PSYCHOLOGY 106PSYCHOLOGY 106Psychological Principles for Psychological Principles for

NursingNursing

Liam Ennis, Ph.D.Liam Ennis, Ph.D.

liame@ualberta.caliame@ualberta.ca

ProloguePrologue

Cover the basics of psychological Cover the basics of psychological principles and show explain how these principles and show explain how these principles can be applied to solve human principles can be applied to solve human problems (and wherever possible, problems (and wherever possible, nursing-related human problems.nursing-related human problems.

Introductory course – Cover lot’s of Introductory course – Cover lot’s of ground, but in a primarily cursory fashionground, but in a primarily cursory fashion

If you have questions… ask them.If you have questions… ask them.

Psychology & SciencePsychology & Science

Psychology is the science of the mind Psychology is the science of the mind and behaviourand behaviour

Psychological data are always based on Psychological data are always based on observed behaviour - inferences made observed behaviour - inferences made re: mindre: mind Behaviour: Any process or activity that is Behaviour: Any process or activity that is

directly observabledirectly observable Mind: Can’t be observed directly (e.g., Mind: Can’t be observed directly (e.g.,

thought processes, motivation, etc.)thought processes, motivation, etc.)Black BoxBlack Box

History of PsychologyHistory of Psychology

• First ‘psychologists’ were First ‘psychologists’ were philosophers (e.g., Aristotle, philosophers (e.g., Aristotle, Socrates, Plato)Socrates, Plato)

• Speculation about the source of Speculation about the source of human knowledge, nature of mind human knowledge, nature of mind and soul, mind-body relationship, and soul, mind-body relationship, whether these constructs could be whether these constructs could be studied objectivelystudied objectively

• Determinism vs. Free WillDeterminism vs. Free Will

History of PsychologyHistory of Psychology

• Descartes - French philosopher• Dualism - man consists of 2 distinct but Dualism - man consists of 2 distinct but

conjoined entities: Material body and conjoined entities: Material body and immaterial soulimmaterial soul

• Body is part of natural world and can be Body is part of natural world and can be studied scientificallystudied scientifically

• Soul - not bound by natural law - Soul - not bound by natural law - “unstudy-able”“unstudy-able”

History of PsychologyHistory of Psychology

Descartes cont’d: Descartes cont’d: concerned with mechanical processes of concerned with mechanical processes of behaviour which he felt were unrelated to soulbehaviour which he felt were unrelated to soul

Animals don’t have souls, yet engage in many Animals don’t have souls, yet engage in many basic physiological behaviours that humans dobasic physiological behaviours that humans do

Any activity performed by humans that is Any activity performed by humans that is qualitatively no different from what animals qualitatively no different from what animals can do, occurs without the soulcan do, occurs without the soul

role of senses, organs, reflexesrole of senses, organs, reflexes

Thomas Hobbes (1588-Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679)1679)

British - struggle between church and stateBritish - struggle between church and state

tutor to King Charles IItutor to King Charles II

Believed soul to be a meaningless conceptBelieved soul to be a meaningless concept

Materialism:Materialism: nothing exists but matter & nothing exists but matter & energyenergy

All human behaviour can be understood re: All human behaviour can be understood re: physical processesphysical processes

Thought = product of brain-body Thought = product of brain-body machinery, subject to natural lawmachinery, subject to natural law

EmpiricismEmpiricism

John LockeJohn Locke – philosopher in the early – philosopher in the early 1600’s1600’s

Empiricism: Knowledge is gained through Empiricism: Knowledge is gained through our senses and experience, not through our senses and experience, not through speculationspeculation

British Empiricists: all human knowledge British Empiricists: all human knowledge and thought derive from sensory and thought derive from sensory experienceexperience

Thought subject to natural law and may Thought subject to natural law and may be studied scientificallybe studied scientifically

PsychophysiologyPsychophysiology

19th century - emphasis on machinery of 19th century - emphasis on machinery of behaviourbehaviour

Central nervous system, sensation and Central nervous system, sensation and perceptionperception

Reflexology - every human behaviour Reflexology - every human behaviour understood as a reflex, initiated by understood as a reflex, initiated by environmental stimulienvironmental stimuli

localization of function - Brocalocalization of function - Broca

Ivan PavlovIvan Pavlov

1905 Nobel Prize for dog salivation 1905 Nobel Prize for dog salivation researchresearch

Conditioned reflexesConditioned reflexes

Reliance on precise measurement of Reliance on precise measurement of behaviour and presentation of stimulibehaviour and presentation of stimuli

Charles DarwinCharles Darwin

Consistent with theory of evolution, Consistent with theory of evolution, traits and behaviours can be traits and behaviours can be examined for the function it serves in examined for the function it serves in allowing the organism to survive and allowing the organism to survive and reproduce in natural environmentreproduce in natural environment

Helped convince intellectual world Helped convince intellectual world that humans are part of nature, just that humans are part of nature, just like animals, and can be understood like animals, and can be understood through the methods of sciencethrough the methods of science

Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920)Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920)

• Commonly viewed as the father of Commonly viewed as the father of psychological sciencepsychological science

• Wrote first psych text everWrote first psych text ever• Founded the first psych lab at University of Founded the first psych lab at University of

Leipzig (Germany) in 1879Leipzig (Germany) in 1879• Utilized Utilized introspection introspection to study consciousness to study consciousness

• To look inward to examine one’s own conscious To look inward to examine one’s own conscious experienceexperience

• examination of the simplest mental processes - examination of the simplest mental processes - sensations, memories, etc. sensations, memories, etc.

• Fast occurring processes = simplestFast occurring processes = simplest

Edward TitchnerEdward Titchner

Student of Wundt’sStudent of Wundt’s

Laboratory at Cornell UniversityLaboratory at Cornell University

Pioneered the Structuralist view of Pioneered the Structuralist view of psychologypsychology The proper goal of psychology was the The proper goal of psychology was the

identification of the elements/structures of identification of the elements/structures of the mind and determine how they combine the mind and determine how they combine with one anotherwith one another

Wundt correctly warned of limitations of Wundt correctly warned of limitations of introspectionintrospection

William JamesWilliam James

First psychological lab & text in America – First psychological lab & text in America – Harvard University (1890)Harvard University (1890)

Rejected structuralism - can’t understand Rejected structuralism - can’t understand a house by looking at the bricksa house by looking at the bricks

Influenced by Darwin – natural selection Influenced by Darwin – natural selection and adaptive behaviourand adaptive behaviour

Functionalism: the study of the function of Functionalism: the study of the function of behaviour, and how people behave in behaviour, and how people behave in order to adapt to their environments.order to adapt to their environments.

Sigmund FreudSigmund Freud

Pioneered psychoanalysis  in order to Pioneered psychoanalysis  in order to understand how the unconscious understand how the unconscious influences human behavior. influences human behavior. Conceptualized the mind as having three Conceptualized the mind as having three components; components; the the IdId, responsible for our drives to meet our , responsible for our drives to meet our

physiological needs and desires; physiological needs and desires; the the SuperegoSuperego, incorporates the rules and morals of , incorporates the rules and morals of

the society we live inthe society we live in the the EgoEgo, the conscious part of our minds that , the conscious part of our minds that

mediates between the Id and Superego so that we mediates between the Id and Superego so that we may get our needs met in a socially acceptable way. may get our needs met in a socially acceptable way.

John B. WatsonJohn B. Watson

Mental constructs were of no value in Mental constructs were of no value in explaining human behaviour, and explaining human behaviour, and only obscured psychological only obscured psychological investigation and theoryinvestigation and theoryAll behaviour reflexive – all behavior All behaviour reflexive – all behavior can be understood as can be understood as reactions/responses to events in the reactions/responses to events in the environmentenvironmentSpent latter part of his career in Spent latter part of his career in advertisingadvertising

B.F. SkinnerB.F. Skinner

Behaviorist – Operant Learning & Behaviorist – Operant Learning & ConditioningConditioning

Disagreed with emphasis on reflexesDisagreed with emphasis on reflexes

Focused on consequences of Focused on consequences of behaviourbehaviour

Behaviour contingent on influence of Behaviour contingent on influence of reinforcers in one’s environmentreinforcers in one’s environment

Behaviourism dominated psychology Behaviourism dominated psychology from 1920’s – 1980’sfrom 1920’s – 1980’s

Albert BanduraAlbert Bandura

Social Learning TheorySocial Learning Theory Observational learning Observational learning Aggression/Bo-Bo DollAggression/Bo-Bo Doll Modelling Modelling

Carl RogersCarl Rogers

Felt psychoanalysis and behaviourism Felt psychoanalysis and behaviourism devalued the conscious human minddevalued the conscious human mind

Humanistic or Client-Centered Psychology Humanistic or Client-Centered Psychology (Maslow)(Maslow)

Theory based on assumption that we all Theory based on assumption that we all have an inherent actualizing tendency - have an inherent actualizing tendency - beyond basic needsbeyond basic needs tendency stunted by others who criticize tendency stunted by others who criticize

and inhibitand inhibit Unconditional, positive regardUnconditional, positive regard

Cognitive PsychologyCognitive Psychology

Increasingly popular since 1970’sIncreasingly popular since 1970’s

emphasizes how people take in, emphasizes how people take in, organize and make mental organize and make mental representations and store informationrepresentations and store information.. Also study how these processes Also study how these processes effect behavior effect behavior

thought mediates behaviourthought mediates behaviour

How we think about things influences How we think about things influences emotion, decision making, behaviouremotion, decision making, behaviour

Biology & the BrainBiology & the Brain

Role of brain functioning as it relates Role of brain functioning as it relates to behaviour and psychological to behaviour and psychological processesprocesses

Heredity and behavioural geneticsHeredity and behavioural genetics

neurochemical processes of memory neurochemical processes of memory & thought& thought

magnetic fieldsmagnetic fields

technologically basedtechnologically based