Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 PowerPoint Presentations to Accompany AP ed. Philip G. Zimbardo Robert L. Johnson Ann L. Weber Craig W. Gruber Prepared by David Lundberg-Kenrick This multimedia product and its contents are protected under copyright law. The following are prohibited by law: Any public performance or display, including transmission of any image over a network; Preparation of any derivative work, including the extraction, in whole or in part, of any images Any rental, lease or lending of the program. ISBN:

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 This multimedia product and its contents are protected under copyright law. The following are prohibited by law: any public performance or display, including transmission of any image over a network; preparation of any derivative work, including the extraction, in whole or part, of any images; any rental, lease, or lending of the program. ISBN: Chapter 1 Introduction and History of Psychology

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Many things that happen to us leave no record in memory True or False? True: Most of the information around us never reaches memory, and what does reach memory often gets distorted

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 You are born with all the brain cells you will ever have True or False? False: Recent research shows that some parts of the brain continue producing new cells throughout life

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 True or False? Both center patches are the same shade of gray

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

True: The patch on the right appeared darker due to perceptual contrast with its background

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 True: The patch on the right appeared darker due to perceptual contrast with its background

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Intelligence is a purely genetic trait that does not change throughout a person’s life True or False? False: Intelligence is the result of both heredity and environment, and may change throughout your life

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 The most common form of mental disorder occurs in 30% of the population True or False? True: Depression, the single most common disorder, may affect up to a third of the population at some point in their lives

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Repeated exposure to the same face leads us to like it less False: Familiar people (and their faces) are generally liked more than less familiar people True or False?

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 What Is Psychology – and What Is It Not? Psychology is a broad field, with many specialties, but fundamentally, psychology is the science of behavior and mental processes

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 What Is Psychology – and What Is It Not? Psychology – The scientific study of behavior and mental processes Psychology is not Mere speculation about human nature A body of folk wisdom about people that “everybody knows” to be true

What Is Psychology – and What Is It Not? Empirical Approach: A study conducted via careful observations and scientifically based research This is standard for all psychological research. Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Pseudopsychology – Erroneous assertions of practices set forth as being scientific psychology (Fortune tellers, astrologists, psychics etc.) What Is Psychology – and What Is It Not? Psychology disputes unfounded claims from pseudopsychology Story of Clever Hans.

Harmful Effects of Psuedopsycology Confirmation bias: We pay attention to events that confirm our beliefs and ignore those that contradict. (astrology) Can waste time, money, talent and even lies (false memories and sexual abuse) Fraud: Paying for horoscopes It diminishes the legitimacy of psychology Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Be skeptical! Think critically! Is there a simpler explanation? Has someone done a controlled test? Is it based on our expectations? Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

What Do Psychologists Do? Psychology is a broad field with many specialties, grouped in three major categories: experimental psychology, teaching of psychology and applied psychology

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 What Do Psychologists Do? Experimental psychologists Conduct most research across psychological spectrum May work in private industry or for the government Often teach at college or university

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 I/OSports School Counseling Engineering Rehabilitation Use knowledge developed by experimental psychologists to solve human problems Clinical What Do Psychologists Do? Applied psychologists

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 What Are Psychology’s Historical Roots? Modern psychology developed from several conflicting traditions, including structuralism, functionalism, Gestalt psychology, behaviorism, and psychoanalysis

Historical Roots Plato: Credited with the study of gaining knowledge.(cognition) Aristotle: developed theories into sensation, perception, problem solving and memory. Asian contributions: they were exploring consciousness and how to control with meditation( Buddhism) Africa: personality and mental disorders from traditional spiritual beliefs. Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Historical Roots Greek tradition and the Roam Catholic church influenced the development of psych. As a science but neither really tested it! Rene Descartes dared to say that human sensations and behaviors are based on the activities of the nervous system. Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Devoted to uncovering basic structures that make up mind and thought Tradition Structuralism Functionalism Psychoanalysis Gestalt psychology Behaviorism Wilhelm Wundt, German, founded the first formal laboratory. Introspection: The process of reporting on one’s own conscious mental experiences. (know thyself)

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Believed mental processes could best be understood in terms of their adaptive purpose and function Tradition Structuralism Functionalism Psychoanalysis Gestalt psychology Behaviorism William James, American, was a strong critic of Wundt. “stream of consciousness” our mind was constantly changing, flowing and interteracting.

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Interested in how we construct “perceptual wholes” Tradition Structuralism Functionalism Psychoanalysis Gestalt psychology Behaviorism Wertheimer, Kohler were both German and thought the opposite of Wundt.

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Argued psychology should deal solely with observable events Tradition Structuralism Functionalism Psychoanalysis Gestalt psychology Behaviorism Behaviorist disagreed! They believed that consciousness could not be observed. They did not care what people were thinking but they cared how people would act. (John B Watson)

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Asserted mental disorders arise from conflicts in the unconscious mind Tradition Structuralism Functionalism Psychoanalysis Gestalt psychology Behaviorism Sigmund Freud asserted the unconscious mind should be studied!

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 What are the Perspectives Psychologists Use Today? Seven main perspectives characterize modern psychology: the biological, developmental, cognitive, clinical, behavioral, trait, and socio-cultural views

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Biological Developmental Psychodynamic Sociocultural Cognitive Behavioral Trait Nine Modern Perspectives of Psychology Humanistic Evolutionary/ Sociobiological

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 View of Human Nature: We are complex systems that respond to hereditary and environmental influences What Determines Behavior: Neural structures, biochemistry, and inborn responses to external cues Question for Study: How do heredity, the nervous system, and the endocrine system produce behavior and mental processes? Perspective Biological Developmental Psychodynamic Sociocultural Cognitive Behavioral Trait Humanistic Evolutionary/ Sociobiological

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 View of Human Nature: We undergo predictable patterns of change throughout our lives What Determines Behavior: Interaction between heredity and environment Questions for Study: What are the patterns that characterize developmental change? What are the genetic and environmental influences underlying these patterns? Perspective Biological Developmental Psychodynamic Sociocultural Cognitive Behavioral Trait Humanistic Evolutionary/ Sociobiological

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 View of Human Nature: People are information- processing systems What Determines Behavior: Mental interpretation of our experience Question for Study: How do mental processes, including sensation, perception, learning, memory, and language, influence behavior? Perspective Biological Developmental Psychodynamic Sociocultural Cognitive Behavioral Trait Humanistic Evolutionary/ Sociobiological

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 View of Human Nature: We are driven by dark forces of the unconscious Perspective What Determines Behavior: Unconscious needs, conflicts, repressed memories, and childhood experiences Question for Study: How does the energy generated in the unconscious mind motivate our actions and account for mental disorders? Biological Developmental Psychodynamic Sociocultural Cognitive Behavioral Trait Humanistic Evolutionary/ Sociobiological

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 View of Human Nature: Emphasizes human growth and potential Perspective What Determines Behavior: The influence of self-concept, perceptions, and interpersonal relationships, and on need for personal growth Question for Study: How can humanistic theory be applied to enhance mental health through counseling and therapy? Biological Developmental Psychodynamic Sociocultural Cognitive Behavioral Trait Humanistic Evolutionary/ Sociobiological

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 View of Human Nature: Behavior is primarily shaped by learning Perspective What Determines Behavior: Stimulus cues and our history of rewards and punishments Questions for Study: What are the “laws” that associate our responses with stimulus conditions? How can they be applied to improve the human condition? Biological Developmental Psychodynamic Sociocultural Cognitive Behavioral Trait Humanistic Evolutionary/ Sociobiological

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 View of Human Nature: People are social animals, so human behavior must be interpreted in social context Perspective What Determines Behavior: Cultures, social norms and expectations, social learning Questions for Study: Under what conditions is the social and cultural situation predictive of behavior? How are social influences different across cultures? Biological Developmental Psychodynamic Sociocultural Cognitive Behavioral Trait Humanistic Evolutionary/ Sociobiological

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 View of Human Nature: Behavior is developed and adapted over time Perspective What Determines Behavior: Natural selection Question for Study: How do behavior and individual differences develop and change? Biological Developmental Psychodynamic Sociocultural Cognitive Behavioral Trait Humanistic Evolutionary/ Sociobiological

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 View of Human Nature: Individual differences result from differences in our underlying patterns of stable characteristics Perspective What Determines Behavior: Each person’s unique combination of traits Question for Study: How many fundamental traits are there? How can we use trait patterns to predict behavior? Biological Developmental Psychodynamic Sociocultural Cognitive Behavioral Trait Humanistic Evolutionary/ Sociobiological

Changing Face of Psychology Dominant Fields today: Biological, cognitive and developmental Behavioral and Psychoanalytical are losing ground. Women and minorities are increasing in numbers as psychologists. Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Women in Psychology G. Stanley Hall, pioneer of psychology, maintained that work would run a women’s health and deteriorate her reproductive organs. 1905: Mary W. Calkins was the first female president of APA. She had been denied her doctorate by Harvard University. Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

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