SlideDeck_Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Introduction to Psychology

Definition: Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behavior.
- Word Origin: "Psych" means soul and "ology" means the study of.
- Psychologists examine all aspects of human experience: brain function, consciousness, memory, language, reasoning, personality, and mental health.

Structuralism: Understanding conscious experience through introspection (Wilhelm Wundt).
Functionalism: Focus on how mental activities assist adaptation to the environment (William James).
Psychoanalytic Theory: Emphasis on the unconscious mind impacting conscious behavior (Sigmund Freud).
Gestalt Psychology: Focus on viewing humans as wholes rather than individual parts (Wertheimer, Koffka, Kohler).
Behaviorism: Focus on observable behaviors (Pavlov, Watson, Skinner).
Humanism: Emphasis on innate potential for goodness (Maslow, Rogers).

Credited as a founder of psychology and established the first lab for psychological research.
Introspection: The method of examining one's own conscious experiences to understand the mind's structure.

First American psychologist; focused on how mental processes contribute to environmental adaptation.

Founded Psychoanalysis, focused on the unconscious mind; introduced dream analysis as a method to access it.
- Studied hysteria and neurosis.

Key proponents: Kohler, Koffka, Wertheimer.
Concept: Perception is based on the relationships between individual sensory parts.

Discovered classical conditioning through experiments with reflexes in dogs.
- Conditioned a dog to salivate at the sound of a bell associated with food.

Advocated for the focus on observable behavior rather than introspection; known as the father of behaviorism.

Proposed a hierarchy of needs to motivate behavior; emphasized meeting basic needs for higher-level motivation.

Developed client-centered therapy focusing on the patient's lead in therapy sessions.
- Key principles: unconditional positive regard, genuineness, and empathy.

Emerged in the 1950s emphasizing the importance of mental processes in understanding behavior.
Noam Chomsky: Influential in incorporating cognitive functioning into psychology, emphasizing the study of the mind.

Branches:
- Biopsychology and Evolutionary Psychology: Study of biological bases of behavior.
- Sensation and Perception: Examines how sensory experience is interpreted.
- Cognitive Psychology: Focus on cognition, thoughts, and their relation to behavior.
- Developmental Psychology: Studies aging and maturation.
- Personality Psychology: Investigates individual behaviors and thought patterns.
- Social Psychology: Studies interactions and their effect on behavior.
- Health Psychology: Focus on health influences from biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors.
- Clinical Psychology: Focus on diagnosing and treating psychological disorders.
- Industrial-Organizational Psychology: Applies psychology in workplace settings.
- Sports & Exercise Psychology: Studies psychological influences on physical performance.
- Forensic Psychology: Links psychology and the legal system.

Requires at least a Master's or PhD degree.
- Career options include teaching, research, clinical and counseling psychologists, social work, and business roles.

Statistics from 2009 psychology doctorates:
- University: 26%
- Hospital or health service: 25%
- Government/VA medical center: 16%
- Business or nonprofit: 10%
- Other educational institutions: 8%
- Medical school: 6%
- Independent practice: 6%