Psychology Study Guide

Definition of Psychology

The scientific study of the mind and behavior.

Key Aspects (There are 3)

Mind - Internal processes, thoughts, feelings, and memories.

Behavior - All observations actions

Scientific Discipline - Uses scientific methods to study and interpret human behavior.

18th Century

Dualism: The body and mind are different entities

Rene Descartes

19th century

Psychology becomes a scientific discipline

Wilhelm Wundt (Father of Psychology)

19th Century

William James

"Father of American Psychology”

Study of consciousness

Wrote a book (Principles of Psychology 1980)

20th Century

Sigmund Freud

Introduced psychoanalysis; (Unconscious motives & early childhood experiences)

20th Century

Behaviorism - Observable behavior & effects of learning.
Paulov and B.F. Skinner (Discovered)

Evolution of Psychology as a Science

Empiricism: Role of experience and evidence in forming ideas.

Psychology started to use observation and experimentation.

Psychology Today:

Interdisciplinary Nature: Combines insights from various fields.

Diverse Approaches: Uses different perspectives to understand behavior.

Applied Fields: Applied in health, education, industry, and criminal justice.

Why Study Psychology?

Understanding Yourself and Other(Understand thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.)

Improving Communication Skills: (Enhance relationships through understanding interaction.)

Solving Real-World Problems:(Addresses mental health, education, and workplace issues.)

Developing Critical Thinking: (Promotes critical thinking and evidence-based decisions.)

*Just memorize what is colored

Major branches of Psychology

Clinical Psychology: Treatment of mental disorders.

Educational Psychology: Learning and teaching.

Developmental PsychologyHow people change and grow.

Social Psychology: How people interact and influence each other.

Neuropsychology: Relationship between brain and behavior.

*Just memorize what is colored

Research Methods

Experimental Methods: Control and manipulation of variables.

Case Studies:Study of a specific patient.

Naturalistic Observation: Studying behavior in natural settings.

What was psychology originally/ originated from

Philosophy