A Brief History of Psychology
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A Brief History of Psychology Using Alternative approaches and views to get to the heart of psychology
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A Brief History of Psychology. Using Alternative approaches and views to get to the heart of psychology. Psychology. Scientific study of behavior that is tested through scientific research. Goals of Psychology. Goals of Psychology. Description Explanation Prediction Influence. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Transcript of A Brief History of Psychology
A Brief History of Psychology
Using Alternative approaches and views to get to the heart of psychology
PsychologyScientific study of behavior
that is tested through scientific research
Goals of Psychology
Goals of PsychologyDescriptionExplanationPredictionInfluence
Applied or Basic Science Basic Science is research for the sake of
research. Includes the first three goals (description, explanation, and prediction)
Applied Science uses psychological research to solve immediate problems in the real world. This is the last goal influence!
Phrenology
The practice of examining bumps on a person’s skull to determine that person’s intellect and character traits – discredited as non-scientific.
Greek thoughtBelieved that the heart was
more important than the mind. – but began the thought that people were not dominated by gods but were rational.
DualismSeventeenth century
philosophers concept that the mind and body are separate and distinct. – Rene Descartes disagreed – said a link existed between the mind and the body.
Historical ApproachesStructuralismFunctionalismInheritable TraitsGestalt Psychology
StructuralismWilhelm Wundt (1832-1920)Structuralist study the basic
elements that make up conscious mental experiences.
Attempted to map thought processes from observed behavior
Structuralism
FunctionalismWilliam James (1842-1910) –
father of psychology in the U.S.
Study the function of consciousness.
Believed all we think and do is to help us survive.
Functionalism
Inheritable TraitsSir Francis Galton (1822-
1911) – personality testsStudied how heredity affects
behavior. Believed the richest were the
most intelligent – what did he forget?
Gestalt PsychologyGroup of German
psychologists who felt that perception is more than the sum of its parts
Studied how sensation is assembled into perceptual experiences.
Gestalt Psychology
Gestalt Psychology
Gestalt Psychology
Contemporary ApproachesPsychoanalytic PsychologyBehavioral PsychologyHumanistic PsychologyCognitive PsychologyBiological PsychologySociocultural Psychology
PsychoanalyticSigmund Freud (1856-1939)Unconscious determinants of
behaviorUsed free association, and
dream analysis to discover unconscious determinants
Psychoanalytic theory
BehavioralIvan Pavlov (1849-1936)Events in the environment
(rewards and punishments) influence our behavior.
Pavlov’s dog
Behavioral
Behavioral (Continued)
John B. Watson (1878-1958)Concerned with observable
behavior onlyEven instincts is result of
conditioning by environment
Behavioral (Continued)
B.F. Skinner (1904-1990)Introduced the concept of
reinforcementWanted to apply lab concepts
to the worldWrote “Walden Two”
Behavioral
HumanisticAbraham Maslow, Carl
Rogers (1960’s)Individual or self-directed
choices influence our behavior, not outside reinforcement. (Self-actualization)
Humanistic
CognitiveJean Piaget (1950’s)Behavior is more than a
response to a stimulus, it is influenced by a variety of mental processes, including perceptions, memories, and expectations.
BiologicalPsychobiologists (1990’s)study how the brian, nervous
system, hormones, and genetics influence our behavior
Do genes affect your intelligence and your personality?
SocioculturalLeonard Doob (1990’s)Ethnicity, gender, culture and
socioeconomic status influence our behavior
How do people of different genders and ethnicities interact with one another?
