Topic 1

Field, History, & Profession

Define Psychology (1.1)

• The scientific study of behavior and mental processes.

• Applies to humans & animals.

• Humans: Everything we think, feel, or do.

What are the 3 processes? (1.1)

• Physiological - Physical activities (eating, breathing, sleeping)

• Cognitive - Conscious intellectual (thinking, reasoning, remembering)

• Behavior - Physiological + Cognitive (observed behaviors)

How do these processes affect each other? Name an example. (1.1)

Affect the world & ourselves.

• Example (P affects C): If you are super stressed or sleep deprived (physiological), this can affect your reasoning + ability to remember things (cognitive).

• Example (C affects P): Fasting→ consciously overcoming desire to eat food (physiological).

Why is psychology useful? (1.1)

Provides insights into behaviors:

• Helps us understand why we do the things we do, the way we feel, etc.

• As a result, we can change the root of the problem or reframe our understanding of ourselves.

• Example - A person think they are shy b/c they hate parties. In reality, they learn that they don’t like unstructured situations.

What are psychologists trying to do? (1.1)

• Strategy: Scientific & Structured

• Goals: Describe, Explain, Predict, & Influence behavior.

• First thing: Gather info on behavior + describe what is known objectively.

Describe a Hypothesis & Theories (1.1)

• Hypothesis: An educated guess about what we think the results of a study/experiment will be.

• Theory: Complex explanations about behavior in response to various studies, end product of an experimental study.

• Principles: Valid, basic explanations about behavior; theories come from multiple principles.

Describe Predicting & Influencing (1.1)

Predictions: Psychologists can predict what a human or animal might do as a result of accumulated knowledge (expose to stimulus, then predict result).

Influencing → Basic v. Applied Science:

Basic: Research, find out more about behavior, knowledge for its own sake, discovers principles.

Applied: Discovering ways to use what we already know (marketing, influence patients).

What is The Scientific Basic of Psychology? (1.1)

• Psychology is an empirical science → it is based on experiments + observations.

• Research in psychology uses the Scientific Method.

• Studies must be repeatable and compared in order to draw a valid conclusion.

Psychology History: Structuralism (1.1)

• Wilhem Wundt - First psychology lab, studied psychology in a systematic way, used introspection (self-reports of feelings, thoughts, emotions).

• Structuralism Theory - Studies the basic elements that make up conscious mental experiences.

• Introspection - Looking into oneself and describing what is there.

• Wundt exposed patients to stimuli (clicking sound), then charted the human thought process (from calm to really annoyed).

• This theory DOES NOT hold up today. However, his experiments were repeatable & followed the Scientific Method.

How is psychology connected to other disciplines (other sciences)? (1.1)

• Connects to social science: Helps explain how society impacts the individual (soft science).

• Connects to natural science: Helps explain biological reasons for behavior (hard science).

History of Psychology (1.2)

Evolved from historical to contemporary approaches.

Phrenology (1.2)

• False belief that one can learn about someone’s intelligence & personality by feeling the bumps on their skull.

• Pseudoscience, quite literal.

• Positive Effect: Focused researchers on the head (brain), not the heart.

Functionalism (1.2)

• William James - “Father of Psychology” in the US.

• Activities of the mind = survival (influenced by Darwin, believed brains also evolved over time).

• Positive Effect: Focus is the FUNCTION of behaviors.

Inheritable Traits (1.2)

• Sir Francis Galton - Genetics, believed in Nature (Nature v. Nurture).

• Thought “genius” was HEREDITARY.

• Had unethical ideas… “Good marriages” for “fit” children.

• Positive Effect: Precursor of modern personality tests.

Gestalt Psychology (1.2)

• Gestalt means “Pattern,” so study of recognizing patterns.

• Max Werthheimer, Wolfgang Kohler, Kurt Koffka.

• Positive Effect: Perception of a whole rather than just the parts.

Sigmund Freud (1.2)

• Freud was famous but also had a pessimistic view of humanity.

• Wanted to understand the unconscious mind:

• Id - Basic, instinctual (“monster”)

• Ego - Mediates between the Id and society (get what want w/o getting in trouble)

• Superego - Morals, virtues

• Conclusion: Conflict between the three = human behavior.

Psychoanalyst (1.2)

• Freud was the 1st Psychanalyst.

• Free Association: Patient says anything that comes to mind.

• Freud interpreted the data (Modern Therapists write down patient’s thoughts, then tries to interpret).

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• Freud also analyzed dreams, claiming they were expressions of Id.

• Case: Thorough analysis of one person to gain insight.

• There are no general conclusions from cases as you are only studying one person.

Behaviorists: Pavlov’s Dogs (1.2)

• Ivan Pavlov - Food scientists, accidental psychologist.

• Discovered conditioning (training), observable behavior.

Dogs Experiment:

1. Dog salivates (unconditioned response) at a valuable, unconditioned stimulus (steak).

2. The dog does not respond to a neutral stimulus (bell ringing) b/c it has no meaning.

3. When associate the bell ringing with the food, the dog salivates.

4. The bell is now a conditioned stimulus, resulting in the dog’s salivation also being a conditioned response. (Salivates when hear bell ring w/o steak).

Behaviorists: John B. Watson (1.2)

• Founded Behaviorism.

• Believed ALL behavior is the result of conditioning = Extreme view.

• Claimed he could train babies to be anything through behaviorism.

Behaviorists: Skinner Box (1.2)

B.F. Skinner

Skinner Box: Mouse learns that the lever results in food, while the button creates an electric shock.

Positive Effect: Change behavior with rewards and punishments.

Humanists (1.2)

• Abraham Maslow, Carl Rogers, and Rollo May.

• Had an optimistic view about humanity → People have internal growth.

• Maslow’s Hiearchy/Collection of Needs (no set order):

• Self-actualization

• Esteem

• Love/belonging

• Safety

• Physiological

• Conclusion: Humans are self-directing (masters of their own destiny).

Cognitivists (1.2)

• Jean Piaget, Noam Chomsky, Leon Festinger.

• Wanted to understand the unseen thought processes b/c expectations, memories, etc. matter!

• Conclusion: Behavior is more than stimulus=response (something is going on inside brain!).

Psychobiologists (1.2)

• Focus on how our biological make-up affects our behavior (HARD science).

• Links between chemicals in the brain (dopamine, serotonin, damage) & behavior.

Sociocultural Psychologists (1.2)

• Newest form of psychology

• Individual culture, gender, socioeconomic status affects behavior and mental processes.

Clinical Psychologists v. Counseling Psychologists (1.3)

Clinical: Help people deal with personal, more serious problems. In a medical institute? (Make up ½ of all psychologists).

Counseling: Assist people with everyday challenges and help them adjust. People talking on the couch.

Define Psychiatry (1.3)

The field includes medical doctors who can prescribe medication and/or perform surgery.

Major Psychological Careers (1.3)

• Developmental: Study changes that occur in humans throughout life.

• Educational: Focuses on topics dealing with teaching kids through motivation, problem solving, and intelligence.

• Community: Promote social systems to improve individual well-being (Ex. running a mental health clinic).

• Industrial: Improve working conditions and train people (corporate businesses).

• Experimental: Perform research to understand how humans operate (labs, universities).

• Rehabilitation: Help people with adjustment, coping, and pain management after a serious injury.

• Health: Study the interaction between physical and psychological health factors (Ex. how depression could lead to ulcers).

• Environmental: Focuses on how natural disasters, overcrowding, and pollution affect people.

• Forensic: Work in court and correctional systems to assist police (Ex. determining if someone can go on bail).