Human Behavior

psychology

The scientific study of behavior and mental processes

psychologists

study how people think, feel, and act in various situations

4 Goals of Psychology

study how people think, feel, and act in various situations

1st Goal

Describe - Observe behavior and note everything about it: what happens, how often, and under what conditions.

2nd Goal

Explain - Understand why behaviors or mental processes occur.Example: Explaining that stress reactions might be due to high cortisol levels.

3rd Goal

Predict - Forecast future behavior based on observations.Example: Predicting that a student who procrastinates often will experience anxiety before deadlines.

4th goal

Control (or Influence) - Use psychological knowledge to change or improve behavior.Example: Developing stress-management techniques to reduce anxiety.

Important People in Psychology

Wilhelm Wundt, William James, Sigmund Freud, John B. Watson, .F. Skinner, Abraham Maslow, Carl Rogers, Jean Piaget, and Ivan Pavlov

Modern Approaches to Psychology

Biological (pinky),
Humanistic (ring finger),
behavioral (middle finger),
cognitive (pointer finger),
psychoanalytic (thumb),
sociocultural (palm)

biological

Behavior is influenced by the brain, genes, and hormones.

Brain structure, neurotransmitters, and genetics.

(Any sentence that says brain is usually biological.)

behavioral

Behavior is learned from the environment through conditioning.

Rewards, punishments, observations.

cognitive

Focuses on how people think, process, and store information.

Memory, problem-solving, perception.

humanistic

Emphasizes free will, personal growth, and reaching full potential.

Self-esteem, choice, and meaning in life.

Psychodynamic

Behavior comes from unconscious drives and conflicts.

Childhood experiences, inner desires.

Sociocultural

Behavior is shaped by society, culture, and social groups.

Gender, ethnicity, traditions, norms.

The big five theory (OCEAN)

The Big Five theory suggests that personality can be described using these five broad traits, which exist on a spectrum. Every person falls somewhere along each dimension, shaping their unique personality.

Wilhelm Wundt

"Father of Psychology." Opened the first psychology lab (1879). Focused on introspection—examining one's own thoughts and feelings. (cognitive)

William James

founded Functionalism—studied how behavior helps people adapt to their environment.

Sigmund Freud

founded Psychoanalysis. Focused on the unconscious mind and early childhood experiences. (psychoanalytic)

John B. Watson

founded Behaviorism. Studied observable behavior (not thoughts). Famous for the Little Albert experiment. (behavioral)

B.F. Skinner

was a Behaviorist who studied operant conditioning—how rewards and punishments shape behavior. (behavioral)

Abraham Maslow

created the Hierarchy of Needs and emphasized self-actualization (humanistic approach)

Carl Rogers

a humanistic psychologist, believed in unconditional positive regard and personal growth. (humanistic)

Jean Piaget

studied cognitive development in children. (cognitive)

Ivan Pavlov

discovered classical conditioning (dog salivation experiment) (behavioral)

O

Openness to Experience: Imagination, curiosity, creativity. High: enjoys new experiences, creative. Low: prefers routine, practical.

C

Conscientiousness: Organization, responsibility, dependability. High: disciplined, careful. Low: careless, impulsive.

E

Extraversion Sociability, energy, assertiveness. High: outgoing, talkative. Low: quiet, reserved.

A

Agreeableness Kindness, trust, cooperation. High: friendly, empathetic. Low: competitive, stubborn. N - Neuroticism: Emotional stability and self-control. High: anxious, moody. Low: calm, emotionally stable.

N

Neuroticism: Emotional stability and self-control.High: anxious, moody. Low: calm, emotionally stable.