Chapter 1 psych

What is Psychology?

  • Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes.
  • Distinguishes between observed actions (behavior) and internal experiences (mental processes): thoughts, feelings, sensations, perceptions, motivations, dreams, subjective experiences.
  • Modern definition emphasizes objective questions answered through observable facts, data, and established methods.
  • Key idea: integrate both behavior and mental processes in scientific inquiry.

Primary Goals of Psychology

  • Four goals when studying behavior and mental processes:
    • Describe what is happening.
    • Explain why it is happening.
    • Predict when it will happen again.
    • Determine how to control it.
  • Often, a single study does not meet all four goals at once.

Biopsychosocial Model

  • Replaces the old Nature vs. Nurture dichotomy with an integrated framework:
    • Biological level
    • Psychological level
    • Social-cultural level
  • Examples of topics influenced by these levels: intelligence, personality, depression, etc.

Rene Descartes (1596–1650)

  • Father of modern philosophy.
  • Famous assertion: "I think, therefore I am".
  • Mind-body dualism: the mind is a non-substance (thinking thing); the body is a machine governed by laws.
  • Mind and body are separate yet interact.

Psychology: A Discipline Is Founded

  • Wilhelm Wundt (1832–1920) promoted experimental methods to study mental processes.
  • Wrote the first psychology textbook, Principles of Physiological Psychology, in 1874.
  • Emphasized physiology combined with self-observation.
  • Established the first psychology research laboratory at the University of Leipzig, Germany in 18791879.

Functionalism

  • Advocated by William James; influenced by Darwin.
  • Focused on how behaviors function to enable adaptation to the environment.
  • Critique of structuralism: James likened structuralism to studying bricks to learn about a house.
  • Functionalism asked:
    • "How can psychology be applied to life?"
  • James's contributions:
    • Taught psychology in 1875.
    • Wrote Principles of Psychology (1890), a widely read textbook.
    • James was a legendary teacher who helped popularize psychology.

Timeline: The Origin and Evolution of Psychology (Key Milestones)

  • 1850: Structuralism
  • Functionalism (early development following structuralism)
  • 18751875: The Origin of Species published by Charles Darwin
  • 19001900: Telephone invented
  • 19251925: Behaviorism
  • 19501950: Gestalt Psychology; Psychoanalysis
  • 19751975: Humanistic Psychology
  • 20002000: Cognitive Psychology
  • Major world events linked to psychology:
    • Women get the right to vote
    • World War II
    • Great Depression
    • Civil rights movement
    • Fall of the Berlin Wall

Cognitive Revolution

  • A return to mental processes and their influence on behavior.
  • Emphasizes brain activity and cognitive processes.
  • Key terms:
    • Cognitive Psychology: the scientific study of how perception, thought, memory, and reasoning are processed.
    • Mental activity as the core focus of inquiry.
  • This shift bridged observable behavior with internal mental mechanisms.

Psychology’s Current Perspectives

  • Newer perspectives:
    • Biological/Neuroscience: How body and brain enable emotions, memories, and sensory experiences.
    • Evolutionary: How natural selection of traits promoted gene survival.
    • Cultural: How behavior and thinking vary across situations and cultures.
  • Many earlier perspectives persist:
    • Psychoanalysis → Psychodynamic
    • Humanistic → Positive
    • Behavioral
    • Cognitive

Women and Minorities in Psychology

  • Mary Whiton Calkins (1863–1930):
    • Completed all Ph.D. requirements, but Harvard did not grant the degree.
    • Praised by William James as delivering one of the most brilliant Ph.D. examinations at Harvard.
    • Researched dreams, memory, and personality.
    • Faced prejudice and discrimination; women and minorities often excluded from doctoral programs; findings often attributed to others; involvement in the era of scientific racism.
  • Francis Cecil Sumner (1895–1954):
    • First Black man to earn a Ph.D. in Psychology (19201920).
    • Researched applied psychology, vision, and religion.
    • Mentored Kenneth and Mamie Clark, whose work on racial discrimination contributed to the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision to end segregation in schools.

Critical Thinking

  • Critical thinking is the art of analyzing and evaluating thinking with a view to improving it.
  • The internet has made critical thinking a crucial college skill.
  • Being a good consumer of information relies on effective critical thinking; it is not an all-or-nothing skill; apply the appropriate level of critical thinking to the situation.

Paul–Elder Model: Elements of Thought

  • The model provides a structured approach to critical thinking:
    • Purpose – What is your goal or objective?
    • Question – What question are you trying to answer? Can you divide it into sub-questions? Are there other ways to think about the question?
    • Assumptions – What assumptions are you making? Are they justified?
    • Point of view – Does your perspective have weaknesses? What other viewpoints should you consider?
    • Data, information, and evidence – Do you have relevant data to support your reasoning? Do the data suggest explanations different from yours? How clear, accurate, and relevant are the data to the question?
    • Concepts and theories – What key concepts and theories guide your reasoning? What alternative explanations might be possible given these concepts/theories?
    • Interpretation and inferences – To what extent do the data support your conclusions?
    • Implications and consequences – What follow-on effects or outcomes result from your reasoning?
  • The Paul–Elder Model’s Elements of Thought

Old Critical Thinking Assignment (as described in the transcript)

  • Download the Critical Thinking Worksheet and read the article while looking for answers to each item on the worksheet.
  • Provide concise answers after the questions; focus on reflective thinking rather than long prose.
  • If stuck, refer to the critical thinking guide sample or email the instructor.

Your Critical Thinking Assignment (AI-assisted approach)

  • We will use AI to complete the old critical thinking assignment.
  • Instructions will be provided for analysis; you must create a prompt for the AI and attach relevant files.
  • Deliverables:
    • A document (doc, docx, pdf, or text) containing all output plus:
    • Which AI was used
    • A copy of your prompt
    • A list of all files linked or uploaded
  • If you had AI fill out the worksheet, include a top section for name, prompt, and file list.
  • Upload the finished work via the designated Thinking 1 link before the deadline; acceptable formats: doc, docx, pdf, or text.
  • If you have questions, email the instructor before the deadline.

Page 19: Critical Thinking Worksheet – Example AI Interaction

  • AI used: ChatGPT
  • Prompt: "" (to be filled by student)
  • List of files: Article PDF & Critical Thinking Worksheet

Critical Thinking Worksheet: Example Questions from the Article Provided

1) Main purpose of the article:

  • To argue, using scientific evidence and ethical reasoning, that spanking is both ineffective and harmful, and therefore should be abandoned as a childrearing practice. (State the author's purpose as accurately as possible.)
    2) Key question the author addresses:
  • Should spanking continue to be used as a disciplinary method for children, or should it be recognized as harmful and discontinued? (Identify the central question the author considered when writing.)

Notes on Ethical and Real-World Relevance

  • Critical thinking helps evaluate evidence, reduce bias, and apply findings responsibly to education, parenting, and policy.
  • Historical and ethical contexts matter when interpreting research in psychology (e.g., representation of women and minority groups, scientific racism, and measurement validity).

Connections to Foundational Principles

  • The biopsychosocial model integrates biological, psychological, and social-cultural factors—consistent with current, multi-level approaches to research.
  • The shift from structuralism to functionalism to cognitive and neuroscience perspectives mirrors a broader methodological evolution: from introspection to experimental methods to computational and brain-based models.
  • Critical thinking models (like Paul–Elder) provide a framework for evaluating evidence, viewpoints, and implications across disciplines.