Prologue: The Story of Psychology. Psychology Roots Behavior and Mental Process Definition of...

Prologue: Prologue: The Story of The Story of PsychologyPsychology

Psychology RootsPsychology RootsBehavior and Mental ProcessBehavior and Mental Process

Definition of PsychologyDefinition of Psychology: :

the science that seeks to the science that seeks to understand behavior and mental understand behavior and mental processes, and to apply that processes, and to apply that understanding to the service of understanding to the service of human welfarehuman welfare

Psychology RootsPsychology Roots The word “Psychology” comes The word “Psychology” comes

from the Greekfrom the Greek

Psyche:Psyche: meaning mind or soul meaning mind or soul

Logos:Logos: meaning study of meaning study of

Psychology RootsPsychology Roots Science:Science:

psychology is based on empirically psychology is based on empirically collected data, NOT hunchescollected data, NOT hunches

Behavior:Behavior:

any action we can record and measureany action we can record and measure Mental Processes:Mental Processes:

cognitive activities, sensation, perceptions, cognitive activities, sensation, perceptions, dreamsdreams, , thoughts, beliefs, feelingsthoughts, beliefs, feelings

Psychology RootsPsychology Roots The Goals of PsychologyThe Goals of Psychology

Observe BehaviorObserve Behavior

Describe BehaviorDescribe Behavior

Explain BehaviorExplain Behavior

Predict BehaviorPredict Behavior

Control BehaviorControl Behavior

Prescientific PsychologyPrescientific Psychology Ancient GreeceAncient Greece

Socrates and Plato:Socrates and Plato:

Believed that the mind and body were Believed that the mind and body were separate and that the mind continued separate and that the mind continued after death. They also believed that after death. They also believed that knowledge is innateknowledge is innate

Socrates Plato

Prescientific PsychologyPrescientific Psychology

Ancient GreeceAncient Greece Aristotle:Aristotle: Believed that knowledge Believed that knowledge

is an outgrowth of experienceis an outgrowth of experience

Aristotle

(384-322 B.C.)


Modern ScienceModern Science Descartes Descartes ((1596-16501596-1650):):

Believed that knowledge is innateBelieved that knowledge is innate

Knew that nerve paths are important Knew that nerve paths are important

and that they enable reflexesand that they enable reflexes


Modern ScienceModern Science Francis Bacon (Francis Bacon (1561-1626):1561-1626):

was one of the founders of was one of the founders of

modern science modern science

He relied on experiments, andHe relied on experiments, and

experience experience


Modern ScienceModern Science John LockeJohn Locke ((1632-1704):1632-1704):

He believed that at birth He believed that at birth

our mind is a blank slateour mind is a blank slate

• Tabula Rasa:Tabula Rasa: blank slate on which blank slate on which experience writesexperience writes

Prescientific PsychologyPrescientific Psychology Modern ScienceModern Science

John LockeJohn Locke• Empiricism:Empiricism: The belief that knowledge is The belief that knowledge is

gained through observation and gained through observation and experimentation. Psychologists use the experimentation. Psychologists use the methods of science to conduct empirical methods of science to conduct empirical research (meaning that they perform research (meaning that they perform experiments and other scientific procedures experiments and other scientific procedures to systematically gather and analyze to systematically gather and analyze information about psychological information about psychological phenomena)phenomena)

Psychological Science is BornPsychological Science is Born

Wilhelm Wundt: Wilhelm Wundt: Opened the first Opened the first laboratory devoted exclusively to laboratory devoted exclusively to psychological research. He wanted to psychological research. He wanted to make psychology an independent make psychology an independent discipline rather than a stepchild of discipline rather than a stepchild of philosophy or physiology. He believed philosophy or physiology. He believed that that consciousness:consciousness: the awareness of the awareness of immediate experienceimmediate experience should be the should be the subject matter of psychologysubject matter of psychology


Wilhelm WundtWilhelm Wundt Leipzig, Germany:Leipzig, Germany:

in 1879 (which is in 1879 (which is

considered to be the considered to be the

birthday of psychology) Wundt birthday of psychology) Wundt opened the first psychological opened the first psychological laboratory in Leipzig, Germanylaboratory in Leipzig, Germany


Wilhelm Wundt:Wilhelm Wundt: Structuralism:Structuralism: Introduced by Introduced by

Wundt’s student, Edward Titchener, it Wundt’s student, Edward Titchener, it is an approach to studying is an approach to studying

consciousness where oneconsciousness where one

attempts to discover the attempts to discover the

elements that make up theelements that make up the

mindmind

Psychological Science is BornPsychological Science is Born Classic ExperimentClassic Experiment

Wundt measured how quickly people could Wundt measured how quickly people could respond to a light by releasing a button they had respond to a light by releasing a button they had been holding down. He then determined how been holding down. He then determined how much longer the response took when people much longer the response took when people held down one button with each hand and had to held down one button with each hand and had to decide, based on the color of the light, which decide, based on the color of the light, which one to release. Wundt reasoned that the one to release. Wundt reasoned that the additional time revealed how long it took to additional time revealed how long it took to perceive the color and decide which hand to perceive the color and decide which hand to move. The logic behind this experiment remains move. The logic behind this experiment remains a part of research on cognitive processes today.a part of research on cognitive processes today.


Edward Titchener:Edward Titchener: Titchener was Wundt’s student who Titchener was Wundt’s student who

introduced the structuralist approach to introduced the structuralist approach to studying psychology.studying psychology.• Structuralism:Structuralism:

it is an approach to studying it is an approach to studying consciousness where one attempts to consciousness where one attempts to discover the elements that make up discover the elements that make up the mindthe mind


Edward Tichener:Edward Tichener: Introspection:Introspection:

a technique of “inward looking” that was a technique of “inward looking” that was used by structuralists in an attempt to used by structuralists in an attempt to discover the elements of the mind. discover the elements of the mind.

However, introspection has its However, introspection has its limitations. What are they?limitations. What are they?


William James:

James rejected studying the elements of consciousness. He advocated studying the functions of consciousness. He founded the first U.S. laboratory at Harvard University.


Influenced by:Influenced by: Charles Darwin Charles Darwin


Functionalism:Functionalism:

the study of how our thoughts and the study of how our thoughts and feelings function to increase our feelings function to increase our chances of survival.chances of survival.


Stream of consciousness:Stream of consciousness: the ever the ever changing pattern of images, sensations, changing pattern of images, sensations, memories and other mental events— memories and other mental events—

was James’ method was James’ method

of studying of studying

consciousness consciousness

rather than rather than

introspectionintrospection


Functionalists question the Functionalists question the functionfunction of of behavior and thinking.behavior and thinking.

For example: Why do we sleep? What For example: Why do we sleep? What function does sleep serve? How does it function does sleep serve? How does it contribute to our survival?contribute to our survival?


Principles of Psychology: Principles of Psychology: First psychology First psychology text book. It took William James 12 years text book. It took William James 12 years to write.to write.

897 pages

Psychological Science DevelopsPsychological Science Develops Psychodynamic Perspective:Psychodynamic Perspective:

Has its roots in Freudian psychoanalysisHas its roots in Freudian psychoanalysis Believes that behavior reflects Believes that behavior reflects

unconscious internal conflict betweenunconscious internal conflict between

inherited instincts inherited instincts

and society’s and society’s

behavioral rulesbehavioral rules

Psychological Science DevelopsPsychological Science Develops

Psychodynamic PerspectivePsychodynamic Perspective This approach analyzed personality This approach analyzed personality

traits and disorders in terms traits and disorders in terms of sexual and aggressive of sexual and aggressive drives or as the disguised drives or as the disguised

effect of unfulfilled effect of unfulfilled wishes and childhood wishes and childhood traumatrauma

Psychological Science DevelopsPsychological Science Develops Evolutionary Perspective:Evolutionary Perspective:

(Charles Darwin)(Charles Darwin) Natural Selection:Natural Selection:

genes that result in characteristics and genes that result in characteristics and behaviors that are adaptive and useful behaviors that are adaptive and useful in a certain environment will enable the in a certain environment will enable the creatures that possess them to survive, creatures that possess them to survive, reproduce, and thereby pass these reproduce, and thereby pass these genes on to subsequent generations.genes on to subsequent generations.


Evolutionary Perspective:Evolutionary Perspective: Natural selection (continued):Natural selection (continued):

Genes that result in characteristics that Genes that result in characteristics that are not adaptive in that environment will are not adaptive in that environment will not be passed on to subsequent not be passed on to subsequent generations because the creatures generations because the creatures possessing them will not be able to possessing them will not be able to survive and reproduce.survive and reproduce.


Evolutionary Perspective:Evolutionary Perspective: Natural Selection:Natural Selection:


Evolutionary Perspective:Evolutionary Perspective: Ethnologist:Ethnologist:

scientists who study animal behavior in scientists who study animal behavior in the natural environmentthe natural environment


Neuroscience (Biological):Neuroscience (Biological):

Studies how the body and brain enable Studies how the body and brain enable emotions, memories, and sensory emotions, memories, and sensory experiencesexperiences


Neuroscience (Biological):Neuroscience (Biological): Studies the psychological effects of Studies the psychological effects of

hormones, genes, and the activity of the hormones, genes, and the activity of the nervous system, especially the brainnervous system, especially the brain


Humanistic: (Maslow and Rogers)Humanistic: (Maslow and Rogers)An approach to psychology that An approach to psychology that emphasizes human beings’ inborn emphasizes human beings’ inborn unborn desire for personal growth unborn desire for personal growth and their ability to consciously make and their ability to consciously make choices. choices.


Behavior Genetics:Behavior Genetics:

Studies how much our genes and our Studies how much our genes and our environment influence our individual environment influence our individual differencesdifferences


Behavioral:Behavioral: Founded by John B. WatsonFounded by John B. Watson

This approach characterizes behavior This approach characterizes behavior and mental processes as primarily the and mental processes as primarily the result of learning. It examines how result of learning. It examines how observable responses are acquired observable responses are acquired and changedand changed


""Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, and my own specified world to formed, and my own specified world to bringthem up in and I'll guarantee to take bringthem up in and I'll guarantee to take any one at random and train him to any one at random and train him to become any type of specialist I might become any type of specialist I might select–doctor, lawyer,artist–regardless of select–doctor, lawyer,artist–regardless of his talents penchants, tendencies, abilities, his talents penchants, tendencies, abilities, vocations and race of his vocations and race of his ancestors"ancestors"


Cognitive:Cognitive:

Studies how we process, store, and Studies how we process, store, and retrieve information. Sees retrieve information. Sees

behavior as the result of behavior as the result of

information processing information processing

(for example, perception, (for example, perception,

memory, thought, judgment, memory, thought, judgment,

and decision making)and decision making)


Cognitive:Cognitive:

Cognitive Psychologists work with Cognitive Psychologists work with biologists, linguists, computer scientists, biologists, linguists, computer scientists, and engineers to and engineers to

identify the components identify the components

of thought that interactof thought that interact

to produce behavior.to produce behavior.


Social-Cultural:Social-Cultural: How behavior and thinking vary across How behavior and thinking vary across

situations and cultures.situations and cultures.

The Social-cultural Perspective addresses such issues as:• Ethnicity• Culture• Socioeconomic Status

They also examine gender

Card SortCard Sort

PsychodynamicPsychodynamic InstinctsInstincts UnconsciousUnconscious DrivesDrives Childhood Childhood

TraumaTrauma FreudFreud

HumanisticHumanistic PotentialityPotentiality Perception of Perception of

RealityReality Free WillFree Will ChoiceChoice

Card SortCard Sort

BiologicalBiological HormonesHormones HeredityHeredity GeneticsGenetics Brain ActivityBrain Activity NeurotransmittersNeurotransmitters

BehavioralBehavioral PunishmentPunishment RewardsRewards Overt ActionsOvert Actions WatsonWatson LearningLearning EnvironmentEnvironment Directly ObservableDirectly Observable ExperiencesExperiences

Card SortCard Sort

EvolutionaryEvolutionary DarwinDarwin Survival of the Survival of the

FittestFittest Natural SelectionNatural Selection

CognitiveCognitive Problem SolvingProblem Solving Decision MakingDecision Making ThinkingThinking Information Information

ProcessingProcessing Patterns of ThoughtPatterns of Thought Process, Store & Process, Store &

Retrieve Retrieve InformationInformation

Psychology’s Big DebatePsychology’s Big Debate

Nature:Nature: the belief that everything we are the belief that everything we are is due to our genes/our heredityis due to our genes/our heredity

Nurture:Nurture: the belief that everything we are the belief that everything we are is due to experiences and environmentis due to experiences and environment

Psychology’s Big DebatePsychology’s Big Debate

NatureNature HeredityHeredity GeneticsGenetics InbornInborn InnateInnate DescartesDescartes PlatoPlato

NurtureNurture EnvironmentEnvironment LearningLearning CultureCulture Tabula RasaTabula Rasa ExperienceExperience LockeLocke WatsonWatson AristotleAristotle

Psychology’s Three Main Levels of Psychology’s Three Main Levels of AnalysisAnalysis

Psychology’s SubfieldsPsychology’s Subfields

Prologue: The Story of Psychology. Psychology Roots Behavior and Mental Process Definition of...

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