Myers PSYCHOLOGY Seventh Edition in Modules Module 1 The History and Scope of Psychology James A. McCubbin, Ph.D. Clemson University Worth Publishers

Psychology’s Roots Prescientific Psychology  Is the mind connected to the body or distinct?  Are ideas inborn or is the mind a blank slate filled by experience?

Psychology’s Roots

 Prescientific Psychology  Empiricism  knowledge comes from experience via the senses  science flourishes through observation and experiment

Psychophysics zPsychophysics refers to the interaction of the mind (psyche) and the physical world (physics)

Psychology’s Roots  Wilhelm Wundt opened the first psychology laboratory at the University of Leipzig (c. 1879)

Psychology’s Roots  Structuralism used introspection (looking in) to explore the elemental structure of the human mind

Psychology’s Roots  Functionalism focused on how behavioral processes function—how they enable organism to adapt, survive, and flourish

Freud and Psychoanalysis zSigmund Freud was a mid-century psychiatrist from Vienna. z He believed that psychological problems could often be traced to childhood sexual conflicts over such issues as breastfeeding, toilet training, and sexual jealousy centered on the parents. zIn 1900 he introduced the first complete theory of personality, which he called psychoanalysis. It focused on abnormal behaviour and relied on personal observation and reflection instead of controlled laboratory experimentation.

Pavlov and Conditioning zThe Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov’s classical studies of animal learning in 1906 fueled a move in psychology toward interest in observable behaviour and away from the self-examination of inner ideas and experiences. z His experiments with salivating dogs have become famous. His study of the conditioned reflex provided psychology with a model of learning that is called classical conditioning.

Watson and Behaviourism zAround 1900, the time was right for a new concept of psychology. The American psychologist John B. Watson believed that psychology should be defined as the study of behaviour. He called this behaviourism. z He would completely eliminate introspection (remember this is looking inside to gather data about the mind) from psychology and rely on scientific method. z This would mean studying only things that could be observed and measured. For Watson, studying the unconscious, or anything that you can’t see, was of little value

Maslow, Rogers and Humanism z Humanistic psychology focuses on inner needs, fulfillment, the search for identity, and other distinctly human concerns. It is less concerned with doing research on human behaviour than with describing its meaning and purpose. zAbraham Maslow and Carl Rogers emphasized conscious experience as the focus of psychology. They believed that humans have free will in their decision making, and that healthy people strive to reach their full potential. z They rejected the idea that humans are controlled by a series of rewards and reinforcements.

Modern Trends zCognition emphasizes information processing within humans. It focuses on how people think – how they take in, process, store, and retrieve information. zNeuroscience emphasizes the biology of the brain and nervous system. Neuroscientists use a variety of scanning techniques that reveal brain structures and activity. zThe Sociocultural perspective examines how thinking and behaviour changes depending on the setting or situation.

New Areas of Interest zThose studying behaviour genetics focus on the relative effects of our genes and environment on our behaviour. It combines biology and behaviourism. z Those studying evolutionary psychology focus on studying behaviours that helped our ancestors survive. This approach combines biological, psychological and social aspects of human behaviour. zThe positive psychology movement (Martin Seligman) focuses on making life more productive and fulfilling and identifying and nurturing talent and wisdom. It is like the humanistic perspective but there is a research.

Psychology’s Roots  Definition of Psychology  The science of behavior (what we do) and mental processes (sensations, perceptions, dreams, thoughts, beliefs, and feelings)

Contemporary Psychology  Psychology’s Big Issues  Nature-nurture controversy  the relative contribution that genes and experience make to development of psychological traits and behaviors

Contemporary Psychology  Natural selection  principle that those inherited trait variations contributing to survival will most likely be passed on to succeeding generations

Contemporary Psychology

 Psychology’s Perspectives  A lot depends on your point of view

Eclectic View zNo one perspective can answer all of the questions that psychology addresses. Each examines behaviour and mental processes from a different viewpoint. Most psychologists today choose to view behaviour from more than one perspective because they know that this choice will increase their understanding of topics that interest them.

Example zThe handout is an example of how the different perspectives might explain whether or not a person helps a stranger pick up a spilled bag of groceries when given the opportunity.

Contemporary Psychology  Psychology’s Subfields  Basic Research  biological psychologists explore the links between brain and mind  developmental psychologists study changing abilities from womb to tomb  cognitive psychologists study how we perceive, think, and solve problems

Contemporary Psychology  Psychology’s Subfields  Basic Research  Personality psychologists investigate our persistent traits  Social psychologists explore how we view and affect one another

Contemporary Psychology  Psychology’s Subfields  Applied Research  Industrial/organizational psychologists study and advise on behavior in the workplace  Clinical psychologists study, assess, and treat people with psychological disorders

Contemporary Psychology  Psychiatry  A branch of medicine dealing with psychological disorders  Practiced by physicians who sometimes use medical (for example, drug) treatments as well as psychotherapy