An Introduction to Psychology

Take a few minutes… I will show some pictures - without talking write down what you see in the pictures DO NOT DISCUSS THESE IMAGES WITH ANYONE, WE WILL TAKE IT UP AS A CLASS

Still NO Talking

What is psychology Psychology comes from two words  Psyche  Logos Psyche - pronounced “sigh-key” is from the Greek word ψυχή - translating to ‘breath of life’, meaning soul or spirit and loosely translated as MIND

What is Psychology? Defined as: the scientific study of behaviour and mental processes, and the factors that influence these processes

Psychology The scientific study of behaviour and mental processes, and the factors that influence these processes. Focus is on factors unique to the individual, c.f. anthropology and sociology, which both focus on groups of people.

Psychology vs Psychiatry There is a common confusion between the two, the difference is… Psychologists study ALL human behaviour, normal and abnormal Psychiatrists are DOCTORS who specialized in abnormal behaviour - “mental disorders”

Psychiatrists Have a Medical Degree AND a Psychiatric Qualification They are members of the Medical Association - and as a result are the only ones who can prescribe drugs Some Psychologists also specialize, with extra training, in helping people with mental disorders - they are clinical psychologists

Branches of Psychology Research ◦Discover new knowledge in the field through research and study, usually at a university.

Goals of Psychology Describe: to specify the characteristics of behaviour and mental processes Explain: Identify the cause and effects of behaviour and mental processes Predict: foretell events based on knowledge of the relationships between variables Change: produce, prevent, remedy, cure, treat, influence behaviour

Early Thoughts on Psychology Greek Philosophy ◦developed the idea that each person’s body had four fluids, or “humours”  Blood  Phlegm  Melancholy  Choler ◦different combinations of these fluids caused different personality types

Early Thoughts on Psychology…continued Hippocrates (460 – 377 BCE) ◦Known as the father of modern medicine ◦Noted that people with brain injuries acted differently than most people ◦Concluded that the brain was the source of our pleasures, joys, laughter, and jests as well as sorrows, pains, grief, and tears

Early Thoughts on Psychology…continued John Locke (1643 – 1704) ◦Recognized as one of the great Enlightenment thinkers ◦Argued that the mind receives information from the senses, turns this information into complex ideas in the brain, and then draws conclusions  This idea is now widely accepted in psychology

Branches of Psychology Structuralism ◦Founded by William Wundt ( ) ◦Tried to observe the inner workings of the mind by conducting experiments on sensation, perception and attention ◦Asked people to practice introspection (examine their thoughts) and describe everything that went through their minds ◦Although this branch was short lived, it marked the arrival of psychology as a scientific discipline

Branches of Psychology…continued Functionalism ◦Founded by William James ( ) ◦Believed mental characteristics had developed just like physical characteristics to allow people to adapt to their environments ensuring their survival ◦Studies done outside the laboratory to see how people behaved in everyday life ◦Studied the development of children, how learning and education could be improved, and how men and women behaved differently

Branches of Psychology…continued Psychoanalysis ◦Developed by Sigmund Freud ( )  started as a medical doctor studying the nervous system came to the conclusion that nervous problems were not physical in origin but stemmed from the unconscious ◦Is a process designed to uncover the patients’ unconscious thoughts by encouraging them to discuss their background, feelings and experiences with a trained psychologist ◦Has become a major branch of psychology and is well known even by non-psychologists  ideas about the subconscious, ego, dream analysis and slips of the tongue

Behaviourism Behaviour is learned as a consequence of the effects of environment (punishment and rewards)

Branches of Psychology…continued Behaviourism ◦Developed by John Watson ( ) (same time as Freud was conducting his experiments) ◦Believed that in order to be scientific, can only study what can be observed  i.e. since we cannot observe the mind, we must observe behaviour ◦Study how individuals react to the environment  believed all behavioural responses are the result of environmental stimuli

Benjamin Spock- permissive (not strict) child rearing will lead to successful, well adjusted adults Later theorists- every child is unique and child rearing methods must be tailored to fit the individual Both Spock and Watson completely ignored heredity in development, focused completely on nuture.

Psychophysiological Behaviour is a function of biological processes (neutral, hormonal, genetic, etc.)

Branches of Psychology…continued Humanism ◦Developed in the 1950s as a reaction against the dominance of behaviouralism and psychoanalysis ◦Focus on unique qualities of human beings, particularly their freedom and potential to grow ◦Argue that people are not dominated by their drives, emotions, or by their environments  Say that people can take control of their own lives because they have the ability to make choices

Humanistic Behaviour is function of ‘free will’ and striving towards ‘self actualization’

Maslow's hierarchy of needs is a theory in psychology, proposed by Abraham Maslow in his 1943 paper A Theory of Human Motivation, which he subsequently extended to include his observations of humans' innate curiosity.

Branches of Psychology…continued Cognitive Psychology ◦Study of mental processes involved in memory, learning and thinking ◦Focus on researching the brain and its processes ◦Use electronic monitoring of brain activity to learn more about what parts of our brain are active when we talk, laugh, watch a movie, etc. ◦Popular from 1950s onwards with advances in computer technology and artificial intelligence (AI)

Cognitive Behaviour is a function of thinking, remembering, interpreting, etc.

Types of Work Psychologists do: Research Psychology ◦To discover new knowledge in the field through research and study. ◦Are affiliated with a university Applied Psychology ◦To apply psychological knowledge to particular environments, such as schools or industry. ◦Work on site in factories, schools or other institutions Clinical Psychology ◦To use psychology to help people define and deal with their problems. ◦Ex. psychoanalysts, counselors and therapists who work in mental health clinics or private practice