What is Psychology? The scientific study of behavior and mental processes (humans and animals) Covers what we….. Think Feel Do Largest association of Psychologists worldwide

Why Study Psychology? Application to everyday life Gain insight into behavior (yours and others)

Why Study Psychology? Dispel myths about human behavior

Goals of Psychology Describe behavior Explain behavior Predict behavior Influence behavior

Phrenology – Examining bumps on the skull to determine intellect and character traits (19 th century) Past attempts at understanding human behavior (weird or not) have led to what we know today and shaped the current Approaches to Psychology

Wilhelm Wundt “ Father of psychology ” “ Father of psychology ” Started 1st lab to study humans (1879) Started 1st lab to study humans (1879) Established Psychology as formal field of study Established Psychology as formal field of study Introspection – self observation, report thoughts and feelings Introspection – self observation, report thoughts and feelings

William James “ Father of MODERN Psychology” or “Father of Psychology in the U.S.” Principles in Psychology = 1 st Psychology Textbook

Psychoanalytic Behavioral Humanistic Cognitive Biological Sociocultural

PSYCHOANALYTIC Key ideas childhood experiences unconscious forces Sigmund Freud (1856 – 1939) Unconscious motivations are responsible for human behavior Techniques: Free association Psychoanalysis Dream analysis

BEHAVIORAL Key ideas Observable Behavior Conditioning/Learning Prior experience John Watson (1878 – 1958) Behavior the result of conditioning – “We are what we learn to be” B.F. Skinner (1904 – 1990) Reinforcement

HUMANISTIC Key ideas Self-directed Uniqueness Potential to develop

COGNITIVE Key ideas How we ….. Process, Store, Retrieve information Thought patterns Problem solving Behavior results from memories, expectations

BIOLOGICAL A.k.a. Behavioral neuroscience Key ideas How the brain, nervous system, hormones, genetics influence behavior

SOCIOCULTURAL Key ideas Cultural influence on behavior Gender Socioeconomic status

Eclecticism By combining information from all of the approaches, psychologists stand a better chance of describing, explaining, predicting, and controlling behavior.

Psychologist Observe, analyze, evaluate behavior Doctorate degree Psychiatrist Medical degree + training in psychiatric medicine

Clinical Psychologist diagnoses and treats people with emotional disturbances Counseling Psychologist help people deal with problems of everyday life Developmental Psychologist Study changes that occur throughout life

Educational Psychologist helps students learn Industrial/Organizational Psychologist employed by businesses to boost production, improve working conditions, make the workplace a more satisfying environment

Research v. Applied Psychology Research Psychologists – study origins, causes, results of behavior Applied Psychologists – make direct use of the findings of research psychologist; deal directly with clients

Naturalistic Observation Observe subjects in a natural setting without interfering Natural behavior Case Study Intensive investigation of one or more participants long-term observations, diaries, tests, interviews

Survey Interviews, questionnaires, or both asking many individuals a fixed set of questions Longitudinal Study Data is collected over a number of years Development time-consuming Cross-sectional Study Different age groups – same time – compare

Longitudinal vs. Cross-Sectional

Double-Blind Experiment Neither participants nor experiment knows which received medication keeps researcher unbiased Placebo effect change in illness/physical state from knowledge and perception of treatment believing it will have an effect fake medication