Chapter 1 The Science of Psychology PSYCH 100 Crosby PSYCHOLOGY the scientific study of behavior and mental processes behavior outward actions reactions mental processes internal activity of our minds thinking feeling remembering different from individual to individual as well as situations scientific study precise objective measurements GOALS OF PSYCHOLOGY 1 DESCRIPTION observing a behavior and noting everything about it what is happening where it happens to whom it happens under what circumstances does it happen 2 EXPLANATION understand why it happens and may develop a theory THEORY general explanation for a set of observable facts 3 PREDICTION if theory is correct probable should be able to make an accurate prediction 4 CONTROL modifying behavior typically undesireable to desireable THE HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY Aristotle 384 322 B C connection between soul and body believed they were aspects of the same other underlying structure Plato 427 347 B C DUALISM body and soul separate but interrelated aristotle s teacher Descartes 1596 1650 modified dualism mind and body have reciprocal interaction via pineal gland base of brain seed of the soul Wilhelm Wundt 1832 1920 Father of Psychology First psychological laboratory in Leipzig Germany 1879 Brought scientific method to psychological processes PSYCH 100 Crosby Contributions of the human mind 1 Began to study nonphysical structure i e thought experiences emotions etc 2 Mind consists of basic elements analyzed via OBJECTIVE INTROSPECTION process of examining and measuring one s own thoughts and mental activities study processes that were the result of physical sensations 3 Brought objectivity and measurement to psychology STRUCTURALISM Edward Titchener 1867 1927 Brought Wundt s ideas to US Focus is the structure or basic elements of mind Introspect about physical objects AND thoughts Tell me about things that are yellow free flowing thought believed you could have thoughts about thoughts Following two are developed in opposition to structuralism FUNCTIONALISM focus of study is how the mind allows people to adapt live work and play William James 1842 1910 father of American psychology stream of thought vs elements of mind focus on adaptation living working playing functioning in the real world influenced by Darwin s natural selection behavioral traits cared more about how mental processes affected everyday life and adapt GESTALT PSYCHOLOGY early perspective focus on perception and sensation particularly patterns and whole figures Gestalt An organized whole The whole is greater than the sum of its parts Gestalt psychologists people naturally seek out patterns wholes in available sensory information Max Wertheimer PSYCH 100 Crosby FREUD S PSYCHOANALYSIS theory and therapy based on Freud s work Sigmund Freud neurologist in Austria patients with nervous disorders no physical cause focus on unconscious and early childhood Psychoanalysis is the theory and therapy based on Freud s work BEHAVIORISM focus on observable behavior only Ivan Pavlov Conditioning Pavlov s dogs o salivation with food and bell o focus on unconscious John B Watson All behavior is learned compare to Freud Believed fears are learned via experience Little Albert video available on MyPsychLab Conditioned child to become afraid of rats certain animals Classical conditioning involuntary behavior Mary Cover Jones Little Peter counterconditioning Could take the fear away 7 MODERN PERSPECTIVES 1 PSYCHODYNAMIC FREUD NEOFREUDIANS Continued focus on the unconscious and early development PSYCH 100 Crosby Development of sense of self and interpersonal relationships 2 BEHAVIORAL WATSON INTO ADVERTISING B F Skinner Focus on operant conditioning to explain how voluntary behavior is learned Punishment and reinforcement 3 HUMANISTIC BECAME THIRD FORCE IN PERSPECTIVES Developed as a reaction to psychoanalysis and behaviorism People have the freedom to choose their own destiny Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers 4 COGNITIVE Process of thought Includes Memory intelligence perception problem solving learning Cognitive neuroscience fMRI And how it may contribute to psychological problems 5 SOCIOCULTURAL Relationship between social behavior and culture Effect that people have on one another Bystander effect 6 BIOPSYCHOLOGICAL Attributes human and animal behavior and mental events to biological factors Hormones heredity brain chemicals etc AKA psychological psychology behavioral neuroscience 7 EVOLUTIONARY Biological mental traits shared by all humans Adaptive for survival of self or offspring Example relationships PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFESSIONALS AND AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION PSYCH 100 Crosby PSYCHOLOGIST More focused on research could go into clinical psychological IQ testing PSYCHIATRIST Can prescribe medicines and focuses more in the medical field can do therapy PSYCHIATRIC CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER Typically master s degree focused on patients with psychological disorders deal with social situations Areas of specialization research teaching designing equipment and workplaces developing educational methods health sports performance legal issues business concerns design of equipment tools and furniture Remember our definition PSYCHOLOGY the scientific study of behavior and mental processes SCIENTIFIC METHOD a system for reducing bias and error in the measurement of data STEPS IN THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD 1 PERCEIVING THE QUESTION notice something interesting happing in your environment that you would like to have an explanation for Related to which of the four goals of psychology Description 2 FORM A HYPOTHESIS tentative explanation of a phenomenon based on observations PSYCH 100 Crosby Related to which of the four goals of psychology Description and Explanations 3 TESTING THE HYPOTHESIS Related to which of the four goals of psychology Explanation 4 DRAWING CONCLUSIONS was the hypothesis supported or not Related to which of the four goals of psychology Prediction 5 REPORT YOUR RESULTS Should we let others know if your experiment failed Why or why not Yes so others don t repeat experiments DESCRIPTIVE METHODS NATURALISTIC OBSERVATION What is it Involves watching animals or people in their natural environments Advantage s Seeing people in their natural environment as they would normally behave Limitation s Researcher lacks control over the environment Observer effect Key Terms THEY RE BEING OBSERVED OBSERVER EFFECT TENDENCY FOR INDIVIDUALS TO BEHAVE DIFFERENTLY WHEN THEY KNOW OBSERVER BIAS TENDENCY FOR OBSERVERS
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