodynamic

How behavior springs from unconscious drives and conflicts?

How can someone’s personality traits and disorders be explained in terms of sexual and aggressive drives or as disguised effects of unfulfilled wishes and childhood traumas?

Behavioral How we learn observable responses?

How do we learn to fear particular objects or situations? What is the most effective way to alter our behavior, say to lose weight or quit smoking?

Psychology’s Current Perspectives

Perspective Focus Sample QuestionsCognitive How we encode,

process, store and retrieve information?

How do we use information in remembering? Reasoning? Problem solving?

Social-cultural How behavior and thinking vary across situations and cultures?

How are we — as Africans, Asians, Australians or North Americans – alike as members of human family? As products of different environmental contexts, how do we differ?

Remember Bob?

• Look at the list of reason you came up with…now brainstorm with a buddy and try to fit them in to one of the 7 perspectives

• Have perspectives unrepresented? Try to come up with an example to fit it.

Psychology’s Subfields

Psychology’s Subfields: Research

Psychologist What she does

BiologicalExplore the links between brain and mind.

DevelopmentalStudy changing abilities from womb to tomb.

CognitiveStudy how we perceive, think, and solve problems.

Personality Investigate our persistent traits.

SocialExplore how we view and affect one another.

Psychology’s Subfields: Research

Data: APA 1997

Psychology’s Subfields: Applied

Psychologist What she does

ClinicalStudies, assesses, and treats people with psychological disorders

CounselingHelps people cope with academic, vocational, and marital challenges.

EducationalStudies and helps individuals in school and educational settings

Industrial/Organizational

Studies and advises on behavior in the workplace.

Psychology’s Subfields: Applied

Data: APA 1997

A clinical psychologist (Ph.D.) studies, assesses, and treats troubled people with

psychotherapy.

Psychiatrists on the other hand are medical professionals (M.D.) who use treatments like

drugs and psychotherapy to treat psychologically diseased patients.

Clinical Psychology vs. Psychiatry

Slides adapted from:

• http://www.appsychology.com/– Mr. Kaplan’s groovy AP Psychology

Commune

• PowerPoint Slides by Aneeq Ahmad, Henderson State University, Worth Publishers, © 2006 (Enhanced Lecture PowerPoints from instructor’s resources)