Chapter 1 Psychology's History and Approaches

The Development of Psychology

Psychology was established from the already existing fields of biology and philosophy

structuralism- an early view of psychology that used introspection to explore the structural elements if the human mind

functionalism- a view of psychology that focused on how mental and behavioral processes function and how they enable us to adapt, survive and flourish

From 1920s-1960s psychology was defined as the scientific study of observable behavior

They also came up with the behaviorism view

behaviorism- the idea that psychology: a. should be an objective science b. studies the behavior without reference to mental processes

According to behaviorism, psychological science is rooted in observation

In the 1960s and beyond, humanistic behavior rebelled against Freudian psychology and behaviorism and psychologists realized the importance of environments on our growth potential.

humanistic behavior- a perspective that emphasized the growth potential of health people and the person’s potential for personal growth

The cognitive revolution also emerged in the 1960s and it expanded on the ideas like the importance f how our mind processes and retains information but also the ways we perceive, process and remember information

cognitive neuroscience- aka cognitive psychology is the study of the brain activity linked with cognition (perception, thinking, memory, language)

Today psychology is defined as the scientific study if behavior and mental processes

behavior- anything an organism does. an action that cam be observed and recorded

mental processes- the internal subjective experiences we infer from behavior. ex: sensations, perceptions, dreams, thoughts, beliefs and feelings

empiricism- the idea that knowledge comes from experience

Psychology is growing and expanding because of multiculturalism

Psychology’s Biggest Question

The main topic of discussion in psychology is the nature-nurture issue. Today science sees behaviors rising from the interaction of nature and nurture

Nurture works on what nature endows

nature - nurture issue- the controversy over the contributions that genes and experiences make on the development of psychological traits and behaviors

natural selection- the principle that inherited trait variations contributing to reproduction and survival will most likely get passed down to the next generations

Psychology’s levels of Analysis

levels of analysis- the different complementary views for analyzing any given phenomenon

biopsychosocial approach- an integrated approach that’s developed from the different levels of analysis like biological, psychological and social-cultural factors

biological psychology- a branch of psychology that studies the link between biological (neuroscience and behavior genetics) and psychological processes

evolutionary psychology- the study of the roots of behavior and mental processes using the idea of natural selection

psychodynamic psychology- a branch of psychology that studies how the unconscious drives and early childhood relationships/ conflicts influences behaviors and mental processes

behavioral psychology- the scientific study of how learned and observable behaviors impact behaviors and mental processes

cognitive psychology- the scientific study of all mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering and communicating and how they impact behaviors and mental processes

social- cultural psychology- the study of how situations and cultures affect our behavior and thinking

culture- ideas, values, behaviors and traditions that are shared by a group of people and passes from one generation to the next

gender- socially constructed roles and characteristics which culture defines as male and female

SQ3R method- a study method that includes survey, question, read, rehearse and review

The Subfields of Psychology

the subfields of psychology has less unity than most other sciences

psychology is united by the common quest of describing and explaining behavior and the mind underlying it

psychometrics- the scientific study of the measurement of human abilities, attitudes and traits

1. Psychologists do basic research to build the psychological database

basic research- pure science that aims to increase the scientific knowledge base

developmental psychology- the scientific study of physical, cognitive and social change throughout the life span

educational psychology- the study of how psychological processes affect and can enhance teaching and learning

personality psychology- the study of an individual’s characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling and acting

social psychology- the scientific study of how we think about, influence and relate to one another

2. Psychologist also conduct applied research which tackles certain problems

applied research- a scientific study that aims to solve practical problems

industrial- organizational (I/O) psychology- the application of psychological methods and concepts to optimize human behaviors in the workplace

human factor psychology- the study of how people and machines interact and the design of safe and easily used machines and environments

counseling psychology- a branch of psychology that helps people with problems in living and achieving a greater well-being

clinical psychology- a branch of psychology that studies, assesses and treats people with psychological disorders

psychiatry- a branch of medicine which deals with psychological disorders, practiced by physicians who often provide medical treatments and psychological therapy

Eclectic approach- a form of psychotherapy in which the clinician uses more than one theoretical approach, or multiple sets of techniques, to help with clients' needs. It’s tailored to fit the exact needs of the individual