AP PSYCH 1.1 Introducing Psychology
What is Psychology?
- Defined as the study of the mind or soul
- Well, what is the mind? What is thinking? What is a soul?
- This definition is not actually very helpful
- Do you have a mind? Are you the mind? Is a mind something that can be possessed?
- These kinds of questions led to the birth of psychology, with roots in philosophy
- Psychology cannot be approached like other sciences
- It is a relatively new science
- There is no method to concretely study it
- Only parts of psychology can be tangibly observed and tested
- Every single person is unique
- Our ideas and concepts surrounding psychology are always changing
- There are many approaches, or perspectives, to psychology
Early Psychology
- Functionalism and structuralism are two of the earliest approaches
- Wilhelm Wundt is the father of psychology and founded a laboratory in 1879, the first time psychology had been studied as an independent science
- Edward Titchener, one of Wundtâs students, takes many of his ideas to the United States and founds Structuralism
- Structuralism is studying the mind by looking at what it is made of
- Not literally, like the brain and its parts
- This method used introspection, looking within oneself, as the basis of its data collection
- The problem with this is that it relied on subjective accounts of peopleâs own minds and was very unreliable
- This approach asks âwhat?â
- Functionalism is studying the mind through what it does, or its function
- Whereas Wundt created the first lab, William James wrote the first textbook
- All traits, physical or not, serve a function; that was the basis of this approach
- This approach asks âwhat function does ____ serve?â and âwhy?â
- Related to ideas of the theory of evolution, another later approach
- Structuralism vs. Functionalism
- Wundt and James were rivals, each trying to prove their approachâs validity
What is the Mind and How Should We Study it?
- The mind is very difficult to examine scientifically
- There are eight billion minds on the planet, each changing every second
- Wundt, Titchener, and James all have different approaches to studying the mind
- There are many more approaches, developing to this day
- Psychology is a new science and therefore our understanding of it evolves all the time
- All of these approaches can answer many questions, but no single approach can answer all questions well
Modern Approaches
Psychodynamic Approach
- One of the older approaches still used today
- Founded by Sigmund Freud, originally called psychoanalytic
- Was the only approach to psychology for a long time
- Focuses heavily on the unconscious: desires, hidden messages, hypnosis, dream analysis, etc.
- Flexible and canât necessarily be proven wrong
- Isnât very scientific, canât be empirical
- Attempting to study something that is literally hidden/impossible to access
Behavioralism Approach
- Developed as a rejection of the psychodynamic approach
- Was looking for more empiricism in psychology, so this approach focuses only on tangible, observable behaviors
- Started by Ivan Pavlov inadvertently
- He discovered that dogs would salivate at a bell once they learned it meant they would be fed
- This proved the formerly denied idea that physical responses could be triggered
- He called this reflexive conditioning; today, we call it classic conditioning
- This may be a way to explain odd reactions, like strong fear or relaxation from objects or sounds
- B.F. Skinner is known for operant conditioning
- Relates to the idea of positive reinforcement
- Subjects presented with positive rewards for a behavior are more likely to do it
- Punished behaviors are less likely to occur
- Every second, we are doing behaviors and receive responses in someway
- We learn from these responses and behave accordingly
- We quickly learn that not blinking is associated with discomfort, therefore we blink to avoid that feeling
- Classical conditioning can be measured but things such as creativity and thoughts cannot be trained in this way
- Operant conditioning can also be observed easily, but people are more complex than punishments and rewards
- Selfless acts that harm the one doing them and feelings like love arenât explained by this
Cognitive Approach
- Focuses on thoughts, which are almost impossible to study
- Everything is related to thoughts, because everything we think has constructed perceptions around it, no matter what
- Nothing we think is completely free of influence
- Many of our thinking processes are flawed by emotions, shortcuts, limited experience, or natural shortcomings of the brain.
- This is a flexible approach that allows for individual differences and complexity
- Focuses on thoughts which are extremely difficult to faithfully study
- Often requires introspection, which is flawed
Biological Approach
- Focuses on the idea that âthe mind is what the brain doesâ
- Connects to the whole body, actually, as all bodily systems are connected to the mind
- Approaches psychology by observing the literal electrical and chemical activities happening within the body and brain
- A very empirical theory, so very reliable
- This theory is too simplistic in our current state of science
- This theory cannot explain things like love and the human condition
Humanistic Approach
- Looks at the unique and special facets of people and their strengths
- A very positive theory, celebrating differences
- A rejection of the pessimistic ideas in psychology
- Behaviors are observed in context of a personâs whole life
- Allows for, and encourages, differences
- Not based on science and cannot be observed
Sociocultural Approach
- References where peopleâs personalities come from
- Nature vs. Nurture
- The cultures, communities, and individuals that shape us
- Proposes that all interactions shape us at least a little bit
- Our likes and dislikes are influenced by the many things weâve been exposed to
- Works well when observing group behaviors and thoughts
- Not so good at being applied to individuals, as it can be stereotyping
- Culture is also hard to measure