Chapter 1 introduction to psychology What is Psychology Many fields of study seek to understand human nature Literature history anthropology sociology Psychology is a science that studies behavior and mental processes and applies that knowledge in the service of human welfare science behavior mental processes apply Some professional psychologists apply psychology to diagnose and treat problems of thoughts and behavior Psychology is both a clinical practice and a science Science a way to understand the natural world systematic observation testing theories with rigorous methods Subdisciplines cognitive developmental behavioral neuroscience personality social clinical health educational industrial organizational sports and forensic psychology History of psychology many psychological phenomena are invisible to observation thoughts emotions motives personality etc research methods Empiricism key people john Locke Thomas Reid focus all knowledge comes from experience tabula rasa method observation 1800 Psychophysics key people Ernst weber Gustav Fechner focus how do people sense physical properties color weight sound brightness 1860 Experimental psychology key people Wilhelm Wundt focus first psychology laboratory Germany method scientific methods 1879 Structuralism key people Wilhelm Wundt Edward Titchener focus what is the mind Break experiences down into smallest parts thoughts emotions sensations method introspection 1879 Functionalism key people William James focus function of mental processes method introspection 1890 Psychoanalysis key people Sigmund Freud focus unconscious conflicts impulses motivations method hypnosis free association dream analysis 1900 constant unconscious conflicts within a person determine behavior and mental health impulse to satisfy personal desire vs need to live by society s rules therapy focused on bringing unconscious into conscious awareness Gestalt key people Max Wertheimer focus whole is greater than sum of its parts Learning perception 1910 Behaviorism key people John Watson B F Skinner focus learning method observation of overt behavior 1910 1930 Humanistic psychology key people Carl Rogers Abraham Maslow focus human growth and positive development 1950 Beyond behaviorism cognitive thoughts and mental processes computer metaphor process store retrieve information today Other contemporary approaches Neuroscience Biopsychology link mental processes to activities in the nervous system brain and other bodily processes Applications of psychology clinical psychology diagnosis and treatment of mental emotional and behavioral disorders to promote psychological health largest subdiscipline in psychology Applications of psychology social issues research on the psychology of sex differences to promotes women s rights in the early 20th century psychology of race showed how segregation in schools negatively impacted self esteem Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues SPSSI 2
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