Psychology Why Study Psychology? (1:1)

Goals for Chapter 1 To identify the goals of psychology, and explain how psychology is a science Describe the work done by psychologists according to their areas of specialization Explain the historical background of the study of psychology Describe the six main contemporary perspectives in psychology

Why study psychology? ► Why is psychology important? ► How does it impact our lives? ► Is the study of psychology useful in daily life outside the walls of school?

Behavior and Mental Process ► Psychology - study of behavior and mental process ► Behavior – any action people can observe or measure  Behavior essentially applies to anything your body does

Behavior and Mental Process ► How is behavior measured? ► Who is capable of measuring this behavior?

Behavior and Mental Process ► Mental Process applications:  Cognitive Activities – private mental processes ► Dreams, perceptions, thoughts, memories  Which is more important to the human condition: behaviors or private mental processes?

Behavior and Mental Process ► Emotions  Emotions can effect behavior and mental process ► How so? Can it be both positive and negative? ► Which is more obvious, behavior or mental process?

Goals of Psychology ► Scientists seek to:  Observe  Describe  Explain  Predict  Control

Goals of Psychology ► Psychologists do the same  Psychologists want a better understanding of behavior ► This way they can explain, predict, and control behavior  Why study behavior?  Do we as human beings always need explanations when directly effected?

Bigger Questions ► Scott Norwood  How much of a role, if at all, does fate play in the outcome of a situation?  Are things ever really “supposed to happen” or can it be narrowed down to an explanation using science?

Science Explains Missed Field Goals ► Observe and Describe:  Bodily conditions  Focus  Outside influence

Science Explains Missed Field Goals ► Explain the behavior  Feelings / Emotions (Anxiety) ► Fear as a motivator  Can it be a good thing?

Science Explains Missed Field Goals ► Psychologists predict what will happen at certain levels of emotion (anxiety)  Up to “x” they will succeed, after “x” they will fail ► True to every person?

Science Explains Missed Field Goals ► Control  Psychologists teach ways of keeping emotion on a tolerable level ► Positive visualization  Knowledge application or marionettes?

Psychology as a Science ► Psychology is classified as a social science  Psychology is closely related to the natural sciences

Research ► Surveys and Experimentation ► The purpose of research?

Psychological Theories ► Theory – Statement that attempts to explain why something happened ► Theory is used in prediction