Psych basics, perspectives

day 1 psychology

psyke

mind/soul

logia

the study of

what is psychology

= the science of behavior and mental processes

AKA- the scientific study of human thought and human and animal behavior

purpose of psychology

Field of psychology seeks to improve understanding of self and others

Explores both biological and environmental influences on personality and behavior

Nature or nurture

biggest question in psychology

AKA- Do we behave/think the way we do because of biology or because of our environment/experiences??

Basic Research

Gaining basic knowledge in the area of psychology (big picture)

Example: Studying how people’s cognitive processes differ

applied research

• Looking in detail at a specific, real-world problem (small picture)

  • Example: Working in a school to help students successfully understand their own cognitive processing skills

counseling psychologist

help people deal with challenges in life. Ex: Death of a loved one

clinical psychologist

(Ph.D.) helps people be diagnosed with & talk through psychological disorders (Ex: depression, day to day issues)

Psychiatrists

are medical professionals (M.D.) who use treatments like drugs and therapy to treat psychologically diseased patients. (severe issues)

Clinical psychologist

Studies, assesses, and treats people with psychological disorders (applied research)

Counseling psychologist

Helps people cope with academic, vocational, and marital challenges. (applied research)

educational psychologist

Studies and helps individuals in school and educational settings (applied research)

Industrial/Organizational psychologist

Studies and advises on behavior in the workplace, how to make the workplace more happy, productive.(applied research)

Biological psychologist

Explore the links between brain and mind. (Basic Research)

Developmental psychologist

Study changing abilities from womb to tomb. (Basic Research)

Cognitive psychologist

Study how we perceive, think, and solve problems. (Basic Research)

Personality psychologist

Investigate our persistent traits. (basic research)

Social psychologist

Explore how we view and affect one another (basic research)

7 major perspectives of modern psychology

Psychodynamic

Cognitive

Behavioral

Humanistic

Biological

Socio-Cultural

Evolutionary

Psychodynamic Perspective

• Focuses on how unconscious drives and desires influence our thoughts and actions.

  • Childhood experiences have a heavy pull

• Sigmund Freud

Cognitive Approach

• Focuses on how we process, store, and use information

  • How this information influences our thinking, language, problem solving, and creativity

• Behavior is influenced by a variety of mental processes including perceptions, memories, and expectations

Behavioral Perspective

• Focuses on OBSERVABLE behaviors

  • How are behaviors learned through interaction with the environment

• Only cares about the behaviors that  get in the way of our living, and attempts to change them.

Humanistic Perspective

Focuses on human growth and potential and what factors allow a person to reach their full potential

Biological Perspective

Focuses on how aspects of our physiology (the brain, neurotransmitters, genes, etc.) contribute to a situation and influence our behavior, thoughts and feelings

Looking at things from the “nature” side of nature versus nurture

Social-Cultural Perspective

Focuses on how our actions and thinking are shaped by our cultural and ethnic similarities and differences.

Membership in social/cultural groups’ impacts