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● What Is Psychology?Key Terms: Methods of Psychology:1.Psychology  scientific study of behavior and mental processes.2. Science  uses systematic methods to observe human behavior and draw conclusions. (scientific method).3. Behavior  things people do that can be directly observed. Put into numbers to make it easier to understand.4. Mental Processes  thoughts,feelings,motives, that we experience privately and cannot be directly observed; also put into numbers(Quantify).● Contemporary Approaches to Psychology:1) Biological Approach(Neuroscience) ↳brain and nervous system are critical for understanding attitudes and behaviors.(Ex: Trauma can cause personality changes; Injuries to the brain can change people )2) Behavioral Approach ↳study of behavior responses to environmental stimuli. ↳Social Cognitive Theory: people learn from the consequences of other people’s actions. This behavior will be imitated if there are positive consequences. (Proposed by John B. Watson / B.F. Skinner. Albert Bandura later proposes.)3) Psychology Approach ↳biological instincts influence attitudes and behavior. These impulses can shape our behavior and personality(Ex: sexual or aggressive impulses) . ↳sexual relationships with parents shape personality.(Proposed by Sigmund Freud: theory of a young child by the age of 4 or 5 having a sexual attraction to the opposite sex parent).4) Humanistic Approach ↳emphazises peoples positive qualities, capacity for positive growth, and free will.(Ex: The Amish : they have less but with their simple life still have happiness)5) Cognitive Approach ↳study of how mental processes allow people to remember, make decisions, plan, set goals, and be creative. ↳Memory can change and become flexible ( Ex: selective memory)6) Evolutionary Approach ↳adaptation, reproduction,and survival of the fittest; explains human behavior.↳Sexual Selection Theory: 1. Men and Women are the same in most domains. 2. Men and Women differ in their reproductive changes.(Ex: Women are always sure that the baby is theirs ; Men are often unsure. Men have ashort term mating strategy; Women have a long term mating strategy)↳(Proposed by David Buss)7) Sociocultural Approach ↳cultural contest influence attitudes and behavior.8) Positive Psychology Approach ↳movement toward studying human strengths and positive experiences. ↳Studies focus on: Experiences that people value, Positive individual traits, Positive group and civic


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PSU PSYCH 100 - What Is Psychology?

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