AP Unit 1Approaches and History

of Psychology

1.1 Why Study Psychology?Psychology provides tools to help us gain

insight into our own behavior, as well as our relationships with others.

Definition of Psychology: the scientific study of behavior and mental

processes. Psychology falls under the Behavioral

Science.2

Psychological Needs are things like love, comfort, securityPhysiological Needs are physical Needs are things you have to have like food, water, sleep.

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4 Goals of Psychology:

1. Description: the kid at the candy aisle is having a melt down.

2. Explanation: he wants the pretty candy

3. Prediction: He will get the candy

4. Influence: Wal-Mart knows that moms have already lost patience with their kids by the time they get to the checkout line so they put the candy there to get the kids to wear mom down to buy the candy.

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Learning about psychology can help

you gain… – a better understanding of your own behavior.

– knowledge about how psychologists study human and animal behavior.

– practical applications for enriching your life.

1. Description

Example: The child throws a fit every time he goes to Wal-Mart and his mom says no by the candy aisle.

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Psychology is Empirical that means information is obtained through observation and experimentation not common sense or guessing.

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2. Explanation

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http://lewweb.net/science/images/SMflowchart.jpeg

By accumulating knowledge we are able to predict what people or animals will do or think in certain situations and predict future behaviors.

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3. Prediction

Scientist seek to influence behavior in “helpful” ways.

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4. Influence

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Chains like Wal-mart have done these scientific observations and place candy as you check out because when your kid is screaming sometimes it is easier to just buy the candy bar.

Basic Science/Research:Research Ex. Research on drug effects on the brain.

Applied Science/Research: putting that research to use for a purpose Example: Using research on how drugs effect the brain to come up with a new antidepressant to help people suffering from depression. 9

There are two types of science that influences psychology.

Take a 2 minutes to check your phone

2 minute sand timer

2 minutes

End

Empirical Science: knowledge originates in experience and that science should rely on observation and experimentation Who pioneered this approach?

The scientific method is used to reduce errors and biases, objectively analyze Phenomenon.

A theory is a proposed explanation. In Psychology we will be studying different theories.

Hypothesis is predicting a Relationship between variables

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Pseudoscience

Greek for “False Science” Examples: Horoscopes, Astrology, Phrenology

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scienceandsociety.emory.edu

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxHni1ggM1E

Randy million dollar challenge

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Phrenologyled scientists to study the bumps on the head to determine human behavior Phrenology is considered a pseudoscience (False Science)

Phrenology

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Chapter 1.2: History of Psychology

14The Greeks

Aristotle and Plato (384-322 BCE.)Started asking how the mind and the body were related?? Were the separate or related??

Are ideas inborn or is the mind a blank slate filled by experience?

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Dualism “Rene” Descartes “I think therefore I am”

15plato.stanford.edu http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaKLrqxC70c

Dualism: the concept of the mind and body are separate and distinct.• Mind (Soul) is not the only driver of behavior Automatic

response mechanism

Wanted to explore how the separate Mind and Body communicated

Besties for the resties!!!

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Theory of natural selection (1859)Darwin’s theory encouraged scientific inquiryVery controversial

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Charles Darwin (1809-1882)

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John Locke1. One of his major contributions was

to the field of psychology and he is often called the “Father of English Psychology.”

2. Wrote Tabula Rasa. Locke proposes that we are all born with certain knowledge and principles that helps us to become part of society. He states that it is through experience, of the world around us, this is how one forms ideas.  He further states that human knowledge is gathered in 2 distinct ways through sensation and reflection.

3. Innate: Being born with it.

3 Things you need to remember about Within Wundt:

1. Wilhelm Wundt opened the first psychology laboratory in Germany.

2. Changed psychology from a philosophy to a science.

3. Studied introspection. Introspection means looking within yourself. How do you feel about this or that. How does that rose make you feel?

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Wilhelm “within” Wundt is the father of Psychology

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWv3tQUY-9k

William James

(1842-1910)

Broke down consciousness to basic thoughts.

Introspection - self-observationof one’s own conscious experiences

Investigate the function, or purposeof consciousness rather than its structure James thought that we developed useful habits, such as washing our hands before eating because they help us function more effectively in our daily lives.

Structuralism vs.

Functionalism

Wilhelm Wundt

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Picture a blade of grass. A structuralist might have lingered over the intensity of the green color of the blade of grass, the clarity of its texture, and the roughly rectangular shape of the blade and ask what does this tell us about the elements that make up consciousness?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTD3NxUyPvs

William James What you have two daddies? Yes, one is your American Daddy. Known as the Father of American Psychology. You also need to know he wrote the 1st Psychology Book and Father of Functionalism.

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Gestalt Psychology

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Max Wertheimer(1880-1943)

“The whole is different thanthe sum of its parts.”

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Gestalt Psychology looks at how things are interpreted by the mind and the

construction of meaning from the outlide world

What is it?? We like to fill in the gaps so that we see objects as wholes. This idea was first proposed by Frances Bacon. Is he correct?

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Contemporary Psychology Psychology’s Perspectives

A lot depends on your viewpoint Eclectic means that you use several of the theories to describe

behavior.

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1.Psychoanalysis that is now called Psychodynamic

2.Cognitive3.Behavioral4.Biological5.Socio-cultural6.Humanistic known also

has Positive Psychology 7.evolutionary

Sample Problem: Use this scenario to describe using the Contemporary Approaches how you

would evaluate and treat The Hulk

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Problem:The hulk is constantly suffering from explosions of anger.

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.

Evolutionary Perspective?

Psychodynamic Psychology pg. 18

Also called Psychoanalytic.Study of unconscious motives and conflicts that determine behavior. Unconscious are motives that you are not aware of. For instance if someone with brown hair rejects you, then you might not talk to people with that color hair.Conscious are motives that you are aware of. 29

Sigmund Freud: Father of Psychoanalysis

NOT psychology!!!!

Psychoanalytic Psychology pg. 18

Study of unconscious motives and conflicts that determine behavior. Freud used the technique called free association He would say a word and you would say the first word that popped in your head and he would then analysis what is going on in your unconscious. 30

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zz80yYvnWg4

Psychodynamic?

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Cognitive Approach

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Cognitive Psychologists return

to the study of learning,memory, perception,

language,development & problem solving Example: Is your boyfriend

dumping you traumatic or do you just think it is therefore you are depressed? Or..your ability to

do math compared to a 5 year old. You can understand abstract thinking that goes along

with statistics.

Cognition is the mental processesinvolved in acquiring, processing,

storing & using information

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Cognitive Approach

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JEAN PIAGET 1896 – 1980 Worked in France

administering Binet’s IQ test.Children do not think like adults. Why?Created 4 stages of cognitive ability that accurately explain the behavior of children.Influenced teachers and school system.

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Cognitive Approach

Cognitive

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Biological Approach

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FocusHow the body and brain create emotions, memories,and sensory experiences.

Sample Issues• Depression and antidepressants. Problems with

thyroids.• How are messages transmitted within the body?• How is blood chemistry linked with moods and

motives?

Biological?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4Rb9n_sQDg&feature=related

Behavioral Approach

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Scientific Psychology should

focus on observable behavior.

John Watson(1878-1958)

Ivan Pavlov

B.F. Skinner

Behavioral Approach

Social-Cultural Approach

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FocusHow behavior and thinking vary across situationsand cultures.

Sample Issues• How are we, as members of different races andnationalities, alike as members of one human family?• How do we differ, as products of different

social contexts?• Why do people sometimes act differently in

groups thanwhen alone?

Socio-culutural?

Humanistic Approach also called Positive Psychology

You have the potential to be great.Self Actualization.Feel Good approach.Client Centered TherapyHierarchy of needs.42

Carl Rogers believed in “client centered therapy”Abraham Maslow came up with the Hierarchy of needs

Humanistic or Positive Psychology?

Fields of Psychology

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Psychologist is someone who is trained to observe and influence behavior in people.

Psychiatrist is a medical doctor that can prescribe medicine.

Psychology’s Subfields

PsychometricsBasic Research

Developmental psychologyEducational psychologyPersonality psychologySocial psychology

Psychology’s Subfields

Applied ResearchIndustrial/organizational psychologyHuman factors psychologyCounseling psychologyClinical psychologyPsychiatry

Psychology’s Big DebateNature Versus Nurture

Where you born that way or did your environment make you that way?

Superman?

Tips for Studying Psychology

SQ3R Survey, Question, Read, Rehearse, Review.Study Tips

Distribute your study timeLearn to think criticallyIn class, listen activelyOverlearnBe a smart test-taker

Homework:

#1. Go to:http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/apcreditpolicy/index.jspPick three colleges you are interested in and find out what you need to make on your AP exam to get credit. On one of your choices research how much a 3 credit class it.#2