What Is Psychology? Chapter One

Psychology as a Science Definition: the scientific study of behavior and mental processes

Psychology as a Science As science, uses the scientific method, as opposed to subjective opinion, to develop theories about variables to describe, explain, predict, and control behavior and mental processes

TheoryTheory Definition: a formulation of relationships underlying observed events

TheoryTheory Based on assumptions about behavior and mental processes Based on assumptions about behavior and mental processes Contain statements about the principles and laws that may govern them Contain statements about the principles and laws that may govern them Based on assumptions about behavior and mental processes Based on assumptions about behavior and mental processes Contain statements about the principles and laws that may govern them Contain statements about the principles and laws that may govern them

TheoryTheory Allow us to derive explanations and predictions Allow us to derive explanations and predictions Describe, Explain, Predict, Control Describe, Explain, Predict, Control Allow us to derive explanations and predictions Allow us to derive explanations and predictions Describe, Explain, Predict, Control Describe, Explain, Predict, Control

What Psychologists Do Wide variety of subject areas for psychologists Pure Research vs. Applied Research Wide variety of subject areas for psychologists Pure Research vs. Applied Research

What Psychologists Do Pure Research: Conducted without concern for immediate applications to personal or social problems (research for its own sake)

What Psychologists Do Applied Research: Designed to find solutions to specific personal or social problems

Subfields of Psychology Clinical Clinical Counseling Counseling School School Educational Educational Clinical Clinical Counseling Counseling School School Educational Educational

Subfields of Psychology Developmental Developmental Social/Personality Social/Personality Experimental Experimental Cognitive Cognitive Developmental Developmental Social/Personality Social/Personality Experimental Experimental Cognitive Cognitive

Subfields of Psychology Industrial/Organizational Industrial/Organizational Physiological/Biological Physiological/Biological Emerging Fields: Forensic & Health Emerging Fields: Forensic & Health Industrial/Organizational Industrial/Organizational Physiological/Biological Physiological/Biological Emerging Fields: Forensic & Health Emerging Fields: Forensic & Health

Clinical Psychology Specialize in helping people with psychological problems adjust to the demands of life Ex: anxiety, depression, sexual dysfunctions, loss of goals Specialize in helping people with psychological problems adjust to the demands of life Ex: anxiety, depression, sexual dysfunctions, loss of goals Evaluate problems through structural interviews and psychological tests Evaluate problems through structural interviews and psychological tests Specialize in helping people with psychological problems adjust to the demands of life Ex: anxiety, depression, sexual dysfunctions, loss of goals Specialize in helping people with psychological problems adjust to the demands of life Ex: anxiety, depression, sexual dysfunctions, loss of goals Evaluate problems through structural interviews and psychological tests Evaluate problems through structural interviews and psychological tests

Clinical Psychology Help clients resolve their problems and change maladaptive behavior through techniques of psychotherapy and behavior therapy

Clinical Psychology Psychotherapy: Application of psychological knowledge to the treatment of problem behavior Psychotherapy:

Clinical Psychology Behavior Therapy: Application of learning to the direct modification of problem behavior Behavior Therapy: Application of learning to the direct modification of problem behavior

Clinical Psychology Work in institutions for mentally ill, outpatient clinics, college clinics, private practice Work in institutions for mentally ill, outpatient clinics, college clinics, private practice Largest subgroup (what most people think when hear about psych) Largest subgroup (what most people think when hear about psych) Differs from psychiatrist (medical doctors who specialize in treatment) Differs from psychiatrist (medical doctors who specialize in treatment) Work in institutions for mentally ill, outpatient clinics, college clinics, private practice Work in institutions for mentally ill, outpatient clinics, college clinics, private practice Largest subgroup (what most people think when hear about psych) Largest subgroup (what most people think when hear about psych) Differs from psychiatrist (medical doctors who specialize in treatment) Differs from psychiatrist (medical doctors who specialize in treatment)

Counseling Counsel people facing challenges Counsel people facing challenges Use interviews and tests to define their clients problems Use interviews and tests to define their clients problems Clients typically have maladjustment problems but not serious psychological disorders Clients typically have maladjustment problems but not serious psychological disorders Counsel people facing challenges Counsel people facing challenges Use interviews and tests to define their clients problems Use interviews and tests to define their clients problems Clients typically have maladjustment problems but not serious psychological disorders Clients typically have maladjustment problems but not serious psychological disorders

Counseling Clients may encounter difficulty in making academic or vocational decisions or making friends, marital and family conflicts, physical handicaps, adjustment problems Clients may encounter difficulty in making academic or vocational decisions or making friends, marital and family conflicts, physical handicaps, adjustment problems Various counseling methods to help clients clarify goals and find ways of surmounting goals Various counseling methods to help clients clarify goals and find ways of surmounting goals Clients may encounter difficulty in making academic or vocational decisions or making friends, marital and family conflicts, physical handicaps, adjustment problems Clients may encounter difficulty in making academic or vocational decisions or making friends, marital and family conflicts, physical handicaps, adjustment problems Various counseling methods to help clients clarify goals and find ways of surmounting goals Various counseling methods to help clients clarify goals and find ways of surmounting goals

Counseling Employed at college counseling and testing centers, rehabilitation agencies

School Psychologists Facilitating the social, intellectual, and emotional development of children Facilitating the social, intellectual, and emotional development of children Work in schools Work in schools Consult with students with problems that interfere with learning Consult with students with problems that interfere with learning Ex: social, family, emotional problems, and specific learning disorders Facilitating the social, intellectual, and emotional development of children Facilitating the social, intellectual, and emotional development of children Work in schools Work in schools Consult with students with problems that interfere with learning Consult with students with problems that interfere with learning Ex: social, family, emotional problems, and specific learning disorders

School Psychologists Define problems through: interviews with parents, teachers, students, achievement and intelligence tests, classroom observations Define problems through: interviews with parents, teachers, students, achievement and intelligence tests, classroom observations Consult with teachers, school officials, parents, teachers and other professionals Consult with teachers, school officials, parents, teachers and other professionals Placement of students in special education and remediation programs Placement of students in special education and remediation programs Define problems through: interviews with parents, teachers, students, achievement and intelligence tests, classroom observations Define problems through: interviews with parents, teachers, students, achievement and intelligence tests, classroom observations Consult with teachers, school officials, parents, teachers and other professionals Consult with teachers, school officials, parents, teachers and other professionals Placement of students in special education and remediation programs Placement of students in special education and remediation programs

Educational Psychologists Concerned with optimizing classroom conditions to facilitate learning Concerned with optimizing classroom conditions to facilitate learning Design educational programs and train teachers Design educational programs and train teachers Concerned with optimizing classroom conditions to facilitate learning Concerned with optimizing classroom conditions to facilitate learning Design educational programs and train teachers Design educational programs and train teachers

Educational Psychologists Improvement of course planning and instructional methods Improvement of course planning and instructional methods Research interests include how motivation, intelligence, sociocultural factors such as poverty and acculturation and teacher behavior affect learning Research interests include how motivation, intelligence, sociocultural factors such as poverty and acculturation and teacher behavior affect learning Improvement of course planning and instructional methods Improvement of course planning and instructional methods Research interests include how motivation, intelligence, sociocultural factors such as poverty and acculturation and teacher behavior affect learning Research interests include how motivation, intelligence, sociocultural factors such as poverty and acculturation and teacher behavior affect learning

DevelopmentalDevelopmental Study the changes (physical, emotional, cognitive, and social) that occur throughout the life span Study the changes (physical, emotional, cognitive, and social) that occur throughout the life span Influences of heredity (nature) and environment (nurture) on development Influences of heredity (nature) and environment (nurture) on development Topics: effects of maternal drug use on the embryo, child rearing practices, adolescent conflicts, adjustment among older people Topics: effects of maternal drug use on the embryo, child rearing practices, adolescent conflicts, adjustment among older people Study the changes (physical, emotional, cognitive, and social) that occur throughout the life span Study the changes (physical, emotional, cognitive, and social) that occur throughout the life span Influences of heredity (nature) and environment (nurture) on development Influences of heredity (nature) and environment (nurture) on development Topics: effects of maternal drug use on the embryo, child rearing practices, adolescent conflicts, adjustment among older people Topics: effects of maternal drug use on the embryo, child rearing practices, adolescent conflicts, adjustment among older people

Social/personalitySocial/personality How we influence and interact with other people How we influence and interact with other people Define human traits, determine influence on thought processes, feelings and behavior, explain psychological disorders Define human traits, determine influence on thought processes, feelings and behavior, explain psychological disorders Human issues (anxiety, aggression, gender roles) Human issues (anxiety, aggression, gender roles) How we influence and interact with other people How we influence and interact with other people Define human traits, determine influence on thought processes, feelings and behavior, explain psychological disorders Define human traits, determine influence on thought processes, feelings and behavior, explain psychological disorders Human issues (anxiety, aggression, gender roles) Human issues (anxiety, aggression, gender roles)

Social/personalitySocial/personality Social and external influences Social and external influences Attitude formation and change, interpersonal attractions and likings, stereotypes, conformity to group norms, group decision making processes Attitude formation and change, interpersonal attractions and likings, stereotypes, conformity to group norms, group decision making processes Personality: tend to look within the person for explanations of behavior Personality: tend to look within the person for explanations of behavior Social and external influences Social and external influences Attitude formation and change, interpersonal attractions and likings, stereotypes, conformity to group norms, group decision making processes Attitude formation and change, interpersonal attractions and likings, stereotypes, conformity to group norms, group decision making processes Personality: tend to look within the person for explanations of behavior Personality: tend to look within the person for explanations of behavior

ExperimentalExperimental Conduct research into fundamental processes relevant to more applied specialties Conduct research into fundamental processes relevant to more applied specialties Nervous system, sensation, perception, learning, memory, thought, motivation, emotion Nervous system, sensation, perception, learning, memory, thought, motivation, emotion More likely to engage in basic or pure research (usually study animals) More likely to engage in basic or pure research (usually study animals) Conduct research into fundamental processes relevant to more applied specialties Conduct research into fundamental processes relevant to more applied specialties Nervous system, sensation, perception, learning, memory, thought, motivation, emotion Nervous system, sensation, perception, learning, memory, thought, motivation, emotion More likely to engage in basic or pure research (usually study animals) More likely to engage in basic or pure research (usually study animals)

Industrial/OrganizationalIndustrial/Organizational Behavior in the workplace; improving businesses in areas such as personnel, organizational efficiency Behavior in the workplace; improving businesses in areas such as personnel, organizational efficiency Relationships between people and work Relationships between people and work Assist in processes such as hiring, training, and promotion Assist in processes such as hiring, training, and promotion Behavior in the workplace; improving businesses in areas such as personnel, organizational efficiency Behavior in the workplace; improving businesses in areas such as personnel, organizational efficiency Relationships between people and work Relationships between people and work Assist in processes such as hiring, training, and promotion Assist in processes such as hiring, training, and promotion

Industrial/OrganizationalIndustrial/Organizational Devise tests that predict successful performance of various jobs (gallup poll) Devise tests that predict successful performance of various jobs (gallup poll) Make technical systems (computer) more user friendly Make technical systems (computer) more user friendly Strategies to appeal to the consumer Strategies to appeal to the consumer Devise tests that predict successful performance of various jobs (gallup poll) Devise tests that predict successful performance of various jobs (gallup poll) Make technical systems (computer) more user friendly Make technical systems (computer) more user friendly Strategies to appeal to the consumer Strategies to appeal to the consumer

Emerging Fields Forensic: expertise within the criminal-justice system Forensic: expertise within the criminal-justice system Serve as expert witnesses, testify about competence of defendants to stand trial or describe mental disorders and how affect criminal behavior Serve as expert witnesses, testify about competence of defendants to stand trial or describe mental disorders and how affect criminal behavior Counsel officers help with stress, hostage situations, suicide threats Counsel officers help with stress, hostage situations, suicide threats Forensic: expertise within the criminal-justice system Forensic: expertise within the criminal-justice system Serve as expert witnesses, testify about competence of defendants to stand trial or describe mental disorders and how affect criminal behavior Serve as expert witnesses, testify about competence of defendants to stand trial or describe mental disorders and how affect criminal behavior Counsel officers help with stress, hostage situations, suicide threats Counsel officers help with stress, hostage situations, suicide threats

Emerging Fields Health:examine the ways in which behavior and mental processes such as attitudes are related to physical health Health:examine the ways in which behavior and mental processes such as attitudes are related to physical health Headaches, cardiovascular disease, cancer Headaches, cardiovascular disease, cancer Patient compliance with medical advice Patient compliance with medical advice Guide clients to take undertake more healthy behaviors such as exercising, quitting smoking, healthy diet Guide clients to take undertake more healthy behaviors such as exercising, quitting smoking, healthy diet Health:examine the ways in which behavior and mental processes such as attitudes are related to physical health Health:examine the ways in which behavior and mental processes such as attitudes are related to physical health Headaches, cardiovascular disease, cancer Headaches, cardiovascular disease, cancer Patient compliance with medical advice Patient compliance with medical advice Guide clients to take undertake more healthy behaviors such as exercising, quitting smoking, healthy diet Guide clients to take undertake more healthy behaviors such as exercising, quitting smoking, healthy diet

Questions or Concerns?