Unit 1: Approaches, Perspectives, and Methods

Psychology

The scientific study of human and animal thoughts, behaviors, and emotions rooted in both psyiological and mental processes

Biological Psychology

all T,B,E are based on an individual’s anatomy and physiology

Cognitive Psychology

all T B, E are based on an individual’s metal processing (thinking, decision making, problem solving)

Behavioral Psychology

all T, B, E are based on an individuals’s learned responses and adaptations to their environment

Stress

the process of responding or appraising to a real or imaginary threat

Parts of appraisal theory

Primary appraisal, secondary appraisal, stress response

Primary appraisal

Is this positive, negative, or neutral?
If negative, what are the impacts of it and to what extent? Sec

Secondary Appraisal

what can I do about this?

In what modes can stress response be seen?

physiological, cognitive, emotional, behavioralWha

Parts of General Adaptation Syndrome

Alarm, Resistance, Exhaustion

Alarm phase of GAS

initial response, what can I do?, appraisal, identity and think

Resisitance phase of GAS

coping, acting to relive the stressor

Exhaustion

depletion of resources, recovery

Examples of stressors

delays, life changes, everyday habits, lack of resources, pressure, frustration, losses, failures, discrimination, conflict

Pressure

being forced to speed up or shift focus of our behavior

frustration

a person is prevented from reaching a goal

Conflict

simultaneous existence of incompatible demands, opportunities, goals, and needs

Types of Conflict

approach/approach

avoidance/avoidance

approach/avoidance

Approach/Approach Conflict

conflict between two appealing possibilities

• typically results in regret

Avoidance/Avoidance Conflict

Conflict between undesirable possibilities

• people feel the need to escape

Approach/Avoidance Conflict

being simultaneously attracted to and repelled by the SMAE goal, pros + cons

• feeling a sense of paralysis

Oxytocin

“cuddle” hormone

triggered by stress and socialization

adrenaline

stress hormone that increases energy

Three types of Coping

Avoidance, Problem-focused coping, emotion-focused coping

Coping: Avoidance

Completely avoid stressor

Problem-Focused Coping

change events that lead to stress or by changing how we react to the stress, often most effective with temporary stressors

Emotion-focused Coping

often with chronic stressors, we cannont change the stressful situation attend to our own emotional needs and mental fitness

SMT: Mindfulness/Meditation/Guided Imagrey

triggeres parasympathetic nervous system, serotonin activated, focused distraction, calming responseP

Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS)

produces a calming response

SMT: Positive Self-Talk/ Affirmations

self fulfilling prophecy, improves effective appraisal, develops confidence, domapine activated

Dopamine

reward center, hormone

SMT: Social Support , talk it out and listen

combat isolation, develop community/relationships, improve secondary appraisal, activates oxytocin

SMT: Laugh and Yawn

Facial feedback hypothesis, activates serotonin and PNS

SMT: Journaling (pros/cons, strength/growth, positive interactions, gratitude, self-reflection, goals - short/long term)

self-regulation develops, improve effective appraisal, gain perspective, growth mindset

SMT: Venting - “thorwing away the negative”

improve effective appraisal, activates oxytocin, problem-focused coping, talking with someone

SMT: Excercise, Stretch, Shake

activates endorphins/dopamine, improve physical health to support mental well being

SMT: Calm your mind - read, color, listen to music, NOT sleep

self-regulation develops, activates PNS, repetitive tasks, focused distraction, activates serotonin

SMT: Develops a fun hobby - minimal pressure/competition

focused distraction, activates dopamine, develops self-confidence

SMT: “Unplug and recharge”

improves effective appraisal, activates PNS and serotonin

What is the initial underlying assumption of positive psych and is it still true?

all problem-focused and emotion-focused coping strategies are helath

it has since been challenged

Scientific method

careful observation and the experimental testing of hypothesis

behavior

what people do on the outside

thought

mental processing - cognition

emotion

response to the environment that is both physical, expressive, and conscious

PsychoAnalytic belief of Psychology - Early 1900s

all T,B,E are motivated by the unconscious influences of Agression and sex

Behavioral belief of psychology - Early 1900s

all T, B,E are learned

Humanistic belief of Psychology - mid 1900s

all T,B,E stems from our need to thrive and succeed

Cognitive belief of Psychology - mid 1900s

all T,B,E can be understood by examining mental processes (memory, decision making, language, learning)

Biological belief of Psychology - mid 1900s

all TBE are influenced by anatomy and psychiology (parts of the brain, hormones, neurotransmitters)

PsychoDynamic belief of Psychology - late 1900s

all TBE are motivated by unconscious influences of chilDhooD and other past experiences

Evolutionary belief of Psychology - late 1900s

all TBE are motivated by our need to survive both physically and genetically

Socio-Cultural belief of Psychology - late 1900s

TBE are influenced by the socio-cultural contexts in which we operate

Nature

everything is based on genetic inheritance

what approcaches support the NATURE perspective

Biological and Evolutionary

Nature - biological

determine what is true for the majority to then discover what is true for you individually

Nature - Evolutionary

what is true for eveery person, everywhere, at any time - universal norm

what are universal norms and how have they impacted people

Nurture

everything is based on environmental context

what approcaches support the NURTURE perspective

behavioral and socio-cultural

Nurture - Behavioral

TBE are based on driving factors in an environment for an individual or a specific group

Nurture - Socio-cultural

impact and influence of cultural norms that you may not be aware of

what approcaches support the NATURE AND NURTURE perspectives

cognitive, humanistic, and psychodynamic

Both - Cognitive

NA - all people have the same parts of the brain/body

NU - ways of thinking, skills, priorities, and interests

Both - Humanistic

NA - the drive to succeed is innate

NU - definition of success by groups and individuals

Both - psychodynamic

NA - humans have a more unconscious level of processing

NU - what is it?

hypothesis

a tentative statement about the relationship between two variables

variable

any measurable condition, event, characteristic, or behavior that is controlled or observed in a study

theory

a system of interrelated ideas used to explain a set of observations

observational definition

describes an action/operation that will be used to measure or control a variable and establish context in a study

subject

person/animal whose behavior is systematically observed in a study

data collection technique

procedure for making empirical observations a dn measurements

ex. direct observation, questionnaire, interview, psychological test, physiological recording, examination, or archival record

research method

differing Approaches to the observation, measurement,, manipulation, and control of variable sin empirical studies

• experimental research or descriptive/correlational research

Ethical guidelines for research with humans

• voluntary participation and allow for withdrawl at any time

• don’t subject participants to harmful or dangerous treatment

• debrief/inform participants of deception and purpose/nature of it

• right to privacy

Guidelines for research with animals

• harmful or painful actions cannot be justified unless potential benefits of research are substantial

• research animals are entitled to decent living conditions

Steps of the Scientific Method

1. make an observation and form a question

2. make a hypothesis (if…then…)

3. Baseline mesasure

4. Operationalize Variables (what is studied, how do we measure it)

5. Conduct a Study - select method and tools

6. Collect and Analyze Data (descriptive and inferential statistics)

7. Draw Conclusions (prove, disprove, refine hypothesis)

8. Verify Results (replicable and generalizability)

Research Method

what is expected to be learned

research tool

how to gather data

types of research methods

descriptive

correlational

experimental

types of research tools

case study

survey

naturalistic observation

archival

experiment