1. Unit 1: Science of Psychology
CHS AP Psychology
Unit 1: Science of Psychology
Essential Task 1: Describe, compare, and contrast how different approaches to psychology explain behavior:
- psychoanalytic/psychodynamic, Gestalt, humanism and behaviorism
- cognitive, biological, evolutionary, and
social as more contemporary approaches

2. What are approaches to psych?
Approaches are lenses through which to explain human behavior
Biological
Evolutionary
Behaviorism
Cognitive
Psychodynamic
Humanism Gestalt
Social

3. Biological Psychology
This approach to explaining human behavior and mental processes focuses on biological mechanisms and structures. It looks to such things as the brain, neurotransmitters, hormones, drugs (both legal and illegal), and genetics. 3

4. A Biological Approach looks for Biological Answers?
Approaches are lenses through which to explain human behavior
Biological
crazy

5. Biological Psychology is Observable
Here is a view of how massive cell loss changes the whole brain in advanced Alzheimer's disease.  5

6. Evolutionary Psychology
Explains human behavior by looking at what made us most likely to survive/reproduce
Language – How did communication make us more likely to survive?
Altruism – Why are we nice to each other if this is just about survival of the fittest?
Sexual attraction – Is there a reason certain aspects of a person are considered ‘attractive’ Why not sexy elbows? 6

7. Why do we find blue eyes attractive?
Our Pupils dilate when we are excited. We get excited when we are next to someone we like. It is easier to see the dilation of the pupil in someone with blue eyes. This has become a beauty standard because those with blue eyes are easier for us to know how they feel about us. 7

8. If only

9. Behaviorism
This approach only studies observable human BEHAVIOR. It focuses on how we:
LEARN (or are conditioned)
React to our environment
Since you can not observe the mind, behaviorists see it as a BLACK BOX. Can’t see it? Don’t study it.
Big names
Pavlov – Dogs
Watson – Little Albert
Skinner – Operant Conditioning 9

10. This is odd behavior, right?
Avoid Punishment?
Reward
Would you do it?

11. Social Psychology Study of how people influence one another
Topics include:
First impressions
Interpersonal attraction
Attitude formation
Prejudice
Behavior in a group
Obedience to Authority
Some Applications include:
Support groups
Family Therapy
Sensitivity Training 11

12. Conformity

13. Psychodynamic Psychology
Personality theory that says behavior springs from unconscious drives and conflicts
The Unconscious is a dynamic cauldron of primitive drives, forbidden desires and nameless fears. It drags us down.
Psychoanalysis – patient lies on a couch and recounts dreams and conducts free association.
Sigmund Freud 13

14. Humanistic Psychology
School of psychology that emphasizes the means of realizing one’s full human potential
Importance of love, belonging, human potential, and self-esteem.
Abraham Maslow
Not mainstream, more a cultural and spiritual movement. 14

15. More concerned about moving up15

16. Cognitive Psychology
School of psychology that studies mental processes
Thinking, feeling, remembering, making decisions/judgments and language
Studies how we encode, process, store, and retrieve information.
Studies behavior and makes inferences about the mental processes behind the behavior
Thanks to new technologies like CAT scans, MRIs and fMRIs, we can open the black box. 16

17. Gestalt Psychology Gestalt is a German word that means “the whole”
This approach to psychology looks at how your perceptions of the world come together to form your whole perception.
This perception is often greater than the sum of its parts.

18. Gestalt Psychology

19. Comparing and Contrasting
Comparing two approaches
For example, both the biological and behavioral approaches deal with things that are directly observable making them the most scientific of the approaches
Contrasting two approaches
While psychoanalysis focuses on how the unconscious causes problems for the individual, humanism focuses on how individuals can achieve their full potential.