1 What is Psychology? The scientific study of behavior (what we do) and mental processes (inner thoughts and feelings). It is the science that strives to answer questions about how we think, feel and act as we do.

2 The Goals of Psychology… Observe, describe, explain, predict and control behaviors or mental processes through theories and research.

Early Days of Psychology 3 Structuralism vs. Functionalism

Early Days of Psychology First school of thought, broke down mental processes into basic parts. Wanted to learn about the building blocks of the conscious mind (like studying elements in chemistry) Used introspection – people look into themselves and report out what they felt about exterior stimuli Did not have credible results Relied on internal behavior, which is not observable and can’t be measured well 4 Structuralism

Studied elements of mind by conducting experiments in Germany Titchener established school based on his work with Wundt Sought to identify what the mind and consciousness were 5

Early Days of Psychology Followed as response to Structuralism. Real task of psychology – is to investigate the function, or purpose of consciousness, not the structure Thinking develops because it adapts, so we need to study it over humans’ lives and along with the evolution of all people They developed longitudinal research; interviewing, testing and observing one person over a long period of time (watch development and how person reacts to different circumstances 6 Functionalism

7 Influenced by Darwin opposed structuralism. Based on James’ ideas about psychology having practical applications to life sought to identify how the mind and consciousness worked

Quietly, write down what you see here… 8

Gestalt Also as a response to Structuralism Focus is on perceptions and how we construct perceptual wholes Ex: perceptions of face rather than lines, colors Understanding perception was means to understanding the brain Our mind fill in missing information (why flashing lights appear to be moving) The whole is greater than the sum of the parts 9 Early Days of Psychology

Gestalt 10 The phi phenomenon

11 Cube will trick your eye Perspective changes See it as if from upper right Then shifts and appears as though you were seeing it from the lower left Once you see it change you wont be able to prevent it from alternating back and forth at random

12 Watson and Skinner: They emphasized the study of overt behavior as subject matter of scientific psychology. Watson ( ) Skinner ( ) Behaviorism Contemporary Theories of Psychology

13 Freud: The importance of unconscious mind and its effects on human behavior. Contemporary Theories of Psychology Psychoanalytic

14 Humanistic Maslow and Rogers: They emphasized the environmental influences on growth potential and need for love and acceptance. ) Contemporary Theories of Psychology

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16 Psychology’s Big Debate: Nature vs Nurture nature selects those that best enable organism to survive and reproduce in a particular environment. Darwin ( )

17 Psychology’s Current Perspectives PerspectiveFocusSample Questions Neuroscience (Brain) How the body and brain enable emotions? How are messages transmitted in the body? How is blood chemistry linked with moods and motives?

18 Psychology’s Current Perspectives PerspectiveFocusSample Questions Behavior genetics How much our genes and our environment influence our individual differences (studies on twins) To what extent are psychological traits such as intelligence, personality, sexual orientation, and depression attributable to our genes? To our environment?

19 Psychology’s Current Perspectives PerspectiveFocusSample Questions HumanisticReaching one’s full potential by meeting a hierarchy of needs How do self worth, realizing one’s full potential and self esteem affect our behavior?

20 Psychology’s Current Perspectives PerspectiveFocusSample Questions Psychody- namic How behavior springs from unconscious drives and conflicts? 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?

21 Psychology’s Current Perspectives PerspectiveFocusSample Questions Behavioral / Learning How we learn observable responses? 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?

22 Psychology’s Current Perspectives PerspectiveFocusSample Questions CognitiveHow we encode, process, store and retrieve information How do we use information in remembering? Reasoning? Problem solving?

23 Psychology’s Current Perspectives PerspectiveFocusSample Questions Social- Cultural How 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?

24 Psychology’s Current Perspectives PerspectiveFocusSample Questions Evolutionary How does natural selection and evolution influence behavior and personality Why are facial emotions inherited?

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26 Psychology’s Subfields: Research PsychologistWhat she does Biological links between brain and mind. Developmental womb to tomb. Cognitive perceive, think, and solve problems. Personality Investigate traits. Stability vs change Social how we view and affect one another.

27 Psychology’s Subfields: Applied PsychologistWhat she does Clinical Studies, assesses, treats people Counseling Helps people cope with academic, vocational, and marital challenges. Educational Studies/helps individuals in schools Industrial/ Organizational Studies/advises on behavior in the workplace.

Take a Stand 1.Nature vs Nurture: GENETICS (Nature) has the biggest influence on personality Agree/Disagree

Take Stand 2. Dreams are made up of all of your unconscious beliefs and desires (Consciousness)

Take a Stand 3. SOMEONE WHO PLEADS INSANITY AFTER KILLING SOMEONE AND “WINS” SHOULD GO TO A PSYCH WARD AND NOT JAIL… AS A MATTER OF FACT, BECAUSE OF THEIR AFFLICTION THEY SHOULD BE ALLOWED OUT OF THE PSYCH HOSPITAL WHEN TREATED…

Take a Stand 4. TEENS ARE UNDER MORE PRESSURE THAN ADULTS (Developmental Psychology)

Take a Stand 6. ANIMALS SHOULD BE USED FOR TESTING EVEN IF IT MEANS THEY MUST BE KILLED (APA and Ethics)

AP Psychology Name and one adjective to describe you… One more time around Around the room…adjective and name

My Background 17 High School Colleges and Major Germaine Lawrence Special Education

Daily Diligence Importance of completing work and participation Folders: 1. Outlines/Notes 2. Vocab lists/Notecards 3. Syllabus 4. Handouts

Science or psychobabble 1. It is a myth that most people use only about 10% of their brain. 2. During your most vivid dreams, your body may be paralyzed. 3. Psychological stress can cause physical illness 4. The color red exists only as sensation in the brain. There is no red in the world outside the brain 36

Science or psychobabble 5. Bipolar disorder is caused by conflict in the unconscious mind 6. The newborn child’s mind in essentially a blank slate on which everything he or she will know is learned by experience 7. Everything that happens to us leaves a permanent record in memory 37

Science or psychobabble 8. You were born with all the brain cells you will ever have - F 9. Intelligence is a nearly pure genetic trait that is fixed at the same level throughout a person’s life – T (scores become more similar to bio parents) 10. Lie detector devises are remarkably accurate in detecting physical responses that, in the eye of a trained examiner, reliably indicate when a person is lying 38