Module 1 - The History and Scope of Psychology

Empirical Approach

An evidence based method that draws on observation and experimentation

Who used the empirical approach?

Magician James Randy

What are the three concepts relating to the scientific attitude?

Curiosity, skepticism, and humility

Curiosity

Can predictions be confirmed

Skepticism

Reality vs fantasy and while not being gullible or cynical (can predict helpfulness and academic confidence)

What results in a healthy democracy?

Generosity and intellectual humility

Critical Thinking

Doesn’t automatically accept arguments/conclusions, but examines assumptions, appraises source, discerns hidden bias, evaluates evidence, and assesses conclusion

What did Carl Sagan say?

If god exists, appreciate the curiosity/intelligence he gave us

What can help develop effective policies?

Critical inquiry - check intuitive fiction with empirical fact

What happened in 1879?

Wilhelm Wundt developed the first psych lab involving reaction time to ball hitting platform

Structuralism

School of thought by Wundt and Titchener; used introspection to reveal structure of human mind

Functionalism

Promoted by James, influenced by Darwin; explored how mental/behavioral processes function - adapt, survive, flourish

What did Titchener do?

Engaged in self reflective introspection which was unreliable because smart/verbal people were needed and results varied

What did James do?

Worked to determine why the brain thinks and collab with Darwin helped determine it’s adaptive

What did Mary Calkins do?

1890 - admitted to Harvard grad seminar, did well on exams, Harvard refuses to give degree, she becomes memory researcher

What did Mary Calkins do in 1905?

She was the first female president of the APA

What was the definition of psychology rewritten as in 1920s?

Watson and Skinner disagree with introspection because psych is the scientific study of observable behavior

Behaviorism

Psych should be an objective science that studies behavior without reference to mental processes

Sigmund Freud’s Psychoanalytic Psych

Emphasized the ways our unconscious mind/childhood experiences affect our behavior

Humanistic Psychologists

A historically significant perspective that emphasized human growth potential (Rogers and Maslow)

What were the 1960s considered?

Cognitive revolution

Cognitive Psychology

Study of mental processes involved in perceiving, learning, remembering, thinking, communicating, and solving problems

Cognitive Neuroscience

Interdisciplinary study of the brain activity linked with cognition

Psychology

The science of behavior (anything an organism does) and mental processes (internal/subjective experience)

Nature-Nurture Issue

Controversy over relative contribution that genes/experience make to the development of psych traits/behaviors

Natural Selection

Inherited traits enabling an organism to survive and reproduce in a particular environment will most likely be passed onto succeeding generations

Evolutionary Psych

Study of evolution of behavior and the mind using natural selection principles

Behavior Genetics

Study of relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influence on behavior

Culture

Enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, values, and traditions shared by a group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next

Positive Psychology

Study of human flourishing with goal of discover/promote strengths/virtues that help people thrive

Basic Research

Pure science that aims to increase the scientific knowledge base

Applied Research

Scientific study that aims to solve practical problems

Counseling Psychologists

Assists people with problems in living and achieving greater well-being

Clinical Psychologists

Studies, assesses, and treats people with psychological disorders

Psychiatrists

Branch of medicine deal with psychological disorders; practiced physicians who provide treatment/psychological therapy

Community Psychologist

How people interact with social environments and how those environments effect people

Neuroscience

How the body/brain enable emotions, memories, and sensory experiences

Evolutionary

How the natural selection of traits has promoted the survival of genes

Behavior Genetics

How genes/environment influence our individual differences

Psychodynamic

How behavior springs from unconscious drives and conflicts

Behavioral

How we learn observable responses

Cognitive

How we encode, store, process, and retrieve info

Social-Cultural

How behavior and thinking vary across situations and cultures

Biopsychosocial Approach

Incorporates biological, psychological, and social cultural analysis levels

Levels of Analysis

Differing complementary views for analyzing any given phenomenon