Introduction to PsychologyMyers’ EXPLORING PSYCHOLOGY (7th Ed)Thinking Critically With Psychological ScienceThinking Critically …Slide 5Slide 6Psychology’s RootsSlide 8Slide 9Structure vs. FunctionSlide 11Slide 12Slide 13Psychology’s Big QuestionPsychology’s Three Main Levels of AnalysisContemporary PsychologyPsychology’s Subfields: ResearchSlide 18Psychology’s Subfields: AppliedSlide 20Clinical Psychology vs. PsychiatryWhy Do Psychology?What About Intuition & Common Sense?Limits of IntuitionHindsight BiasOverconfidenceThe Scientific AttitudeSlide 28Science or Pseudo-science?How Do Psychologists Ask & Answer Questions?The Scientific MethodResearch ProcessPowerPoint PresentationSlide 34Slide 35DescriptionSlide 37Slide 38SurveySlide 40Slide 41Slide 42Descriptive MethodsCorrelationCorrelation and CausationIllusory CorrelationSlide 47Slide 48Slide 49Slide 50Slide 51Order in Random EventsSlide 53ExperimentationSlide 55Slide 56Slide 57Slide 58Exploring Cause & EffectEvaluating TherapiesSlide 61Independent VariableDependent VariableSlide 64Slide 65ComparisonFAQSlide 68Slide 69Slide 70Slide 71Tips for Studying PsychologySlide 73Introduction to PsychologyInstructor: Ray Hawkins, Ph.D.Office: SEA 2.208, MWF(2 PM - 3 PM & by appt.)Phone: 512-232-3354TA: Kyle StephensonSyllabus Web page: http://homepage.psy.utexas.edu/homepage/class/Psy301/HawkinsMyers’ EXPLORING PSYCHOLOGY (7th Ed)Chapter 1Thinking Critically with Psychological ScienceJames A. McCubbin, PhDAneeq Ahmad, Ph.D.(Modified by Ray Hawkins, Ph.D)Worth PublishersThinking Critically With Psychological ScienceWhat is Psychology?Psychology’s RootsContemporary PsychologyThinking Critically …Why Do Psychology?What About Intuition and Common Sense?The Scientific AttitudeCritical ThinkingThinking Critically …How Do Psychologists Ask and Answer Questions?The Scientific MethodDescriptionCorrelationExperimentationThinking Critically …FAQs About PsychologyTips for Studying PsychologyPsychology’s RootsPrescientific PsychologyIs the mind connected to the body or distinct?Are ideas inborn or is the mind a blank slate filled by experience? FilmPsychology’s RootsPrescientific PsychologyPhilosophyGreek - Roman conceptualization of human experience as contemporary history-making, a philosophy of the moral life a “reason to excel” (David McCullough, C-SPAN interview, 8-7-05)Empiricismknowledge comes from experience via the sensesscience flourishes through observation and experimentpsychological science refutes three theories of human nature (Pinker, 2005): Locke’s “blank slate,” Rousseau’s “noble savage,” and Descarte’s “ghost in the machine”Psychology’s RootsWilhelm Wundt opened the first psychology laboratory at the University of Leipzig (c. 1879)Structure vs. FunctionStructuralismAnalyze consciousness into basic elementsIntrospectionSystematic, self-observation in response to tones, optical illusions, fruit…Sensation & PerceptionFunctionalismInvestigate purpose of consciousness, not structureStream of consciousnessConsciousness is a continuous flow of thoughts, not staticMental testing, development, education, individual differencesPsychology’s RootsStructuralism used introspection (looking in) to explore the elemental structure of the human mindPsychology’s RootsFunctionalism focused on how behavioral processes function - how they enable organism to adapt, survive, and flourishAcademic vs. Popular Psychology; Historical overview of Psychology & the teaching of Introductory Psychology (some guiding anecdotes)Psychology’s RootsMyers’ Definition of PsychologyThe science of behavior (what we do) and mental processes (sensations, perceptions, dreams, thoughts, beliefs, and feelings)Psychology’s Big QuestionNature versus NurtureThe controversy over the relative contributions of biology and experience.Nurture works on what nature endows.Psychology’s Three Main Levels of AnalysisContemporary PsychologyPsychology’s Subfields: ResearchPsychologist What she doesBiologicalExplore the links between brain and mind.DevelopmentalStudy changing abilities from womb to tomb.CognitiveStudy how we perceive, think, and solve problems.PersonalityInvestigate our persistent traits.SocialExplore how we view and affect one another.Psychology’s Subfields: ResearchData: APA 1997Psychology’s Subfields: AppliedPsychologist What she doesClinicalStudies, assesses, and treats people with psychological disordersCounselingHelps people cope with academic, vocational, and marital challenges.EducationalStudies and helps individuals in school and educational settingsIndustrial/OrganizationalStudies and advises on behavior in the workplace.Psychology’s Subfields: AppliedData: APA 1997A clinical psychologist (Ph.D.) studies, assesses, and treats troubled people with psychotherapy. Psychiatrists on the other hand are medical professionals (M.D.) who use treatments like drugs and psychotherapy to treat psychologically diseased patients.Clinical Psychology vs. PsychiatryWhy Do Psychology?1. How can we differentiate between uniformed opinions and examined conclusions?2. The science of psychology helps make these examined conclusions, which leads to our understanding of how people feel, think, and act as they do!What About Intuition & Common Sense?Many people believe that intuition and common sense are enough to bring forth answers regarding human nature.Intuition and common sense may aid queries, but they are not free of error.Limits of IntuitionPersonal interviewers may rely too much on their “gut feelings” when meeting with job applicants.Taxi/ Getty ImagesHindsight Bias is the “I-knew-it-all-along” phenomenon. After learning the outcome of an event, many people believe they could have predicted that very outcome. We only knew the dot.com stocks would plummet after they actually did plummet.Hindsight BiasOverconfidenceSometimes we think we know more than we actually know. AnagramBARGEGRABEENTRYETYRNWATERWREATHow long do you think it would take to unscramble these anagrams?People said it would take about 10 seconds, yet on average they took about 3 minutes (Goranson, 1978).The Scientific AttitudeThe scientific attitude is composed of curiosity (passion for exploration), skepticism (doubting and questioning) and humility (ability to accept responsibility when wrong).The Scientific AttitudeCritical
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