Types of Psychology

1. Recognize how philosophical and physiological perspectives shaped the development 

    of psychological thought     

• Socrates and Plato- believed that the mind is separated from the body and continues after the body’s death  

• Aristotle-believed that knowledge isn’t preexisting but grows from memories and experiences  

• Francis Bacon- believed that memories are created by experiences    

• John Adams incorporated this into the belief that we are born for a “empty slate”

-Rene Descartes- discovered that neurons flow from the brain to the muscle (used Socrates and Plato’s  idea of how the mind is separated from the body

• John Adams- created the idea of empiricism of how we are born with a “blank slate”

*empiricism- the idea how knowledge comes from personal experience and that observation and and experimentation creates scientific knowledge

2. People to know

Wilhelm Wundt- the founder of the first psychology laboratory. He made this laboratory to measure the “atoms of the mind”  

• First psychological journal

Edward Bradford Tichener- created structuralism with Wundt to understand human behavior and their thoughts  (main person to create structuralism)

*Stanley Hall- a student of Wundt who started the first laboratory in the U.S. and created the American Psychological Association (first president)  

• First psychological journal (in U.S)

William James- the creator of the idea of functionalism that was influenced by Darwin idea of natural selection 

Mary Calkins- woman who wasn’t allowed to get a Harvard degree due to the fact that she is a woman (supposed to get a PHD) 

• First woman president of the APA

Margaret Washburn - first woman to get a psychology degree but banned from joining experimental psychologists (a group of people who study psychology by the experimental method) 

• Studied animal behaviors 

John Watson- one of the creators of the idea of behaviorism 

• Learned about conditioned responses through observing babies  

• Defined psychology as study of behavior and mental processes 

B.F Skinner- one of the creators of the idea of  behaviorism

• Believed that consequences of actions affected behavior  

• Defined psychology as a study of behavior and mental processes 

*Ivan Pavlov- created  the idea of classical conditioning of how neutral stimulus is associated for another stimulus to produce a behavior 

Sigmund Freud- a controversial figure that studies the unconscious mind and childhood experiences (things that we don’t think about)  

Carl Rogers- one of the founders of humanistic psychology

Abrahm Maslow -  another founder of humanistic psychology;created the hierarchy of the self-actualization theory in psychology 

Modern definition of psychology- science of behavior(any action someone does that can be observed or recorded) and mental processes (internal subjective experiences people have from their behavior: thoughts,feelings, beliefs,etc)

3.  Describe and compare different theoretical approaches in explaining behavior.      

     Recognize the strengths and limitations of applying theories to explain behavior  

*Scientific method- generate question -> create theory-> hypothesis-> Test hypothesis-> Analyze data and draw conclusions

*Nature-nurture issue- a controversy over the ideas of genes and societal experiences which affects psychological development of  people   

• Nurture endows nature 

• **Nature and nurture works together that affects the development of people 

Nature aspect- Genetics (eye color, hair color, temperament)

Nurture aspect- everything that determines who we are (language, learning, associations) 

Natural Selection- a theory made by Darwin where there is a range of possible trait variations and the ones if the most survivability and reproducement are most likely to pass from generation to generation  

*Epigenetics- how our environmental factors affect changes in gene activity without changing the DNA sequence 

Structuralism- the idea of introspection (asking people how they feel/react upon their surroundings) 

• Introspection- Looking inside one's self and reflecting on their thoughts  

• Functionalism- the idea of how mental and physical processes function by  adapting and flourishing in a certain environment  

behaviorism - a study of psychology where they analyze behavior of people (through observation and recording their behavior)

( Psychologists in the past used to study this without using the understanding of mental processes) 

Humanistic psychology- a historically significant perspective that emphasizes on the potential well being of people  (mental health)   

• How people’s environment influences can expand or limit our personal growth potential

*Cognitive neuroscience-  study of brain activity that connects to cognition (the mind)/ behavior kinda of   

*Cognitive psychology- the scientific study of all mental thinking activities that are associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating  (how we process information)

*evolutionary psychology- the study of evolution of behavior and mind, incorporating natural selection principles   

*Psychodynamic psychology- the study of how the how unconscious drives and conflicts influence behavior, and that use to treat patients with disorders     

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

*personality psychologists - the study of a person’s characteristic patterns of thinking

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

*Levels of analysis- different views of biological, psychological, social-culture to analyze a phenomenon   

*Biopsychosocial approach- an approach the incorporates biological, psychological, and social-cultural behavior 

Behavioral Approach- an approach where observable behavior is studied and explained through the use of stimuli 

Psychoanalytic/psychodynamic Psychology-  an approach that focuses on the unconscious mind and how we react in response of it 

Humanistic- an approach of how we feel satisfaction, love, and appreciation for ourselves  

Evolutionary Approach- How we evolve throughout generations to adapt and behave a certain way 

Gestalt Psychology- a form of psychology that analyzes the experiences and complex small parts of an individual (people have more depth than on the surface) Ex. illusions with two paintings in them 

*Biological Approach - how the brain and body wire our thoughts, experiences, and memories 

Developmental Approach-  how we develop physically and mentally throughout our lifespan 

*Cognitive Approach- how we use cognition (memory, thinking, beliefs) 

*Biopsychosocial Approach- how we were biologically wired genetically since birth, how social interactions, and how psychologically we have a certain personality trait 

Sociocultural Approach- how traits perceived in other societies and cultures influence our behavior 

4.  Careers in Psychology  

*Psychometrics- a branch of psychology devoted to studying the measurement of our own abilities and traits 

Psychiatrist- a field of medicine where they are able to diagnose and treat patients as well as doing psychotherapy 

Clinical Psychologist- a psychologist that treats people with medical disorders (not prescribing medicine) 

Counseling Psychologist- a psychologist that helps people go through stresses in their lives (ex school, work, home life) 

5.    Basic vs Applied Research 

-basic research- is research from pure science   

JOBS THAT ARE BASIC RESEARCH

-*biological psychologists- explores the connections between the mind and the brain 

-* developmental psychologists- explores how we change and grow mentally throughout life  

- educational psychologists- studies psychological processes to enhance learning and teaching 

- social psychologists- the scientific study of how think, influence, relate to one another 

-personality psychologist- the characteristic study of how people think, feeling, and behave within   

their characteristics

- Applied research is research from practicality   

- *Gestalt psychology - a form of psychology where all aspects of thought can be observed in their simplest forms 

- opposing to behaviorism, of how behavior can be only be observed \

JOBS THAT ARE APPLIED RESEARCH - 

• Industrial/ Organizational Psychologist   

• Works with fulfilling psychological needs of employees and workplaces to increase productivity and functionality 

• *Human Factors Psychologist 

• A subfield of I/O psychology where they work with machines and people and create ways how they can safely interact with each other 

•  Clinical psychologist 

• Psychiatrist   

• Positive psychology- a study that explores human functions with a goal of promoting strengths and virtues for betterment of the community 

• Community psychologist- studies social environments to improve on oneself’s wellbeing

• Social psychologists - studies how we relate to one another