checkpoint 1 notes

Reading 1: What is Psychology?

  • before psychology was fully established in the late 1800s, philosophy was what was mainly used to look at consciousness and behavior through the lens of logic and reasoning

  • in the late 1800s, psychology established itself as a distinct discipline, emphasizing empirical evidence as the foundation for investigating the mind/behavior + using the scientific method as its guiding principle

empirical evidence: knowledge gained through observation + experimentation

scientific method: a process used by scientists to explore observations, test new ideas, and acquire new knowledge

  • roots of psychology can be traced back to philosophy and natural sciences (biology) because our biological makeup plays a big role in our behavior, and the way we interact with others influences our thoughts and actions (social science)

  • shifting from philosophy to science allowed psychology to use both philosophy and a more systematic approach to understand the human experience

skills developed in psychology (parts of critical thinking)

  1. healthy skepticism

  2. recognizing personal biases

  3. employing logical reasoning

  4. asking insightful questions

  5. making keen observations

Reading 2: History and Theories of Psychology

  • wilhelm wundt (“father of psych”) started psychology’s scientific journey in the 19th century, he believed that the mind could be cracked by breaking it down into basic building blocks. his approach (structuralism) relied on people objectively viewing their thoughts/feelings + he used tools to measure reaction times

structuralism: a psychological approach that focuses on breaking down mental processes into the most basic components

  • focused more on the what instead of the why, which limited its ability to explain how different components worked together + the overall function of the mind

  • laid the foundation for psychology as a science by introducing the idea of objective study of the mind

functionalism: a psychological perspective that emphasizes the purpose + function of behavior and mental processes in adapting to the environment

  • aims to understands how we use thoughts/feelings/behaviors to navigate the real world

  • the mind is viewed as a tool forged by natural selection

  • shifting from structure to function helped create a more comprehensive understanding of the mind and its role in shaping the human experience

psychoanalysis: believes that the unconscious holds our repressed desires, thoughts, and conflicts that influence our behavior

  • pioneered by freud, who believed that the roots of many psychological issues stemmed from the unconscious + believed that accessing the unconscious was the key to resolving underlying problems

  • techniques used by freud were dream analysis, examining freudian slips, and exploring free associations (unfiltered thoughts). he also emphasized early childhood experiences

  • psychoanalysis highlighted the importance of early childhood, unconscious influence, mental representations of ourselves + others, and personality development

gestalt psychology: emphasizes understanding the whole experience instead of its parts

  • suggests that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts (we perceive things in relation to each other, not just isolated elements)

humanism: emphasizes individual potential for growth + the concept of free will, focuses on the whole person and their individual experiences and perceptions

  • emphasizes our potential to grow as people

  • abraham maslow proposed the hierarchy of needs (as basic needs are met, we strive to fulfill higher needs such as love and esteem)

  • carl rodgers believed in the power of human potential + had client centered therapy to create a safe space for clients to explore their own issues

behaviorism: we can understand behavior by looking at its causes and consequences

  • led by john b watson, who believed that psychology should focus on what we do instead of what we think/feel. b.f. skinner expanded on this ideas and explored how reinforcement or punishment shapes our behavior

  • rejects the idea of studying the unobservable mind

  • influenced therapy and education because of its emphasis on cause-and-effect relationships

the cognitive revolution: stresses the importance of studying our thoughts, memories, and info processing

  • aims to understand how we think, learn, and remember

  • gives a more comprehensive understanding of human behavior

feminist psychology: criticizes traditional psychology’s focus on men + emphasizes how gender and social structures shape human behavior + mental well-being

Reading 3: Contemporary Psychology

  • prioritizes evidence-based understanding, which allows this type of psych to be diverse in the perspectives it takes into account (cognitive, social, developmental psychology)

biopsychology: explores how our biology shapes how we act/feel/perceive the world

  • researchers investigate how the structure + function of the brain influences everything

evolutionary psychology: examines how natural selection has shaped our behaviors

developmental psychology: the study of how we grow and change across our entire lifespan

  • development of how our thinking, emotions, social skills, and moral reasoning