Psychology:The scientific study of behavior and mental processesPsychology focuses on empirical evidence and critical thinkingPsychology’s Four Goals:1. WHAT occurred? (description)2. Tells us WHY a behavior occurred (explanation)3. Identifies a future behavior or mental process is likely to occur (prediction)4. Applies psychological knowledge to prevent unwanted behavior (change)ORGINS OF PSYCHOLOGYWilhelm Wundt:Father of psychologyEstablished first psychology lab in 1879Primarily interested in how we form sensations, images and feelingsBased more on physiologyEdward Titchener:Wundt’s studentSought to identify the basic building blocks or structures of mental life through introspectionStructuralism: doesn’t get studied anymoreWilliam James:Wundt’s studentStudied how the mind functions adapt organisms to their environmentFunctionalism: doesn’t get studied anymorePsychoanalytic/Psychodynamic Perspective:Unconscious process and unresolved past conflictsViolent thoughts and unresolved conflicts drive the way we act!Sigmund Freud (influenced by Josef Bruer and his cathartic method)Hysteria: letting women TALK (Anna Oh)Behavioral Perspective:Objective, observable environmental influences on overt behaviorsB.F Skinner and John B. WatsonI have to SEE it to believe it!Humanistic Perspective:Free will and self actualizationLed to modern field of positive psychologyWhat makes them a happy person?Carl RogersAbraham MaslorSELF ACTUALIZATIONFRIENDSHIP, LOVEFOOD, WATER, SHELTER*have to satisfy lower needs first*Cognitive Perspective:Thoughts, perception and information processingNeuroscientific/Bio psychological Perspective:Genetics and other biological processes in the brain and other parts of the neuron systemEvolutionary Perspective:Natural selection, adaption and evolution of behavior and mental processesSociocultural Perspective:Social interaction and cultural determination of behavior and mental processesExample: wearing a tutu to English classBio psychosocial Model:Combines biological, psychological and social processesInteracts with the seven major perspectivesAll play a role – a little bit of everythingTHE SCIENCE OF PSYCHOLOGY – CH. 1Basic Research: conducted to advance scientific knowledgeApplied Research: designed to solve problemsOperational Definitions:A statement that describes how a particular variable is to be measure, or how an object or condition is to be recognizedNeeds to be CLEAR and PRECISE so readers know what is being observed or measuredExample: Want to measure how happy the students in this class areTOO MANY VARIABLES!! CANT MEASURE PERFECTLY!!Ethics in Psychology Research With Humans:Informed Consent: have to warn research patient of what is going to happenVoluntary Participation: CAN leave, say “yes” or “no”Restricted Use of Deception: CAN lieDebriefing: have to find out what study really was aboutConfidentialityAlternative ActivityPrior Approval of ResearchRights of Nonhuman Participation:Psychologists take great care of handling research animalsStill controversialRights of Psychotherapy Clients:Therapists must maintain highest ethical standardsFour Key Research Methods: p.151. Experimental Research: carefully controlled procedure that manipulates variables to determine cause and effecti. Independent Variable: factor that is being manipulated – what do I change?ii. Dependent Variable: factor that is measured – what do I observe?iii. Example: depressed participantGroup 1) No MedsGroup 2) 5 mg of pillsGroup 3) 10 mg of pilsIV: amount of drugsDV: how depressed are you?Control: group with no drugs2. Descriptive Research:i. Observes and records behaviors without producing causal explanationsii. 3 types of Descriptive Research:1. Naturalistic Observation: measuring and recording participants behaviors without interfering2. Survey: tests, questionnaire, polls, interviews3. Case Study: in depth study of a single participant3. Correlational Research:i. Observes or measures two or more variables to find relationships between themii. Correlation does NOT means causationiii. Positive Correlation: 2 variables more in the same directioniv. Negative Correlation: 2 variables or more in the opposite directionv. Zero Correlation: no relationship with the two variables4. Biological Research:i. Scientific studies of the brain and other parts of the nervous systemii. Tools for the Biological Research:1. Ablations/lesions2. Electrical Recordings3. Observations/Case Study4. Stimulation of the Brain5. Brain Imaging (pictures, MRI, CT, PET, fMRI)GENETIC INHERITANCE – CH. 2Behavioral Genetics:Study of the relative effects of heredity and environment on behavior and mental processesEvolutionary Psychology:Studies how natural selection and adaption help explain behavior and mental processesNeuroscience:Scientific study of the biology of behavior and mental processesFour Methods to Study Genetics:1. Twin Studies2. Family Studies3. Adoption Studies4. Genetic Malfunction StudiesNeural Bases of Psychology:Neurons: cells of the nervous system responsible for receiving and conducting electrical impulses from the brainFour Major Parts:i. Cell Bodiesii. Dendritesiii. Axoniv. Terminal ButtonsNerve Impulses: Dendrites or cell bodies stimulated. Travels down axon to terminalSynapse: Gap between neuronsNeural Communications:Within a neuron, communication results from an action potential (a neural impulse that carries information to the axon)Between neurons, communication occurs through transmission of neural information across the synapse by neurotransmittersThe sending neuron normally absorbs that excess neurotransmitters (called reuptake) or they are broken down by enzymesKey Neurotransmitters:Serotonin (mood)Acetylcholine (ACh)Dopamine (DA, feel good, reward center)Norepinephrine (NE)Epinephrine (adrenaline)GABA (gamma aminobutyic acid)Endorphins (happy, lower pain, runners high)Endocrine System:Collection of glands that manufacture and secrete hormones into the bloodstreamHormones:Chemicals manufactured by endocrine glands and circulated in the bloodstream to produce bodily changes or to maintain normal bodily functionsNervous System Organization:Central Nervous System (CNS): Brain and spinal cordPeripheral Nervous System (PNS): all nerves and neurons connecting CNS to the rest of the bodyPNS is subdivided into the somatic and autonomic nervous systemsAutomatic nervous system subdivided into…..CNS: Important TermsNeuroplasticity: the brains lifelong ability to
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