Psychology IPsychology I

Prof: A. ElhalouiProf: A. Elhaloui

What do we want to do?What do we want to do?

• We want to discuss how psychology views We want to discuss how psychology views the human individual from four view points:the human individual from four view points:

1.1. StructuralismStructuralism

2.2. FunctionalismFunctionalism

3.3. BehaviorismBehaviorism

4.4. Cognitive scienceCognitive science

Psychology IPsychology I

Psychology IIPsychology II

From p.28 to p.38From p.28 to p.38 (“Psychology in the 20(“Psychology in the 20thth century”, “Psychology century”, “Psychology in the 21th century”)in the 21th century”)

StructuralismStructuralism

• The overall objective of the structuralist The overall objective of the structuralist psychology is to analyze human conscious psychology is to analyze human conscious experience into experience into its fundamental structuralits fundamental structural components.components.

Edward Titchner (1867 –1927) Edward Titchner (1867 –1927)

Established the first psychology Established the first psychology lab at Cornell Universitylab at Cornell University

Basic elements:Basic elements:

1.1. SensationsSensations

2.2. ImagesImages

3.3. Affective Affective statesstates

The basic element underlying perceptionThe basic element underlying perception

The basic element of thoughtThe basic element of thought

States of pleasantness and unpleasantnessStates of pleasantness and unpleasantness

sensationssensations

imagesimages

Affective statesAffective states

MethodologyMethodology

1.1. The new psychology was The new psychology was laboratory laboratory psychology.psychology.

2.2. The new psychology used the The new psychology used the introspection introspection technique.technique.

It used precise instruments It used precise instruments like the like the chronoscopechronoscope to to measure the amount of measure the amount of time it took to respond to time it took to respond to various stimuli.various stimuli.

A A self-reportself-report procedure procedure called systematic called systematic experimental introspection.experimental introspection.

The chronoscope is a machine that measures the The chronoscope is a machine that measures the duration of short-lived events.duration of short-lived events.

Drawbacks of Structuralist PsychologyDrawbacks of Structuralist Psychology

1.1. The use of introspection has been criticized as being The use of introspection has been criticized as being unreliable.unreliable.

2.2. Titchner considered the study of children to be outside Titchner considered the study of children to be outside the realm of psychology since they were not the realm of psychology since they were not considered capable of accurate introspectionconsidered capable of accurate introspection

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How human How human mind mind growsgrows

Children’s Children’s psychological psychological

facultiesfaculties

How consciousnessHow consciousness helpshelps

individualindividual to act efficientlyto act efficiently

Components of Components of the mindthe mind

Nooo!Nooo! Nooo!Nooo!

Nooo!Nooo!Yeees!Yeees!

FunctionalismFunctionalism

• Rather than focusing on structure, functional Rather than focusing on structure, functional psychology wants to focus on how the human psychology wants to focus on how the human consciousness helps the individual function effectively consciousness helps the individual function effectively in the world.in the world.

Willaim James (1842 –1910) Willaim James (1842 –1910)

The writer of The writer of Principle of Principle of PsychologyPsychology (1890) (1890)

• Functions of Functions of consciousnessconsciousness

1.1. Adapting quickly Adapting quickly to the to the environmentenvironment

2.2. Solving Solving problems problems quicklyquickly

Example: How do we come to recognize Example: How do we come to recognize faces?faces?

Recognizing a face is a very complicated process but Recognizing a face is a very complicated process but humans tend to do it humans tend to do it quicklyquickly and and efficiently.efficiently.

Our mind is able to recognize a face even if some Our mind is able to recognize a face even if some parts of it are hidden or distorted.parts of it are hidden or distorted.

• Recognizing a face is a very complicated process but Recognizing a face is a very complicated process but humans tend to do it humans tend to do it quicklyquickly and and efficiently.efficiently.

• Functionalism focuses on how the human Functionalism focuses on how the human consciousness helps individuals to do things consciousness helps individuals to do things quicklyquickly and and efficeintly.efficeintly.

This is why we are able to interpret This is why we are able to interpret a caricature!a caricature!

This is why we are able to interpret This is why we are able to interpret a caricature!a caricature!

• Recognizing a face is a very complicated process but Recognizing a face is a very complicated process but humans tend to do it humans tend to do it quicklyquickly and and efficiently.efficiently.

• Functionalism focuses on how the human Functionalism focuses on how the human consciousness helps individuals to do things consciousness helps individuals to do things quicklyquickly and and efficiently.efficiently.

James-Lange theory of emotionsJames-Lange theory of emotions

1.1. Emotions are often accompanied by Emotions are often accompanied by bodily bodily responsesresponses: racing heart, tight stomach, sweaty : racing heart, tight stomach, sweaty palms, tense muscles, etc.palms, tense muscles, etc.

2.2. We can sense what is going on We can sense what is going on insideinside our body our body much the same as we can sense what is going on in much the same as we can sense what is going on in the the outsideoutside world. world.

Fear Fear == blood pressure rises, heart rate blood pressure rises, heart rate increases, pupils dilate, palms sweat, increases, pupils dilate, palms sweat, muscles contract in certain ways muscles contract in certain ways

FearFearblood pressure rises, heart blood pressure rises, heart

rate rate increases, pupils dilate, palmsincreases, pupils dilate, palms sweat, muscles contract in sweat, muscles contract in

certain wayscertain ways==

Why do we have different emotions?Why do we have different emotions?

• According to W. James, emotions feel According to W. James, emotions feel different from other states of mind because different from other states of mind because they have these bodily responses that give they have these bodily responses that give rise to internal sensations, and different rise to internal sensations, and different emotions emotions feel feel different from one another different from one another because they are because they are accompanied by different accompanied by different bodily responsesbodily responses and sensations. and sensations.

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A “nasty” joke about a A “nasty” joke about a functionalistfunctionalist

Explain how this joke makes fun of Explain how this joke makes fun of functionalism.functionalism.

A functionalist was making love with his A functionalist was making love with his wife. When they finished he asked her: wife. When they finished he asked her: “You seemed to enjoy it; did I?!”“You seemed to enjoy it; did I?!”

BehaviorismBehaviorism• Psychology ought to be the science of Psychology ought to be the science of

measurable behavior. Its goal is to understand measurable behavior. Its goal is to understand the relation between environmental stimulus the relation between environmental stimulus and the resulting responses.and the resulting responses.

Established the psychological Established the psychological school of behaviorismschool of behaviorism

• Two key Two key conceptsconcepts

1.1. conditioningconditioning

2.2. operationismoperationism

John Broadus Watson (1878 –1956) John Broadus Watson (1878 –1956)

Pavlov1849-1936Pavlov1849-1936

Pavlov was a Russian physiologist, psychologist, and Pavlov was a Russian physiologist, psychologist, and physician. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in physician. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1904 for research Physiology or Medicine in 1904 for research pertaining to the digestive system. pertaining to the digestive system.

1- Conditioning1- Conditioning

Stimulus Stimulus

ResponseResponse

ConditioningConditioning

StimuliStimuli

Pavlov observed that, rather than simply salivating in the presence Pavlov observed that, rather than simply salivating in the presence of meat, dogs began to salivate in the presence of the lab of meat, dogs began to salivate in the presence of the lab technician who normally fed them. technician who normally fed them.

StimulusStimulus = meat = meat

ResponseResponse = salivating = salivating

From this observation he predicted that, if a particular stimulus in From this observation he predicted that, if a particular stimulus in the dog’s surroundings were present when the dog was presented the dog’s surroundings were present when the dog was presented with meat, then this stimulus would become with meat, then this stimulus would become associatedassociated with food with food and cause salivation on its own.and cause salivation on its own.

Neutral stimulus: Neutral stimulus: techniciantechnician

Significant stimulus: Significant stimulus: meatmeat

Conditioned Conditioned stimulus: stimulus:

techniciantechnician

Conditioning: when a neutral stimilus Conditioning: when a neutral stimilus becomes significant.becomes significant.

2- Operationisms2- Operationisms

• An operational definition: defining a An operational definition: defining a phenomenon which is not directly observable in phenomenon which is not directly observable in terms of something directly observable.terms of something directly observable.

““Non-hungry rats will not work hard Non-hungry rats will not work hard to get to the goal box with food in it.” to get to the goal box with food in it.”

HungerHunger is NOT a directly observable phenomenon is NOT a directly observable phenomenon

Hunger in rats: “24 hours without food”Hunger in rats: “24 hours without food” Observable, measurableObservable, measurable

Operational definition of foodOperational definition of food

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