1 PSYCHOLOGY (8th Edition) David Myers PowerPoint Slides Aneeq Ahmad Henderson State University Worth Publishers, © 2006

2 Unit I: History and Approaches

3 Prologue: The Story of Psychology Psychology’s Roots  Prescientific Psychology  Psychological Science is Born  Psychological Science Develops

4 Prologue: The Story of Psychology Contemporary Psychology  Psychology’s Big Debate  Psychology’s Three Main Levels of Analysis  Psychology’s Subfields

In the beginning … Who are we? Where do our thoughts come from? What makes our body move? How and why do we “feel” ? What happens to us (mind/body) after death? 5

Psychology “The study of human behavior and mental processes.” 6

7 Psychology’s Roots Prescientific Psychology In India, Buddha wondered how sensations and perceptions combined to form ideas.

8 Prescientific Psychology Confucius ( B.C.) In China, Confucius stressed the power of ideas and the importance of an educated mind. home.tiscali.be/alain.ernotte/livre/confucius.jpg

9 Prescientific Psychology Hebrew Scriptures Hebrew scriptures linked mind and emotion to the body.

10 Monism vs Dualism Philosophical debate Deals with the relationship of the mind and the body

Dualism The mind and body are distinct (separate) but interact with each other Mental AND Physical side “ghost in a machine” 11

Monism The mind and the body are different aspects of the same thing The “mind” is just the product of complex physical activity in the brain. 12

13 Prescientific Psychology Socrates ( B.C.) and Plato ( B.C.) Socrates and his student Plato believed the mind was separate from the body, the mind continued to exist after death, and ideas were innate. Socrates Plato

14 Prescientific Psychology Aristotle ( B.C.) Aristotle suggested that the soul is not separable from the body and that knowledge (ideas) grow from experience.

15 Prescientific Psychology Rene Descartes ( ) Descartes, like Plato, believed in soul (mind)-body separation, but wondered how the immaterial mind and physical body communicated.

16 EMPIRICISM Knowledge originates in experience; science should rely on observation and experimentation

17 Prescientific Psychology Francis Bacon ( ) Bacon is one of the founders of modern science, particularly the experimental method.

18 Prescientific Psychology John Locke ( ) Locke held that the mind was a tabula rasa, or blank sheet, at birth, and experiences wrote on it. biografieonline.it/img/bio/John_Locke.jpg

19 Prescientific Psychology Mind and body are connected Mind and body are distinct The HebrewsSocrates AristotlePlato AugustineDescartes What is the relation of mind to the body?

20 Prescientific Psychology Some ideas are inborn The mind is a blank slate SocratesAristotle PlatoLocke How are ideas formed?

21 Psychological Science is Born Structuralism Wundt(first psych lab) and Titchener studied the elements (atoms) of the mind by conducting experiments at Leipzig, Germany, in Wundt ( ) Titchner ( )

Psychological Science is Born Structuralism Focuses on the basic elements of the mind Like a builder would focus on the wood, brick, mortar, nails, frame of a house

23 Introspection Activity Hershey Kiss Activity

24 INTROSPECTION Wundt used the technique of introspection. Introspection means inward looking. Subjects were specially trained to describe the sensations and feelings a stimulus created.

25 Psychological Science is Born Functionalism Influenced by Darwin, William James established the school of functionalism, which opposed structuralism. James ( ) Mary Calkins

Psychological Science is Born Functionalism Focuses on the function of the conscious mind Like an architect focuses on the functions of each room of a house and how it serves the needs of the people living in it.

27 FUNCTIONALISM James established the first American laboratory. Functionalism concentrates on how the understanding of how consciousness functions to help people adapt to their environments. The “WHY?” (ex. Why do we feel fear?)

28 Psychological Science is Born The Unconscious Mind Sigmund Freud and his followers emphasized the importance of the unconscious mind and its effects on human behavior. Freud ( )

29 FREUD AND PSYCHOANALYSIS All behavior is motivated by psychological processes, especially unconscious conflicts within the mind. Early childhood experiences are very important.

30 Psychological Science Develops Behaviorism Watson (1913) and later Skinner emphasized the study of overt behavior as the subject matter of scientific psychology. Watson ( ) Skinner ( )

31 John Watson and Behaviorism Started with the study of animals. Overt behavior not unconscious processes is the most important in understanding behavior. Learning is the most important determinant of behavior. We learn through punishments and rewards. B.F. Skinner contributed ideas.

32 Psychological Science Develops Humanistic Psychology Maslow and Rogers emphasized current environmental influences on our growth potential and our need for love and acceptance. Maslow ( ) Rogers ( )

Humanistic Love, support, recognition, self-esteem Everyone gets a trophy “I ___ because I wasn’t loved enough.” “I would have been great if my coach/teacher wasn’t such an idiot.” Which comes 1 st ? Self-esteem or achievement 33

34 Psychology Today We define psychology today as the scientific study of behavior (what we do) and mental processes (inner thoughts and feelings).

35 Psychological Associations & Societies The American Psychological Association is the largest organization of psychology with 160,000 members world-wide, followed by the British Psychological Society with 34,000 members.

36 Psychology’s Big Debate Nature versus Nurture Darwin stated that nature selects those that best enable the organism to survive and reproduce in a particular environment. Darwin ( )

37 Psychology’s Three Main Levels of Analysis – “BioPsychoSocial”

38 SCHOOLS OF PSYCHOLOGY Complete handout “Schools of Psychology” 1 = strongly agree to 7 = strongly disagree Add your numerical score for questions #3,#4, #8, and 10 = Psychodynamic Add your numerical score for questions #2, #5, #9, and #11 = Behavioral Add your numerical score for questions #1, #6, #7, and #12 = Humanistic

39 SCHOOLS OF PSYCHOLOGY Your lowest number equals your school of psychology Your guru is –Psychodynamic = Freud –Behavioral = Skinner or Watson –Humanistic = Maslow or Rogers

40 APPROACHES TO PSYCHOLOGY Approaches = perspectives = theories An organized way of explaining behavior. Generally developed by a group of individuals rather than one person

41 Psychology’s Current Perspectives PerspectiveFocusSample Questions NeuroscienceHow the body and brain enables emotions? How are messages transmitted in the body? How is blood chemistry linked with moods and motives? EvolutionaryHow the natural selection of traits the promotes the perpetuation of one’s genes? How does evolution influence behavior tendencies? Behavior geneticsHow much our genes and our environments influence our individual differences? To what extent are psychological traits such as intelligence, personality, sexual orientation, and vulnerability to depression attributable to our genes? To our environment?

42 Psychology’s Current Perspectives PerspectiveFocusSample Questions PsychodynamicHow behavior springs from unconscious drives and conflicts? Based on the work of Freud. How can someone’s personality traits and disorders be explained in terms of sexual and aggressive drives or as disguised effects of unfulfilled wishes and childhood traumas? BehavioralHow we learn observable responses? Based on the work of Watson and Skinner. How do we learn to fear particular objects or situations? What is the most effective way to alter our behavior, say to lose weight or quit smoking?

43 Psychology’s Current Perspectives PerspectiveFocusSample Questions CognitiveHow we encode, process, store and retrieve information? How do we use information in remembering? Reasoning? Problem solving? Social-culturalHow behavior and thinking vary across situations and cultures? How are we — as Africans, Asians, Australians or North Americans – alike as members of human family? As products of different environmental contexts, how do we differ?

44 DIRECTIONS Read “Andrea Yates” case study. Complete worksheet relating Andrea Yates case study to Approaches to Psychology

Perspectives vs. Subfields Perspectives (approaches) General theory: “lens” through which one views psychology Neuroscience (biological) Evolutionary Behavior Genetics Psychodynamic Behavioral Cognitive Social –Cultural Humanistic (could be different # or name) Subfields Psychologists focus (specialize) on certain behaviors or mental processes Basic research – experiments, collect data to expand knowledge in field Applied research – solving specific, practical problems * Subfields change as new research develops or trends change (ex. psychometrics – study of the measurement of human abilities, attitudes, & traits.) 45

46 Psychology’s Subfields: Research PsychologistWhat she does Biological Explore the links between brain and mind. Developmental Study changing abilities from womb to tomb. Cognitive Study how we perceive, think, and solve problems. Personality Investigate our persistent traits. Social Explore how we view and affect one another.

47 Psychology’s Subfields: Research Data: APA 1997

48 Psychology’s Subfields: Applied Office space: ms-orig.cnn.htmlhttp:// ms-orig.cnn.html PsychologistWhat she does Clinical Studies, assesses, and treats people with psychological disorders Counseling Helps people cope with academic, vocational, and marital challenges. Educational Studies and helps individuals in school and educational settings Industrial/ Organizational Studies and advises on behavior in the workplace. Human Factors* Interaction of of people, machines, & physical environments Positive* Human functioning (going from zero to +) Community* How people interact w/social environments & how social institutions affect individuals and groups

Careers in Psychology* pp Basic Research Cognitive Developmental Educational Experimental Psychometric & Quantitative Social Applied Research Forensic Health Indust./Organizational Neuropsychologists Rehabilitation School Sport 49 Helping Professions Clinical Community Counseling

50 Psychology’s Subfields: Applied Data: APA 1997

51 A clinical psychologist (Ph.D.) studies, assesses, and treats troubled people with psychotherapy. Psychiatrists on the other hand are medical professionals (M.D.) who use treatments like drugs and psychotherapy to treat psychologically diseased patients. Clinical Psychology vs. Psychiatry

52  Survey: What you are about to read, including chapter outlines and section heads.  Question: Ask questions. Make notes.  Read: Make sure you read outlines, sections and chapters in entirety.  Review: Margin definitions. Study learning outcomes.  Reflect: On what you learn. Test yourself with quizzes. Close-up Your Study of Psychology Survey, Question, Read, Review and Reflect (SQ3R)

53  Distribute your time.  Listen actively in class.  Overlearn. Talk / read / view Psychology (immerse yourself! - “burn the ships!”)  Be a smart test-taker. Close-up Additional Study Hints

NY Times - Psychology 54