1. WHAT IS PSYCHOLOGY ?
Chapter 1

2. Psychology: the scientific study of behavior and mental processes
Behavior: outward or overt actions and reactions
Mental processes: internal, covert activity of our minds
Prevents possible biases from leading to faulty observations.
Behavior :Outward and overt actions ( i.e., talking, facial expressions, movement)
Mental process: thinking, feeling, remembering
In the event of observing a behavior you muct avoid the possibility of seeing what you want to see.

3. FOUR GOALS OF PSYCHOLOGY
1st Goal : Description (What is happening? )
-Observing a behavior and noting everything about it
2nd Goal: Explanation (Why is it happening?)
-Finding explanations is an important step in the process of forming theories of behavior.
Theory: general explanation of a set of observations or facts
3rd Goal: Prediction(When will it happen in the future?)
4th Goal: Control (How can it be changed?) Involves changing or modifying an undesirable behavior to a desirable one
Description: When observing what is happening, where it happens, who it happens to and under what circumstances
For example: stereotypical views of computer science and why it is a male dominated field. Surrounding a computer is junk food , science-fivtion , gadget, star trek lover etc.
Explanation: Here is where you attempt to explain your observation? Which is why there is such a low number of woman in computer science.
Predictions: In order to have more woman in computer science, something different needs to be done like change the environment ( the perception of that type of field)
Comments Not all psychological investigations try to meet all 4 goals
-Some may focus on description and prediction. Ex. Personality theorist who wants to know what ppl are like and what they might do in certain situations.
Some may focus on description and explanation
-Exp psych who designs research to find explanations for observed (described) behavior
Therapists may be more interested in controlling or influencing behavior and mental process

4. HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT: PSYCHOLOGY AS A SCIENCE

5. WILHELM WUNDT STRUCTURALISM The Father of Psychology
1st Psychology Laboratory in Leipzig, Germany
in 1879
Attempted to apply scientific principles to the study of the human mind
Believed that consciousness could be broken down into thoughts, experiences, emotions, and other basic elements
Developed the technique of objective introspection: the process of objectively examining and measuring one’s thoughts and mental activities

6. STRUCTURALISM Edward Titchener Margaret F. Washburn
Wundt’s student; brought structuralism to America
Believed that objective introspection could be used on thoughts as well as on physical sensations
Margaret F. Washburn
Titchener’s student; first woman to earn a P h.D in psychology
Published a book on animal behavior, The Animal Mind (Washburn, 1908).
Structuralism died out in the early nineteen hundreds.

7. FUNCTIONALISM Functionalism as proposed by William James
How the mind allows people to function in the real world – how they work, play, and adapt to their surroundings
Influenced by Darwin’s ideas on natural selection: the passing of traits to offspring
Contribution of Women
Mary Whiton Calkins: earliest research in the area of human memory and the psychology of the self

8. Charles Darwin Natural Selection
Nature v. Nurture (Biology or Experience)
Characteristics Genes
Environment Who you are
In 1859, Darwin published a book titled On the Origin of Species
Evolutionary in which organisms that are best adapted to their environment will survive and, importantly, produce offspring.

9. Three levels of Analysis
Biological
Psychological
Social- Cultural
Biopsychosocial Approach

10. Psychology Approaches

12. Psychology’s Subfields

13. Applied Research( practical problems)
Psychometrics: study the measurement of our abilities, attitudes and traits
Applied Research( practical problems)
Basic Research ( Builds knowledge)
Development Psychologist: study human changing abilities womb to tomb.
Educational Psychologist: teaching and learning
Personality Psychologist: Investigating persistent traits
Social Psychologist: exploring how we view and affect one another
Industrial/organizational psychologist: used in the work place
Human Factors psychologist: focus on people interactions, machines and physical environments
Counseling Psychologist: cope with challenges. Help improve their personal and social functioning
Clinical Psychologist: assess and treat mental, emotional and behavior disorder
Psychiatrist: MD prescribe medicine

14. Tips for Studying Psychology
Survey, Question, Read, Rehearse and Review ( SQ3R)
Study Tips
Distribute your study time
Learn to think critically
In class, listen actively
Overlearn
Be a smart test-taker

15. The END