General Psychology PSY 1300 - Chapter 1 & Course Essentials

Course Overview and Essentials

  • Course: General Psychology (PSY 1300-003)
  • Schedule: Tue/Thu 8:00 AM – 9:20 AM
  • Assessments: 4 exams; drop the lowest; highest 3 count; 140 points per exam
  • Quizzes: MindTap; 2 attempts; highest score counts
  • Mastery Trainings: due lecture day before each exam by 11:59 \text{ pm}
  • Homework (MindTap): start at 0; full completion yields 100\%; auto-submitted by due date
  • Extra Credit: Getting to Know You (optional) — 5 points; due mid-September (Canvas)
  • Research Participation: 7.5 credits; 15\% of final grade; Options A/B; 1 credit per 1 hour; 0.5 credits per ½ hour; can mix; start early; 7.5 credits total
  • Attendance: QR codes randomly collected 15 times; one participation grade dropped
  • Textbook & MindTap: Weiten, 2020; MindTap access; 6-month code; Course Code: MTPN5L35WJ88; purchase at TTU Bookstore or RaiderCanvas; app: Cengage Read
  • Technical Support: MindTap and Canvas links for help
  • Next: Chapter 2 — The Research Enterprise in Psychology

Chapter 1: What is Psychology?

  • Psychology: The scientific study of Behaviors and Mental Processes ext{(definition)}
  • Goals: describe, explain, and predict
  • Behaviors vs. Mental Processes:
    • Behaviors: observable
    • Mental processes: internal thoughts, feelings, motives
  • The Empirical Method: Observation → Question → Hypothesis → Experiment → Analysis → Conclusion

Chapter 1: History of Psychology

  • Precursors: Philosophy; mind-body questions; Descartes’ Dualism; Crick’s "astonishing hypothesis" linking mind to brain
  • Structuralism (Wundt & Titchener): introspection; focus on the structure of the mind
  • Functionalism (William James): mind as a stream; focus on function/adaptation
  • Structuralism vs Functionalism:
    • Structuralism: what the mind is
    • Functionalism: why the mind works (purpose, function)
  • Evolutionary perspective: Darwin; natural selection; behavior as product of evolution

Contemporary Approaches (7 major frameworks)

  • Behavioral
  • Biological (Neuroscience)
  • Psychodynamic
  • Humanistic
  • Cognitive
  • Evolutionary
  • Sociocultural

The Biological Approach

  • Brain and nervous system as the physical basis of thoughts and emotions
  • Neuroscience: study of the nervous system; questions like memory and brain regions involved

The Behavioral Approach

  • Focus on observable behavior; learning via rewards and punishments
  • Key figures: Ivan Pavlov (classical conditioning), John B. Watson, B. F. Skinner (operant conditioning)
  • Classical conditioning: passive association between neutral stimulus and reflex
  • Operant conditioning: behavior shaped by consequences

The Psychodynamic Approach

  • Sigmund Freud; unconscious thoughts; childhood experiences; sexual and aggressive impulses; psychoanalysis

The Humanistic Approach

  • Emphasizes growth, free will, and personal potential
  • Core ideas: self-actualization, esteem, belonging, safety, physiological needs (Maslow's hierarchy)

The Cognitive Approach

  • Focus on mental processes: attention, perception, memory, problem solving, information processing

The Evolutionary Approach

  • Explanations based on adaptation, reproduction, and natural selection

The Sociocultural Approach

  • Behavior influenced by social and cultural environments
  • Differences across cultures and groups

What Do Psychologists Do? (Careers)

  • Fields include: education, universities, hospitals/clinics, private practice, research, business/industry, UX, data analysis, human resources

Psychology, Health, and Wellness

  • Thoughts and feelings can impact health; health behaviors affect thinking and mood; e.g., diet, sleep, exercise
  • Mind–body connection: healthy habits support clear thinking and well-being

The Scientific Mindset in Psychology

  • Four attitudes: Critical thinking, Skepticism, Objectivity, Curiosity
  • Do not accept assumptions; test them using scientific methods

What’s Next?

  • Chapter 2: The Research Enterprise in Psychology
  • Optional Getting to Know You extra credit (continued)
  • Quiz & Mastery Trainings