1. THE HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY

2. WHAT IS PSYCHOLOGY?  The study of behavior and mental processes Behavior - anything an organism does, observed actions Mental processes – thinking, feelings, sensations, perception  The discipline has evolved over time & is still “under construction”

3. HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY Although the science of psychology started in the late 1800’s, the concept has been around a lot longer. evidence of trephination (cutting holes into skull to let evil spirits out) back in stone age It was like a bad SAW movie!!!!

4. ORIGINS OF PSYCHOLOGY  Influenced by both philosophy & physiology Philosophy- “love of wisdom,” use of reason to understand reality & existence Physiology- the study of the way living things work  ancient Greek philosophers were the first to ponder the workings of the mind

5.  Socrates & Plato Argued that the mind is separate from the body Dualism: the belief that the mind is separate from the body Knowledge is innate (born within us) GREEK PHILOSOPHERS  Aristotle Loved data & wrote about many topics (dreams, sleep, senses, memory…) Argued that knowledge grows from experiences stored in our memories Laid foundation for the Scientific Method

6. THE ENLIGHTENMENT  John Locke “Tabula Rasa”=blank slate, humans are born knowing nothing Everything is learned, nothing is innate All knowledge comes from experience Empiricism: knowledge is acquired through observation & experience

7. BIRTH OF PSYCHOLOGY  Wilhelm Wundt-1879 University of Leipzig Reaction time experiment Psychology’s first experiment, birth of a science Established first psychology lab Introspection (looking inward)

8. Andrea Yates