Unit-3

Page 1

Introduction to Psychology
- Psychology is a science that studies behavior, consciousness, and mind.
- Overview of the development of psychology as a science discipline.
- Discussion on early schools of thought and modern perspectives of psychology.
Objectives
- Describe contributions of ancient Greek philosophers to psychology.
- Differentiate between structuralism and functionalism.
- Identify characteristics of behaviorism.
- Describe modern perspectives of psychology.
- Explain behavior using relevant psychological perspectives.

Historical Review of Psychology Development
- Psychology has roots in philosophy, studying human nature.
- Influence of Greek philosophers like Socrates and Aristotle.
- Contributions of Aristotle to psychology.
- Influence of Democritus on understanding behavior.
- Psychology influenced by philosophy and other sciences.

Systems and Theories of Psychology
- Psychology defined as the study of behavior and cognitive processes.
- History of psychology shows differences in viewpoints.
- Schools of psychology formed around influential teachers.
- Agreement among psychologists to study behavior.
- Overview of early schools of psychology.
- Establishment of first psychology laboratories in Germany and the US.
- Evolution of psychology from the study of mind to behavior.
- Different views on the nature of mind and behavior in the early 20th century.

Founded by Wilhelm Wundt
Emphasized finding basic elements of the mind through introspection
Experimented to find elementary sensations like red, cold, sweet, and fragrant
Challenged by other psychologists who believed in studying how the mind functioned

Founded by Max Wertheimer, Kurt Koffka, and Wolfgang Kohler
Rejected structuralism's idea of the mind made up of elements
Emphasized the mind as a result of the whole pattern of sensory activity and relationships
Focused on the organization of elements for understanding the mind

Studied the functions of mind and behavior
Interested in adaptive nature of mind and behavior influenced by Darwin's theory of evolution
Explored learning, memory, problem-solving, and motivation for adaptation

Influence of Darwin's theory on functionalism
Emphasis on "The whole is greater than the sum of the parts" by Gestalt psychology
Focus of behaviorism on animal behavior and conditioned responses

Observational learning is a complex process that plays a significant role in behavior.
- Aggression can be learned through observation, especially from exposure to violent media.
Evolutionary and Biological Perspective:
- Focuses on the roles of evolution and heredity in behavior and mental processes.
- Heredity provides a range of behavioral possibilities, influenced by environmental factors.
- Biological factors like nervous and glandular systems can influence behavior.
Cognitive Perspective:
- Behavior is determined by how we remember, think, perceive, and solve problems.
- Perception of the world and information processing are key aspects.
Alzheimer's disease could be a biological explanation for memory issues like Mr. Kumar's.

Social Learning Theory:
- Pappu might be modeling his aggressive behavior after observing others.
- Memory is a key focus in this perspective.
Socio-cultural Perspective:
- Understanding behavior requires considering diversity and cultural influences.
- Studies influences of ethnicity, gender, culture, and socio-economic status on behavior.
Social Perspective:
- Behavior is explained by social interaction and the setting.
- Recognition and respect in society can influence behavior.
Developmental Perspective:
- Behavior is influenced by physical growth and maturity.
- Young children may not realize the impact of their actions due to cognitive egocentrism.

Legal and Social Definitions of Crime and Criminal
- Age is considered in law for conviction.
- Taft (1956) defines crime as an act punishable by law and a criminal as someone who commits such an act.
- Criteria for determining a criminal include competent age, voluntary criminal act, criminal intent, degrees of intent, and injury to the state.
Psychological Perspectives on Behavior
- Humanistic Perspective
  - Focuses on a person's sense of self.
  - Criminal behavior may be viewed as a search for personal competence and self-esteem.
- Psychoanalytic Perspective
  - Emphasizes unconscious feelings and impulses.
  - Behavior is guided by unconscious feelings, emotions, instincts, and desires.
  - Defense mechanisms like displacement and motivated forgetting are used to reduce anxiety.
Self Assessment Questions
- Schools of thought in psychology include Structuralism, Behaviourism, Gestalt, Functionalism, and Psychoanalysis.
- 'Cognitive egocentrism' is associated with the Cognitive perspective.

Summary of Psychological Perspectives
- Various schools of psychology discussed, including earlier ones like Structuralism, Gestalt, Functionalism, Behaviourism, and Psychoanalysis, and current perspectives like Behavioural, Evolutionary and Biological, Cognitive, Sociocultural, Social, Developmental, Humanistic, and Psychoanalytic.
- Shows how behavior can be explained using different psychological perspectives.
Unit End Questions
- Cover topics like ancient Greek philosophers' contributions to psychology, comparison of structuralism and functionalism, characteristics of behaviorism, and modern perspectives of psychology.
- Encourages explaining behaviors using relevant psychological perspectives.
Suggested Readings
- Lists books by authors like Baron, Morgan, and Rathus for further study.

Behavioral Science and Mental Health
- Basic Behavioral Science Task Force emphasizes research on perception, attention, learning, and memory for mental health.
- Studies on media violence's impact on the public and the influence of culture on psychology are mentioned.
References
- Various studies and books cited, including those on media violence, culture,