1. Introduction to Psychology

Behaviour

Observable actions

Psychology

The scientific study of individual human behavior and cognition.

Cognition

Internal mental processes

Cognitive biases

Systematic errors in the ways we think

The three approaches

Cognitive, biological, and socio-cultural

The biological approach

Physiological behaviors (brain, chemical messengers, genetics)

The cognitive approach

Internal mental factors (thinking patterns, cognitive deficits)

Why do we study cognition?

Thoughts lead to action : cognition leads to behaviour

The socio-cultural approach

Environmental factors (parental influences, childhood, media)

Scientific method

1. Observation

2. Question

3. Hypothesis

4. Experiment

5. Analyze

6. Conclusion

7. Publish

Empirical evidence

Scientific observations

Anecdotal evidence

Personal observations

Why use scientific method?

Increases objectivity and validilaty

Psychological theories

Attempt to explain why people behave and think in particular ways

Psychological Models

Demonstrate how processes related to behavior and cognition occur

Psychological effects

Predictable patterns of behaviors supported by research

Why study behavior and mental processes

Cognition is central to human behavior