Chapter 1 - Study of Psychology

Powers of Observation

  • Psychology emphasizes learning about people by observation

Key elements of scientific attitude:

  1. Curiosity
  2. Skepticism
  3. Humility

First psychologist - Wilhelm Wundt

  • Started first psychology laboratory in 1879   * “what makes us perceive reality in a certain way”
  • William James (American Philosopher)   * Began American Pragmatism   * Faculty member for Harvard   * Wrote 1st intro to psych text (late 1800s)
  • Mary Whiton Calkins   * classes under James (undergrad, not allowed grad @ Harvard because she was female)   * 1st woman president of main psychology professional organization (APA)     * American Psychological Association
  • Sigmund Freud (Austria)   * Founder of psychotherapy/counseling   * trained as a physician (neurologist)     * Started as a psychiatrist)   * Worked with women with hysteria:     * uterus detaching and moving around body (thought by other scientist)

Brief History Highlights

Trajectory of psychology

Early researchers

  • Psychodynamic (Psychoanalytic) approach - Freud (late 1890s-1930s) -- internal (determinalistic)
  • Behavioral approach - John Watson & BF Skinner (1930s-1950s) -- external (determinalistic)
  • Humanistic approach - Carl Rogers (1960s-1970s) -- free will (choice)
  • Cognitive approach - Aaron Beck (1980s-1990s) -- how we think
  • Cognitive neuroscience -- how we think and how the brain is structured

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