1.1 Introduction to Psychology-Notes&Flashcards

Pre-scientific psychology

?How are ideas formed?

• Hebrews, Aristotle, and Augustine believed mind and body are connected

  - Aristotle and John Locke say that minds are a “blank slate” and we are completely impersonal by the world.

• Socrates, Pluto, and desecrates believed mind and body are distinct

-Socrates and Plateau say ideas are inborn, we innately have ideas

Dorothea Dix

• The first advocate for those suffering with mental illness

• Insisting they get help and not torture.

• Created the first mental asylum during Civil War because people with mental illness were classified as crazy

Structuralism

• William Wundt (father psychology)

  -established the first Laboratory in Germany in 1879

• The goal of Wundt and structuralism was to study how the mind was organized and related to one another, and to study consciousness. He used introspection: mindset

Functionalism

• William James (first American psychologist)

  - He was interested in how consciousness help people adapt to their environment.

  -He thought Wundt’s theories were incorrect.

  -He wanted to look at thought through questions not just self-reported thinking.

Gestalt psychology

• was founded to revolt against against Wundt’s ideas

• Max wertheimer is the founder of Gestalt psychology

  -he believed conciousness was best understood by looking at the whole experience, rather than just looking at the parts.

"the whole is greater than the sum of its parts”

Psychoanalysis (psychodynamic)

• Sigmund Freud- first psychoanalysis/first to focus on abnormal behavior.

• He believed that behavior and mental processes were directed by unconscious forces.

  -Problems arise from unsolved conflict and the unconscious mind.

• He used free association and dream analysis to look into the unconscious mind.

• His ideas still are controversial and yet to have had a great influence on psychology.

Behaviorism

• Very popular from the 1920’s to 1960’s.

• The theories of behaviorism disagreed with others in the psychology field

• Believed that psychology should only study what could be observed/measured (J. B. Watson)

  -insisted  that's solely external factors shape behaviors.( B. F. Skinner)

• thoughts and hidden parts of the mind aren't relevant because we are a "Blank Slate" in their opinion

Contemporary Psychology

Psychology today-the scientific study of behavior (what we do) and mental processes (enter thoughts). controversy over nature (DNA) v. S. Nature (how we were raised).

Biopsychosocial Approach

biological influences (genetics) + psychological influences (learned/emotional/cognitive) + social/cultural influences (others/social pressure and influential/media) = Behavior/mental process

Psychology’s Current Perspectives

• Biological- how the body and brain PHYSICALLY thoughts, emotions, memories, ect.

• Evolutionary-how natural selections cause allergies to develop and adapt. How does it influence our behavior tendencies (natural selection, spreading gene pool)

• Behavior genetics- how much genes and environment influence behavior.

• Psychodynamic- (new psychoanalysis) Emphasis on an unconscious mind and how directs Behavior

• Behavioral-how behavior is shaped from learning. (don't touch the stove because it's hot)

• Cognitive (thinking)- how we take, store, and receive information.

• humanistic-"everyone has potential” Free Will. (self-esteem, self-worth, self-esteem ect)  how to be a better person

• Social Cultural groups- family, friends,  select and social and economic groups. How different groups Influence People