WEEK 1 LESSON 1 WHAT IS PSYCHOLOGY

Week 1 Chapter 1 Lesson 1: What is Psychology?

Key Learning Goals

• 1.1: Define the core components of psychology.

• 1.2: Understand that psychology was not ‘created’ but has evolved.

• 1.3: Appreciate models of psychology as tools for making sense of experiences.

• 1.4: Understand how models reflect certain assumptions about human processes.

• 1.5: Discuss historical events that contributed to the emergence of psychology as a profession.

• 1.6: Summarize the contributions of Egypt and Arabia to psychology.

• 1.7: Summarize Greece’s contributions to psychology.

• 1.8: Articulate Freud’s principal ideas and the controversy they generated.

• 1.9: Trace the development of behaviorism and assess Watson’s influence on psychology.

• 1.10: Summarize Skinner’s insights and explain the emergence of humanism and its philosophy.

• 1.11: Describe trends in the 1950s and 1960s that represented a return to psychology’s roots.

• 1.12: Discuss the emergence of evolutionary psychology and its basic ideas.

• 1.13: Explain the increased interest in cultural variables within Western psychology.

• 1.14: Trace the evolution of South African psychology.

• 1.15: Discuss strategies for promoting effective study and enhancing lecture comprehension.

Understanding Psychology

• Defining Psychology: Psychology is fundamentally about the scientific study of understanding people and their behaviors.

  • Draws from various disciplines and methods to comprehend mental processes.

  • Involves not only how individuals think but also how they feel and behave.

Core Components of Psychology

• Focus on Behavior: Psychologists study one aspect of behavior to derive broader conclusions about individuals.

• Scientific Approach: Psychology relies on a scientific methodology to gather evidence through research and observation.

• Mental Processes: Understanding mental processes is crucial as they influence behavior and interaction.

• Cultural Context: Psychology is affected by different cultures, which shape people’s assumptions and behaviors.

Evolution of Psychology

• Historical Context: The emergence of psychology relies heavily on historical milestones, including contributions from ancient civilizations such as Egypt, Arabia, and Greece.

• Key Figures: Contributions from Freud and Skinner have played significant roles in shaping contemporary psychology.

• Behaviorism: A significant trend that emerged focusing on observable behaviors, associated with figures like Watson and Skinner.

• Humanism: Emerged as a philosophical response emphasizing individual potential and human values.

Goals of Studying Psychology

• Self-Understanding: Enhance personal insight into one’s thoughts, behaviors, and motivations.

• Understanding Others: Develop empathy and improve interpersonal relationships by understanding how others think and behave.

• Research and Application: Psychologists conduct studies and apply findings to foster mental and physical health in communities.

What Psychologists Do

• Conduct scientific research to gather evidence on human behavior.

• Work with individuals to enhance mental and physical health.

• Engage with community initiatives to improve workplaces and learning environments.

Conclusion

• Psychology provides valuable insights that help individuals understand themselves and others better, promoting overall well-being through the study of mind and behavior.

Evolution of Psychology - Study Notes

1. Introduction to Psychology

• Definition: Psychology is the scientific study of the mind, mental processes, and behavior.

• Origins: Derived from Greek words:

  • Psyche (soul)

  • Logos (study of a subject)

• Key Concepts:

  • Mind: Originates in the brain, fosters human consciousness.

  • Mental Processes: Activities in the brain that produce systematic actions, changes, and functions.

  • Behavior: Any response carried out by an organism.

• Significance: Psychology is central to understanding mental and behavioral processes across all aspects of life.

2. Evolution and Conceptual Development

• Psychology as a Developing Field:

  • Psychology is historical yet progressive.

  • Fluidity is key to its evolution.

• Impact of Notable Figures:

  • Contributions were influenced by societal and environmental factors.

3. Historical Foundations of Psychology

• Early Human Mental Processes:

  • Homo erectus displayed behaviors indicative of psychological processes (~27,000 years ago).

  • Evidence of mental illness dates back to 9000 BCE.

  • 4000 BCE: African shamans treated abnormal behavior.

• Ancient Views on Health:

  • Integrated approach: Physical, mental, social, and spiritual health were not separate.

  • Priests, shamans, and medicine men played overlapping roles in healing.

4. Early Influences on Western Psychology

• Philosophy and Science Merge:

  • Early focus on mind/body cohesion.

  • Wundt’s establishment of modern psychology in America.

• Key Developments:

  • 500 BCE: Chinese physician Bian Que introduced a four-step diagnostic process.

  • Sushruta Samhita: Sanskrit manual including surgical techniques.

  • Hippocrates (Greece): Introduced the scientific method to medicine.

  • Plato: Brain as the seat of mental processes; the soul served by the body.

  • Freud: Concepts of id, ego, and superego comparable to ancient Egyptian ideas.

• Types of Madness:

  • 1st century CE: Aulus Celsus introduced the term insania (insanity).

  • 50 years later: Rufus of Ephesus described melancholia (severe depression) and its biological links.

5. The Influence of Islam (705 CE - 15th Century CE)

• 705 CE: First psychiatric hospital built in Baghdad.

• Clinical Psychiatry:

  • Ali ibn Sahl Rabban al-Tabari introduced clinical treatment modalities.

  • Ahmed ibn Sahl al-Balkhi linked mental health to Islamic cosmology.

  • Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi (Razes) introduced psychotherapy.

• Further Contributions:

  • Avicenna (Ali ibn Sīnā): Wrote The Book of Healing and The Canon of Medicine.

  • Maimonides (Mosheh ben Maimon): Described neuropsychiatric disorders.

6. Psychological Speculation and Research

• 1605: René Descartes introduced dualism (mind-body interaction).

• 1701: Gottfried Leibniz introduced the unconscious mind.

• 19th Century Developments:

  • Franz Gall: Phrenology (false theory about skull shape and personality).

  • Hegel: Introduced phenomenology.

  • William James: Experimental psychology, “Stream of Consciousness.”

7. Founding of Psychology as a Science

• Wilhelm Wundt:

  • Established first psychology lab (1879, Leipzig, Germany).

  • Used introspection to study perception.

  • Dimensions: Pleasure/displeasure, relaxation/excitement/depression.

• Women in Psychology:

  • Mary Whiton Calkins: First woman APA president.

  • Margaret Floy Washburn: First woman to earn a PhD in psychology.

  • Leta Stetter Hollingworth: Research on adolescent development and gender equality.

8. Psychological Schools of Thought

• Structuralism (Edward Titchener):

  • Analyzed consciousness into basic elements.

  • Relied on introspection.

  • Focused on sensation and perception.

• Functionalism (William James):

  • Investigated purpose of consciousness.

  • Emphasized adaptation, mental testing, and behavior in real-world settings.

  • Influenced by Darwin’s natural selection.

  • Led to behaviorism and applied psychology.

• Psychoanalysis (Sigmund Freud):

  • Unconscious thoughts influence behavior.

  • Psychological disturbances arise from unconscious conflicts.

• Carl Jung:

  • Broke from Freud.

  • Introduced the collective unconscious.

  • Analyzed cultural and spiritual archetypes.

9. Behaviorism and Humanism

• Behaviorism (John B. Watson, B.F. Skinner):

  • Psychology should study only observable behavior.

  • Influenced by Pavlov’s conditioned reflex.

  • Skinner’s Operant Conditioning:

    • Behavior shaped by rewards and punishments.

    • Free will is an illusion.

• Humanism (Carl Rogers, Abraham Maslow):

  • Emphasized human uniqueness, freedom, and potential for growth.

  • Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: Psychological well-being linked to self-actualization.

10. Psychology’s Evolution in South Africa

• 1948: Apartheid introduced; Black psychologists barred from PASA.

• 1981: T. Holdstock called for a more inclusive psychology.

• 1994: PASA disbanded; PsySSA formed as an inclusive body.

11. Modern Psychological Perspectives

• Evolutionary Psychology:

  • Behavior shaped by natural selection and reproductive success.

• Biological Psychology:

  • Studies brain structures and biochemical processes affecting behavior.

  • Key contributions:

    • James Olds (1956): Electrical brain stimulation and emotions.

    • Roger Sperry (1981): Left and right brain hemisphere specialization.

    • Hubel & Wiesel (1962-1963): Visual signal processing in the brain.

12. Summary

• Psychology has evolved from philosophical speculation to a scientific discipline.

• Various schools of thought have contributed to modern psychology.

• Contemporary psychology integrates biological, behavioral, and cognitive perspectives.

• The discipline continues to grow, expanding into applied fields and interdisciplinary studies.