Psychology 111 Study Guide: Introduction to Psychology

Introduction to Psychology

  • Definition: Scientific study of thought and behavior.

  • Why study psychology?

    • Metacognitive Thinking: Thinking about thinking.

Subdisciplines of Psychology

  • Students should be able to recognize a description for each of the following disciplines:

    • Cognitive Psychology

    • Developmental Psychology

    • Behavioral Neuroscience

    • Personality Psychology

    • Social Psychology

    • Clinical Psychology

    • Health Psychology

    • Educational Psychology

    • Industrial/Organizational Psychology

    • Sports Psychology

    • Community Psychology

Origins of Psychology

Supernatural Explanations

  • Shamans: Healers believed to have access to and influence the world of good and evil spirits, often treating mental illness through ritual.

  • Trephination: An ancient surgical practice involving drilling a hole into the human skull, possibly used to release evil spirits or relieve medical conditions.

  • Ancient Chinese views of mental illness: Often linked to an imbalance of Yin and Yang or disturbances in vital energy (Qi).

  • Ancient Greek views of mental illness: Associated with imbalances of the four humors (blood, yellow bile, black bile, phlegm) or divine punishment.

Epistemology

  • The theory of knowledge, its methods, validity, and scope, and the distinction between justified belief and opinion.

Medieval to Early Modern Times

  • Witches, Churches: In medieval Europe, mental illness was frequently attributed to demonic possession or witchcraft, leading to persecution and treatments dictated by religious doctrine.

  • History of Asylums: Institutions for the mentally ill, which often evolved from charitable hospices into overcrowded and inhumane facilities.

    • Bedlam: A notorious example (originally St. Mary of Bethlehem) in London, characterized by its horrific conditions and public exhibition of patients.

  • Moral Treatment: A reform movement advocating for humane and respectful treatment of the mentally ill, emphasizing kindness, meaningful activity, and social interaction.

    • Dorothy Dix: A key American advocate for moral treatment, who championed prison reform and the establishment of state mental hospitals.

Modern Views

  • Kraepelin: Emil Kraepelin was a German psychiatrist who developed an influential classification system for mental disorders.

  • Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM): The standard classification guide for mental disorders used by mental health professionals, detailing diagnostic criteria.

  • Freud - Psychoanalysis: Sigmund Freud's theory and therapeutic approach focusing on subconscious drives, internal conflicts, and early childhood experiences impacting behavior.

    • Unconscious: The part of the mind that contains unacceptable thoughts, feelings, and memories that are outside of conscious awareness but still influence behavior.

  • American Psychological Association (APA): A major professional organization that promotes psychology as a science, profession, and means of promoting health and welfare.

  • Changing view of certain disorders - Evelyn Hooker: Her research challenged the prevailing psychiatric view of homosexuality as a mental disorder, contributing to its removal from the DSM.

  • Indigenous Psychology: A field that aims to understand psychological phenomena within specific cultural contexts, often challenging Western-centric perspectives.

Brief History of Scientific Psychology

  • Empiricism: The philosophical belief that knowledge is primarily derived from sensory experience and observation.

    • John Locke: An English philosopher who was a prominent advocate of empiricism.

    • Tabula Rasa: Locke's concept that the mind is a