Introduction to Psychology

Clive Wearing: Accomplished musician who lost the ability to form new memories at age 46 due to illness. Can remember how to play the piano but not recent events such as meals (Sacks, 2007).
James Wannerton: Experiences tastes associated with sounds, e.g., his girlfriend's name tastes like rhubarb (Mundasad, 2013).
John Nash: Renowned mathematician and Nobel Prize winner who suffered from schizophrenia, manifesting as delusions that the New York Times contained coded messages. His struggles and career were depicted in the film A Beautiful Mind (O'Connor & Robertson, 2002).
Questions posed: Why do these individuals experience their particular realities? How does the human brain function? What is the relationship between internal brain processes and external behaviors?

Define psychology.
Understand the merits of an education in psychology.
Psychology: Defined as the scientific study of the mind and behavior.
Researchers use the scientific method: involves proposing a tentative explanation (hypothesis) and testing it through observations and experiments.
- Hypothesis: A tentative explanation for a phenomenon.
- Theory: A broader explanation supported by evidence over time, representing the best understanding of a natural world aspect.
Example of testing hypotheses in psychology: the suitability of asking if a bird sings because it is happy is unsatisfactory since happiness cannot be measured directly. Instead, focus on observable behaviors or measurable states.
Psychological science must be empirical, meaning it relies on observable and measurable data.
Limitation in psychology arises from the fact that thoughts themselves are neither matter nor energy, complicating the scientific study of the mind and behavior.
Empiricism: Knowledge acquired through observation and experimentation rather than through logical argumentation alone.

Motivation for students: Interest in helping that leads to self-understanding or fulfilling academic requirement.
Psychology courses tend to spark interest leading to declaration of psychology as a major.
Psychology is one of the most popular college majors in the U.S. (Johnson & Lubin, 2011).
Notable psychology majors include Mark Zuckerberg, Jon Stewart, Natalie Portman, and Wes Craven (Halonen, 2011).
Statistics: 6% of all bachelor degrees in the U.S. are in psychology (U.S. Department of Education, 2016).

Understand the roles of Wundt and James in psychology's development.
Appreciate Freud's influence.
Understand the fundamentals of Gestalt psychology.
Understand behaviorism's historical significance.
Appreciate the humanistic perspective.
Understand the cognitive revolution's focus on the mind.
Psychology's origins as an experimental science occurred primarily in the 19th century, contrasting with earlier philosophical inquiries regarding the mind.
Founders of psychology as a science: Wilhelm Wundt and William James.

Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920): First to identify as a psychologist; published Principles of Physiological Psychology in 1873.
- Defined psychology as the scientific study of conscious experience, aiming to identify components of consciousness.
- Introduced introspection or “internal perception”: a method for studying conscious experience objectively but criticized for its subjectivity among individuals.
- Maintained a laboratory at the University of Leipzig, conducting reaction time experiments, measuring responses to external stimuli to assess mental processes.
Edward Titchener: Wundt's student; developed structuralism focused on mental contents rather than functional aspects.

Functionalism: Established by William James, John Dewey, Charles Sanders Peirce; emphasized psychology's practical aspects linked to Darwin's evolution theory.
- Adaptation of traits studied how mental activities support organisms' survival in their environments.
- Viewed the mind's operations holistically, opposed to structuralism's component focus, incorporating objective measures alongside introspection.

Sigmund Freud (1856-1939): Influential Austrian neurologist; theorized that many psychological issues arose from the unconscious mind influenced by childhood experiences.
- Unconscious mind as a storehouse for suppressed feelings and urges; techniques for accessing unconscious included dream analysis and free association.
- Psychoanalytic theory focuses on early experiences and unconscious processes affecting behavior.
Despite controversies, Freud's foundational concepts regarding unconscious motivations and childhood influence on adult behavior remain significant.

Gestalt psychology: Founded by Max Wertheimer, Kurt Koffka, Wolfgang Köhler; highlights the holistic perception of experiences rather than just individual components.
- Gestalt emphasizes that stimuli are perceived as whole formations, which is essential for understanding human perception. Examples include music and other sensory experiences.
- Contradicted Wundt's structuralism, yet faced challenges in gaining momentum in America due to behaviorism's rise.

Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936): Pioneered classical conditioning with experiments on conditioned reflexes, notably using salivation in dogs as an example of behavioral learning.
John B. Watson (1878-1958): Advocated behaviorism, focusing solely on observable behaviors and rejecting consciousness as a subject of inquiry. Believed behavior is controlled and can be taught.
- Pioneered the objective study of behavior through experimental methods, leading to the explicit study of learned behaviors vis-a-vis natural instincts.
B.F. Skinner (1904-1990): Developed operant conditioning, emphasizing the significance of reinforcement and punishment in shaping behavior. Created the Skinner box to study behavior modification.
- Skinner's effects on behavioral psychology persist, influencing educational settings and therapeutic practices.

Rising discontent with behaviorism and psychoanalysis led to humanism, a perspective emphasizing human potential and the innate goodness of individuals.
- Abraham Maslow (1908-1970): Proposed the Hierarchy of Needs, emphasizing the motivational aspects of basic needs leading up to self-actualization, fulfilling one's potential.
Carl Rogers (1902-1987): Developed client-centered therapy, emphasizing a therapeutic environment characterized by unconditional positive regard, genuineness, and empathy to facilitate client self-exploration and growth.
Humanistic psychology significantly influenced therapeutic practices, maintaining focus on personal development and fostering positive human qualities.