Schools of Thought

Structuralism

Breaking down into 3 basic parts: physical sensations, feelings, and images.
Introspection: The conscious examination of one’s own internal thoughts, feelings, and conscious experiences.

Functionalism

Past experinces and thoughts/behaviors help people adapt and function in their environment

Biological

Explains human behavior based on biology (genes, brain, hormones, body science)

Psychodynamic

Focuses on unconsciousness, sex and agression drives form birth (unviersal need), and childhood events

Behaviorist

Focuses on what the person is actually doing. Huamns are all the same when they are born and their personalities and individualties are learned (Baby Albert!!!)

Gestalt

Human tendency to perceive patterns, even when they do not exist (like the dalmation image)

Humanistic

If all needs are satisfied (no financial struggles, love, acceptance), people want to be the best version of themselves → called “self-actualization”. Focuses on the here and now → people have free will

Cognitive

Focuses on how people think. Schema → understaing what’s going to happened based on past experiences

Evolutionary

The goal of life is to get your genes in the gene pool

Sociocultural

Learning an dbehavior are rooted in our interactions with others. Our langauge, culture, and social experiences shape who we are → social norms

Biopsychosocial

Biological, psychological, sociocultral ALL influence people → most popular/accepted view today

Goals of Psychology

Describe, explain, perdict, control/influence

Skewed positively

Only a few high scores

Skewed negatively

Only a few low scores

Ethical requirements

Informed consent, confidentiality, use of deceptions, protection from harm/discomfort, debreifing

American Psychological Association

Focuses on ehtical standards surrounding humans in the U.S.

PsyETA

Psychologists for the Ethical Treatment of Animals → Focuses on ehtical standards surrounding animals

Institutional Review Board

Reviews, approves, and monitors reasearch involving human subjects

Milgram

Electric shock experiment. Lied to participants about the purpose of the study. were exposed to real psychological danger. → lack of informed consent

Zimbardo

Standford Prison Experiment. Participants not protected from severe emotional/psychological trauma. Distressed prisoners weren’t allowed to opt-out.

Landis

Facial Experiment Study. Exposed particapants to extreme psychological harm → did not warn them beforehand they would have to do it.

Watson

Baby Albert. Used conditioning to instill fear in Baby Albert. Gave lifelong severe phobia.