1. The Science of Psychology
Tobi Russell- Baker College

2. The scientific study of behavior and mental processes
What is Psychology?
The scientific study of behavior and mental processes

3. The Fields of Psychology
Developmental Psychology- The study of how people grow and change physically, cognitively, emotionally and socially from the prenatal period through death. Subfields include: child, adolescent and life-span psychology

4. The Fields of Psychology
Physiological Psychology- Investigates the biological basis of behavior.
Subfields include: neuroscience, biological psychology and behavior genetics

5. The Fields of Psychology
Experimental Psychology- Investigates basic psychological processes such as sensation and perception, memory, intelligence, learning and motivation

6. The Fields of Psychology
Personality Psychology- Studies the differences between individuals on such traits as sociability, emotional stability, conscientiousness and self-esteem

7. The Fields of Psychology
Clinical and Counseling Psychology- Applies the principles of psychology to mental health and adjustment. Clinical psychology focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders while counseling psychology is more concerned with normal adjustment issues such as making difficult choices or coping with a troubled relationship.

8. The Fields of Psychology
Social Psychology- Explores how society influences thoughts, feelings and behavior
Industrial and Organizational Psychology- Applies the principles of psychology to the workplace

9. Different Career Paths
Psychiatrists
Psychoanalysts
Clinical psychologists
Counseling psychologists
Social workers

10. What Unifies the Field of Psychology?
Person-situation= Is behavior caused by internal factors or external factors?
Nature-Nurture= Are we a product of what we are born with or are we a reflection of our experiences?
Stability-Change= Are the characteristics we develop in childhood fixed or can they change over time?

11. What Unifies the Field of Psychology?
Diversity-Universality= Anywhere humans exist there will be similarities and differences
Mind-Body= What is the relationship between what we experience (thoughts and feelings) and what our biological processes are (activity in the nervous system)

12. Scientific Method Collecting data
Generate a theory to explain the data
Produce a testable hypothesis based on the theory
Test the predictions using additional observations and experiments to see if they are correct

13. Theory and Hypotheses
Theory= the systematic explanation of a phenomenon, it organizes known facts, allows us to predict new facts, and permits us to exercise a degree of control over the phenomenon
Hypothesis= Specific, testable predictions derived from a theory

14. Thinking Critically
Define the problem or the question you are investigating
Suggest a theory or a reasonable explanation for the problem
Collect and examine all the available evidence
Analyze assumptions
Avoid oversimplifying
Draw conclusions carefully

15. Thinking Critically Consider every alternative interpretation
Recognize the relevance of research to events and situations

16. Example
States with a death penalty have/do not have lower homicide rates