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Psychology
Scientific study of behavior and mental processes
Why is psychology scientific?
Because it uses research methods to draw conclusions, not intuition
Goals of Psychology
Describe: what is happening
Explain: why is it happening
Predict: when will it happen
Change: How can we help
Structuralism (Edward Titchener)
Understanding of parts to understand the whole
Ex:“Let’s break it down and look at each tiny LEGO piece to understand the whole castle.”
Functionalism (William James)
Focuses on the purpose/ function of mental process and behavior, specifically, how they enable individuals to adapt to their environments.
Ex: The mind is best understood by looking at what it does, not just what it is made of.
Willem Wundt (Father of psychology)*
Founded the first psychology lab in 1879
laid foundation for structuralism
Introduced the use of introspection to study conscious experience. (asking people to describe their inner experiences)
William James *
Founded Functionalism
Wrote The Principles of Psychology (1890), the first major psychology textbook.
James-Lange Theory
James-Lange Theory
Proposes that emotions arise as a consequence of our physiological reactions to events
Edward Titchener
Developed Structuralism in the U.S.
Used introspection to find the mind’s “building blocks”
John Locke
Proposed Tabula Rasa (blank slate) → all knowledge comes from experience
Founder of Empiricism → psychology must rely on observation
Rene Descartes
Believed in Dualism (mind and body are separate)
Said the mind controls the body, body sends info to mind
His ideas launched debates that shaped early psychology
Psychodynamic/ Psychoanalytic
Definition: Our behavior comes from deep feelings and memories we aren’t aware of, often from childhood.
Example: You get nervous every time someone raises their voice, but you don’t know why. A psychodynamic psychologist might say it’s because you were yelled at a lot as a kid and your brain still remembers it, even if you don’t.
Behavioral Prrspective
Definition: Focuses only on what we can see and measure — our actions. It says we learn behavior through rewards, punishments, or copying others.
Example: If you study and your teacher praises you, you’re more likely to study again. That’s behavior being shaped by reward.
Cognitive Perspective
Focused on how we think — our thoughts, memories, problem-solving, and how we see the world.
Example: Two people take the same test. One thinks, “I’m smart, I got this,” and stays calm. The other thinks, “I always fail,” and panics. Their thinking changes their behavior and feelings.
Humanistic Perspective
Achieving one’s potential
Example: A humanistic therapist won’t tell you what’s wrong with you — they’ll help you figure out what you want from life and how to become your best self.
Biological Perspective
our behavior comes from the brain, body chemicals, and genes.
Example: Someone with depression might have low levels of a brain chemical called serotonin. A biological psychologist would suggest medicine or brain scans, not just talk therapy.
Evolutionary perspective
This one says we behave a certain way because it helped our ancestors survive.
Example: People tend to like sweet and fatty foods — not because they’re “bad,” but because thousands of years ago, those foods gave people energy to survive.
Sociocultural perspective
This perspective says our behavior is shaped by the people and culture around us — our family, religion, country, and community.