Lecture 1 - History and Subject Domains in Psychology

Psychology

The scientific study of the mind and behavior of humans and animals 

History and Subject Domains in Psychology - Cartesian Dualism

the idea that mind and body are separate and independent of one another  

• Basis of western medicine  

• Either the body or the mind, never the two as a whole or the spirit 

• Body a complex machine, workings automatic  

• The separate yet interrelated nature of the immaterial mind and material body

How does the mind gain content - Innatism

by Plato, who assumed that a God or similar being or process placed ideas and knowledge in the mind 

How does the mind gain content: Tabula Rasa

by Aristotle, the soul in itself is completely blank, like a writing tablet on which nothing has yet been written 

How does the mind gain content - empiricism

knowledge is not innate and that people gain knwoledge through experience and observing using 5 senses

Theory of evolution - functionalism

characteristics are evolved to serve adaptive functions 

Theoretical perspectives - Structuralism

an early school of thought promoted by Wundt and Titchener; used introspection to reveal the structure of the human mind

• Emphasis on Measurement 

• e.g. what your hand is made up of: bones, muscles, tissues   

Theoretical perspectives - functionalism

an early school of thought promoted by James and influenced by Darwin; explored how mental and behavioral processes function—how they enable the organism to adapt, survive, and flourish.

• e.g. what your hands are used for: eating, for labor, to pick things up 

Theoretical perspectives - Behaviorism 

the view that psychology (1) should be an objective science that (2) studies behavior without reference to mental processes. Most psychologists today agree with (1) but not with (2).

• Key Figures: Ivan Pavlov, John B Watson and BF Skinner 

• Focused on study of observable behavior 

• Psychology as a science, empirical, verifiable evidence