1. Module 1 – The History and Scope of Psychology Module 2 – Research Strategies: How Psychologists Ask and Answer Questions

2.  The science of behavior and the mind  behavior - observable actions of a person or animal  mind - thoughts, feelings, sensations, perceptions, memories, dreams, motives and other subjective experiences  science ▪ an objective way to answer questions ▪ based on observable facts / data and well described methods

3.  A set of questions about mental functioning  trace back to philosophy  Aristotle asked about memory, personality, emotions, etc.  A set of theories and procedures for asking and answering questions  the scientific method  evolved over centuries, first in physics  A product of history  philosophy asked many of the basic questions  physiology used similar methods

4.  How do the mind and the body relate?  Does much of what we know come built in, or do we start as “blank slates”?

5.  Socrates and his student, Plato, did not agree with the early Hebrews and viewed mind as separate from the body and continuing after death.  They viewed some knowledge as built within us (nature).

6.  Plato’s student, Aristotle’s love for data distinguished him from his teacher and Socrates.  Derived principles from careful observations.  His observations told him that the soul was not separate (monism – body dies, soul dies) from the body and that knowledge is NOT preexisting; it grows from your memories and stored in your memories.

8.  Agreed with Plato and Socrates about the existence of innate ideas and the mind’s being “entirely distinct from the body” and able to survive its death.  How does the immaterial mind and physical body communicate?

9.  Essay Concerning Human Understanding  Famously argued that the mind at birth is a blank slate – a “white paper” – upon which experience writes.  Empiricism – knowledge originates in experience and that science should, therefore, rely on observation and experimentation.

10.  Empiricism vs. Nativism  Nativism is the view that elementary ideas are innate  If knowledge is innate  What is the purpose of education?  Can intellect be changed by experience?  Are abilities determined by our genes or our experiences?  This is known as Nature vs. Nurture  appears throughout modern psychology

11.  Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920)  Leipzig, Germany  wrote the first psychology textbook  applied laboratory techniques to study of the mind  structuralism - identify ‘atoms’ of the mind ▪ focused on basic sensory and perceptual processes ▪ measured reaction times

12.  Wilhelm Wundt opened the first psychology laboratory at the University of Leipzig (c. 1879).  Used Introspection to study a subject’s consciousness. They reported sensations and feelings about a stimulus.

13.  Structuralism used introspection (looking in) to explore the elemental structure of the human mind. In addition to “quality”, and “intensity” (part of Wundt’s theory), Edward Titchener added “clarity” to his theory.

14.  Functionalism focused on how behavioral processes function— how they enable organism to adapt, survive, and flourish-- with a focus on the ongoing “stream of consciousness  William James developed this theory.

15.  Edward Titchener (1867-1927)  Structuralism – introspection (looking within)  William James (1842-1910)  started psychology at Harvard in 1870s  functionalism - influenced by Darwin to focus on how behaviors help us adapt to the environment  Sigmund Freud (1856-1939)  Austrian physician that focused on illness  psychoanalytic theory of mental disorders

16.  Austrian physician  Psychoanalytic theory of mental disorders  Id (instinct), Ego (reality), Superego (morality)  “The Couch”

17.  Alfred Binet (1857-1911)  French intelligence researcher  developed first intelligence test  Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936)  Russian physiologist  discovered conditioned reflexes (Dog salivating)  B.F. Skinner (1904-1990)  American psychologist at Harvard  studied learning and effect of reinforcement  behaviorism

18.  Definition of Psychology  The science of behavior (what we do) and mental processes (sensations, perceptions, dreams, thoughts, beliefs, and feelings)

19.  Nature – some ideas are inborn  Nurture – the mind is a blank slate (how our experiences shape who we are or whom we become)

20.  Perspective is a way of viewing phenomena  Psychology has multiple perspectives  Ethological- evolutionary  Biological  Psychoanalytic  Cognitive  Cross- cultural - sociocultural  Humanistic  Behavioral

22.  The study of animal behavior in the natural environment rather than in a lab setting  Influenced by Darwin and the emphasis on innate, adaptive behavior patterns  Natural Selection  Evolution

23. Psychology v. Applied Psychology

24.  Study the physiological mechanisms in the brain and nervous system that organize and control behavior  Focus may be at various levels  individual neurons  areas of the brain  specific functions like eating, emotion or learning  Interest in behavior distinguishes biological psychology from many other biological sciences

25.  View of behavior based on experience treating patients  Psychoanalytic approach (Sigmund Freud )  both a method of treatment and a theory of the mind  behavior reflects combinations of conscious and unconscious influences  drives and urges within the unconscious component of mind influence thought and behavior  early childhood experiences shape unconscious motivations

26.  View of behavior based on experience treating patients  Humanistic approach  developed by Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers  behavior reflects innate ‘actualization’  focus on conscious forces and self perception  More positive view of basic forces than Freud’s

27.  The study of psychological differences among people living in different cultural groups  How are people’s thoughts, feelings and behavior influenced by their culture?  What are the common elements across culture? Are these innate?  How do Individualist and Collectivist cultures vary?

28.  How is knowledge acquired, organized, remembered, and used to guide behavior ?  Influences include  Piaget - studied intellectual development  Chomsky - studied language  Cybernetics - science of information processing

29.  Basic Research  Biological psychologists explore the links between brain and mind  Developmental psychologists study changing abilities from womb to tomb  Cognitive psychologists study how we perceive, think, and solve problems  Personality psychologists investigate our persistent traits  Social psychologists explore how we view and affect one another

30.  Applied Research  Industrial/organizational psychologists study and advise on behavior in the workplace  Clinical psychologists study, assess, and treat people with psychological disorders

31.  Clinical  abnormal behavior and psychological disorders  psychologist vs. psychiatrist  Health psychology  psychological factors in physical health  Counseling  dealing with normal life situations  provide guidance

32.  Developmental  Psychological change over the life span  Social, cognitive, personality  School  Counseling and guidance in school settings  Educational  Learning and teaching

33.  Psychobiology  brain and behavior  studied at many levels; often uses animals as research model  Experimental  basic laboratory focus  animals or humans  Learning, memory, motivation  Cognitive  Experimental  Human memory, perception, etc.

34.  Psychiatry  A branch of medicine dealing with psychological disorders  Practiced by physicians who sometimes use medical (for example, drug) treatments as well as psychotherapy