Chapter 1 What is Psychology?

Section 1 Why Study Psychology Objectives: 1. Identify the goals of psychology 2. Explain how psychology is a science

Definition of psychology: -the study of human behavior and mental processes -behavior: any action that can be observed or measured

- some behaviors are automatic: body functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, digestion & brain activity

Mental processes: known as cognitive abilities -dreams, perceptions, thoughts & memories -Psychologists study people’s emotions or feelings -emotions can effect both behavior & mental processes

Goals of Psychology 1. Observe 2. Describe to better understand behavior which enables psychologists to: to better understand behavior which enables psychologists to: 3. Explain 4. Predict 5. Control the events studied the events studied

Application of Goals -who knows Scott Norwood? -lose your “cool”?, “choke”? -don’t perform to expectations -effect on self-confidence and self-esteem

Observe & Describe Behavior -measure heart rate & body processes when excited Explain Behavior -feelings of anxiety and distractions that hinder performance

Predict Behavior -athletes do best when anxiety is moderate -will falter when anxiety is too intense

Control Behavior - change behavior  teach ways to keep tolerable level - “block out” things around you to perform at high level

- Positive visualization: foul shot! - Psychologist allow person to make decisions on their own about behavior

Psychology as a Science -social science: foundations in the natural sciences -history, anthropology, economics, political science, sociology -deal w/ structure of human society & nature of individuals who make up society

- These individuals: their behavior & mental processes are the focus of psychology -Natural science: biology, chemistry, physics

-concern w/nature of physical world -the brain -answer questions by following steps of the scientific method

Research - methods: surveys, case studies, experimentation -study of animal behavior -can apply findings to humans -can apply findings to humans -argument: humans are unique -argument: humans are unique

psychologists rely on research to learn whether certain methods will work before using on clients

Theory: statement that attempts to explain why things are the way they are

-Psychological theories: discuss principles that govern  -behavior (sleeping; aggression) -mental processes (memories/mental images) -mental processes (memories/mental images) -biological processes (effects of chemicals on the brain) -biological processes (effects of chemicals on the brain)

- useful theory  allows to predict behavior & mental processes -fatigue  apply  when people will or will not sleep -fatigue  apply  when people will or will not sleep -theories are always being revised or replaced

Section 2 What Psychologists Do Objective: Describe the work done by psychologists according to their areas of specialization

Types of Psychologists - Clinical: largest group; help people w/psychological problems & disorders -Counseling: treat people w/adjustment problems

- School: identify and help students w/problems that interfere with learning

-Educational: focus on course planning & instructional methods for school system -Developmental: study changes throughout life span

Personality: identify traits to find origin of psychological problems Social: concerned w/people’s behavior in social situations

-Experimental: conduct research into basic processes *find out the why of behavior -Industrial/Organizational: focus on people and the work place

- Environmental: focus on influence of people & the physical environment -Consumer: study the behavior of shoppers to explain/predict their behavior -Forensic: work within the criminal system (stand trial)

-Health: examine ways behavior & mental process relate to physical health -Sports: help athletes and their performance

Section 3 A History of Psychology Objective: Explain the historical background of the study of psychology

Roots from Ancient Greece -Socrates & Plato: believed the mind & body were separate entities (dualism) believed the mind & body were separate entities (dualism) -ideas, thoughts & traits were inborn -nature over nurture

Aristotle -the mind & body are connected (monism) -the mind is a “blank slate” upon which experience writes -nurture over nature

-during the Middle Ages, most believed that problems were signs of possession by demons -Salem witch trials

The Birth of Modern Science -1500s, 1600s & 1700s had great scientific and intellectual advances -Copernicus: earth around sun -Newton: laws of gravity -Locke: knowledge learned from experience

- the scientific approach led to the birth of modern psychology -human behavior & mental processes should be supported by evidence -Wilhelm Wundt sets up 1 st experimental lab in Leipzig, Germany in 1879

Schools of Thought in Psychology

Structuralism -founded by Wundt -discover the basic elements of conscious experience -objective sensations (assumed to reflect the outside world

-subjective feelings (emotional responses & mental images ***Edward Titchener (student) -introspection: carefully examine & report experiences

Functionalism -William James – Harvard -experience is a fluid & continuous stream of consciousness

-focus on relationship between experience & behavior -”Principles of Psychology”: 1 st modern psychology textbook

- functionalists are concerned with how mental processes help organisms adapt to environment

Functionalism vs. Structuralism - behavioral observation -”What are the purposes (functions) of behavior & mental processes -introspection -introspection -”What are the elements (structures) of psychological processes -”What are the elements (structures) of psychological processes

John B. Watson & Behaviorism -believed it was unscientific to study consciousness -behavior must be limited to observable, measurable events

-Behaviorism: Watson described psychology as the scientific study of observable behavior

B.F. Skinner & Reinforcement -introduced concept of reinforcement -animals learn through reward to perform desired behavior

- people learn in same manner -reinforcement leads to desired behavior

The Gestalt School - The psychology of Gestalt is based on idea that perceptions are more than the sum of its parts -rather they are wholes that give meaning to the parts

-dispute both structuralists & functionalists -learning through insight

Sigmund Freud & Psychoanalysis - most famous of early psychologists -founded school of psychoanalysis

-emphasizes the importance of unconscious motives & internal conflicts to determine human behavior

-”Freudian slip”; dreams -Freud: talk therapy w/clients -one’s mind is unconscious & consists of conflicting impulses, urges and wishes

- people fool themselves with about real motives for behavior -help gain insight into unconscious conflicts and find socially acceptable ways of expressing their wishes/meet needs

Section 4 Contemporary Perspectives Objective: Describe the six contemporary perspectives in psychology

The Biological Perspective - emphasizes the influence of biology on behavior -connections w/ behavior & the brain -role of hormones and genes on behavior

The Cognitive Perspective - emphasizes the role played by thoughts in determining behavior -show how we encode, store and retrieve information

The Humanistic Perspective -stresses the capacity to reach one’s full potential -considers personal experiences the most important aspect -views people as basically good

The Psychodynamic Perspective - stresses the influence of the unconscious forces on behavior -no longer dominates psychology

-followers of Freud focus less on roles of unconscious sexual & aggressive impulses and more on conscious choice and self-direction

The Learning Perspective - emphasizes personal experience and reinforcement effect on behavior -social learning theory: learn from observing others

The Socio-cultural Perspective -emphasis on ethnicity, gender, culture & socio-economic status -looks at how behavior and thinking vary across situations and cultures