Psychology - 1

Where are most psychologists found?

Private practice (charge what they want, any hours)

Wilhelm Wundt

consciousness using scientific methods “quality” and “intensity” as elements of sensation

Edward Titchener

“clarity” was a dimension of consciousness (structuralism)

Sigmund Freud

theory: personality based on idea that behavior is influenced by unconscious mind

William James

First to teach psych in US, consciousness works to help people adopt functionalism-function of sensations, ideas, and memories was important

John B. Watson

Founder of behaviorism, psychologists shouldn’t study mental, but behavior (influenced behaviorism as a method)

Psychology

the science of behavior and mental processes

Behavior

an action an organism performs, covert: non-observable, overt: observable

Mental processes

activities involved in thinking

Subfields

various fields in psych, biological, developmental, cognitive, clinical/counseling, community, personality, health, educational/school, forensic

Approaches

theoretical assumptions, how they go about their field (biological (Darwin), evolutionary, psycho-dynamic (Freud), behavioral (Watson), cognitive, humanistic (Rogers)

Culture

accumulation of values, rules of behavior, forms of expression, religious beliefs, occupational choice

Empirical methods (to better understand behavior/mental processes)

E.O.U.E. (experience, observation, understanding, experimentation)

Critical thinking

the process of assessing claims or assertions and making judgements w/supported evidence

4 main goals of research DPCE

Describe phenomenon, make predictions, control variables, explain phenomenon

Ind. variables

manipulated or controlled by researcher

Dep. variables

affected by ind., observed and measured

Naturalistic observation

observing w/o interfering

Random sampling

each person has an equal chance of being selected for an experiment

Two types of subjects

humans and animals

Ethical guidelines

Protects the rights of humans and animals, set highest standard

7 principles for ethical treatment of animals (1992 by APA)

1. Justification

2. Qualification

3. Care/housing

4. Acquisition of the animals

5. Experimental procedures to be used

6. Conduct of field research

7. Educational use of animal

biological psychology

study of the role of physical and chemical factors in behavior/mental processess

4 systems

sensory, immune, endocrine, nervous

immune system

detects foreign harmful substances and eliminates them, monitors internal state

endocrine system

affects behavior/mental processes, produces/secretes chemicals, made up of cells that can communicate through bloodstream

Glands

adrenal, pituitary, testes, ovaries, pancreas, thyroid

nervous system (3 basic functions) RIG

receive info, integrate info for choices, guide actions based on choices

neurons

cells that communicate by receiving/sending signals (synapse, dendrites, axon)

glial cells

housekeeper of neurons (secrete glue to stabilize, energy, restore damage, facilitate communication)

CNS

central nervous system

PNS

peripheral nervous system

CNS (parts)

brain (center over shoulders) /spinal cord (center of torso and carries messages to/from brain)

the hindbrain

controls vital survival functions (BP, heart rate, breathing)

midbrain

controls sensory information

forebrain

most highly developed / complex aspect of behavior mental processes

hypothalamus

in forebrain, regulates hunger, thirst, sex drive, emotions

corpus callosum

joins two hemispheres, lets them communicate about respective activities

PNS (functions)

connects outer portion of body w/ the CNS

somatic nervous system

afferent nerves (sensory) and efferent nerves (motor)

autonomic nervous system

sympathetic (mobilize resources, fight vs. flight) and parasympathetic (return back to normal state)

major neurotransmitters

• acetylcholine - memory/movement

• norepinephrine - mood/sleep/learning

• serotonin - mood/appetite/impulsivity

• dopamine - movement/reward

• GABA - sleep, movement

• glutamate - memory

• endorphine - pain control