Science/History of Psychology AP Psychology Science/History of Psychology Essential Task: Describe, compare, and contrast how different approaches to psychology explain behavior: - psychoanalytic/psychodynamic, Gestalt, humanism and behaviorism - cognitive, biological, evolutionary, and social as more contemporary approaches Logo Green is R=8 G=138 B=76 Blue is R= 0 G=110 B=184 Border Grey is R=74 G=69 B=64

The Science of Psychology Approaches to Psych Growth of Psych Research Methods Statistics Descriptive Correlation Experiment Case Study Survey Naturalistic Observation Inferential Ethics Sampling Central Tendency Variance Careers We are here

Essential Task: Approaches Outline Definition of Psychology Define and describe how each approach explains behavior Biological Evolutionary Behaviorism Cognitive Gestalt Psychoanalytic/Psychodynamic Humanism Social Make comparisons Highlight contrasting views

Approaches to Psychology Concept Map

What is Psychology? Outline Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes Scientific? Not just common sense or guesses Psychology uses the scientific method Scientific Method: careful observations and the experimental testing of hypothesis Behavior – what people do on the outside Mental Processes – Thinking (cognition) *Psychology includes the study of both humans and animals Outline 5

What is Psychology? It is the study of WHY. Outline It is the study of WHY. Why do humans do the things they do? Outline 6 6

Approaches to Psych Approaches are lenses through which to explain human behavior Biological Evolutionary Behaviorism Cognitive Psychodynamic Humanism Gestalt Social/ Sociocultural *Bio-Psycho- Social* Outline

Biological Psychology Focuses on biological mechanisms and structures It looks to such things as the brain, neurotransmitters, hormones, drugs (both legal and illegal), and genetics Outline 8

*Biological Approach Looks for Biological Answers to Behavior* Approaches are lenses through which to explain human behavior Outline

Biological Psychology is Observable Ex: how massive cell loss changes the whole brain in advanced Alzheimer's disease Outline 10

Evolutionary Psychology Explains human behavior by looking at what made us most likely to survive/reproduce Language – How did communication make us more likely to survive? Altruism – Why are we nice to each other if this is just about survival of the fittest? Sexual attraction – Is there a reason certain aspects of a person are considered ‘attractive’ Why not sexy elbows? Outline 11

Ex: why do we find blue eyes attractive? Our Pupils dilate when we are excited. We get excited when we are next to someone we like. It is easier to see the dilation of the pupil in someone with blue eyes. This has become a beauty standard because those with blue eyes are easier for us to know how they feel about us. Outline 12

Behaviorism Since you can not observe the mind, This approach only studies observable human BEHAVIOR It focuses on how we: LEARN (or are conditioned) React to our environment Since you can not observe the mind, behaviorists see it as a BLACK BOX. Can’t see it? Don’t study it. Big Names: Pavlov – Dogs Watson – Little Albert Skinner – Operant Conditioning Outline 13

Cognitive Psychology School of psychology that studies mental processes Thinking, feeling, remembering, making decisions/judgments and language Studies how we encode, process, store, and retrieve information Studies behavior and makes inferences about the mental processes behind the behavior Thanks to new technologies like CAT scans, MRIs and fMRIs, we can open the black box Outline 14

Gestalt Psychology Gestalt is a German word that means “the whole” This approach to psychology looks at how your perceptions of the word come together to form you whole perception This perception is often greater than the sum of its parts

Gestalt Psychology

Psychodynamic Psychology Personality theory that says behavior springs from unconscious drives and conflicts The Unconscious is a dynamic cauldron of primitive drives, forbidden desires and nameless fears. It drags us down. Psychoanalysis – patient lies on a couch and recounts dreams and conducts free association. Key figure: Sigmund Freud Outline 17

Humanistic Psychology School of psychology that emphasizes the means of realizing one’s full human potential Importance of love, belonging, human potential, and self-esteem. Abraham Maslow Not mainstream, more a cultural and spiritual movement. Outline 18

More Concerned About Moving Up Outline 19

Social Psychology Study of how people influence one another Topics include: First impressions Interpersonal attraction Attitude formation Prejudice Behavior in a group Obedience to Authority Some Applications include: Support groups Family Therapy Sensitivity Training Outline 20

Conformity

Compare and Contrast Compare two approaches Contrast two approaches For example, both the biological and behavioral approaches deal with things that are directly observable making them the most scientific of the approaches Contrast two approaches While psychoanalysis focuses on how the unconscious causes problems for the individual, humanism focuses on how individuals can achieve their full potential. Outline