© 2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Chapter 1 What is Psychology?

© 2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Chapter 1What is Psychology?

© 2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

The Science of Psychology: An Appreciative View by Laura King (University of Missouri at Columbia) brings a truly appreciative view of psychology - as a science and for exploring behavior.

• students must study the discipline of psychology as a whole

• sub-disciplines are intricately connected

• human behavior is best understood by exploring its functioning state in addition to its potential dysfunctions

The Science of Psychology: An Appreciative View, 2nd Edition (King)Overview

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Chapter Preview

Defining Psychology Psychology in Historical Perspective Contemporary Approaches to Psychology What Psychologists Do Science of Psychology and Health and Wellness

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Psychology: Defined

Psychology is the scientific study ofbehavior and mental processes.

Three Key Components science – systematic methods behavior – what can be directly observed mental processes – thoughts, feelings, motives

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Science of Psychology

1. Critical Thinking

2. Skepticism

3. Objectivity

4. Curiosity

CSOC

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• to describe behavior• to predict behavior• to explain behavior

Can we do this successfully without critical thinking, skepticism,

objectivity and curiosity?

… and sometimes to manipulate or control behavior for either good or

evil…

Goals of Psychology

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Psychology – A General Science

Psychology is not limited to the study

of psychological disorders.

Freud’s view of human nature positive psychology – a branch of

psychology that emphasizes human strengths

Example: Amish forgiveness (p. 7-8)

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Narcissism Epidemic

Narcissism…unusually self-confident, self-assertive, and self-centered.

Generation born since 1980s

“More narcissistic than early generations”

vs.

“Attitudes have been stable over time”

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History of Psychology

Western Philosophy Biology and Physiology Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920)

1879 – established 1st psychology lab

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History of Psychology

Western Philosophy Socrates, Plato and Aristotle

Later Philosophers Rene Descartes

Argued that the mind and body were completely separate

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Wilhelm Wundt’s Structuralism

identified structures of the mind (mental processes)

introspection (“looking inside”) systematic, detailed self-reports (science)

VIL-HELM VOONT

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William James’ Functionalism

identified the functions and purposes of the mind

stream of consciousness human interactions with outside world why is human thought adaptive?

Brother of author

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Psychology and Evolution

Charles Darwin On the Origin of Species, 1859

Natural Selection competition for resources genetic characteristics that promote

reproduction and survival are favored environmental changes alter course of

evolution

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Contemporary Approaches

Current Psychological Perspectives

1. Biological

2. Behavioral

3. Psychodynamic

4. Humanistic

5. Cognitive

6. Evolutionary

7. Sociocultural

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1. Biological Approach

The biological approach focuses on the

brain and nervous system.

Neuroscience study of the structure, function, development,

genetics, biochemistry of the nervous system thoughts and emotions have physical basis in brain allowed psychologists to better understand the brain

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2. Behavioral Approach

The behavioral approach focuses on the

environmental determinants

of observable behavior.

Notable Behaviorists John Watson B.F. Skinner rejected thought processes

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Noted Behaviorist: John Watson

"Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, and my own specified world to bring them up in and I'll guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become any type of specialist I might select--doctor, lawyer, artist, merchant-chief, and, yes, even beggarman and thief, regardless of his talents, penchants, tendencies, abilities, vocations, and race of his ancestors. I am going beyond my facts and I admit it, but so have the advocates of the contrary and they have been doing it for many thousands of years."

–John B. Watson, Behaviorism, 1930

Notable BehavioristsJohn WatsonB.F. Skinner

rejected thought processes

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Noted Behaviorist: B.F. Skinner

Notable Behaviorists John Watson B.F. Skinner

rejected thought processes

I did not direct my life. I didn't design it. I never made decisions. Things always came up and made them for me. That's what life is.

-- B. F. Skinner

If you're old, don't try to change yourself, change your environment.

-- B. F. Skinner

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Psychodynamic Approach: Freud

Known as the founding father of the psychodynamic approach

Believed that there are unlearned biological instincts (especially of a sexual and/or aggressive nature) that can occur early in life and these instincts influence how a person thinks, feels, and behaves

Had a couch

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4. Humanistic Approach

Humanists emphasize positive human qualities capacity for positive growth free will

Humanistic Theorists Carl Rogers Abraham Maslow

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Humanistic Approach: Carl Rogers

The only person who is educated is the one who has learned how to learn and change.

-- Carl Rogers

I believe that the testing of the student's achievements in order to see if he meets some criterion held by the teacher, is directly contrary to the implications of therapy for significant learning.

-- Carl Rogers

Humanists emphasize positive human qualities

capacity for positive growth

free will

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Humanistic Approach: Abraham Maslow

Humanists emphasize positive human qualities

capacity for positive growth

free will

What is necessary to change a person is to change his awareness of himself.

-- Abraham Maslow

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5. Cognitive Approach

The cognitive approach emphasizes the

mental processes involved in knowing.

Information Processing …how humans interpret incoming info, weigh it, store it, and apply it

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6. Evolutionary Approach

The evolutionary approach uses ideas such

as adaptation, reproduction, and natural

selection to explain human behavior.

Evolutionary Psychologists David Buss Leda Cosmides

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7. Sociocultural Approach

examines how social and cultural environments influence behavior and mental processes

studies differences between ethnic and cultural groups within and across countries

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Careers in Psychology

Practice / Applied

Research

Teaching

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Areas of Specialization Physiological Psych / Behavioral Neuroscience Sensation and Perception Learning Cognitive Psychology Developmental Psychology Motivation & Emotion Psychology of Women & Gender Personality Psychology Social Psychology Industrial / Organizational Psychology Clinical & Counseling Psychology Health Psychology

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Areas of Specialization

Also (but not addressed in text beyond this chapter)

Community Psychology School & Educational Psychology Environmental Psychology Forensic Psychology Sport Psychology Cross-Cultural Psychology

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Career Settings in Psychology

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Influence of Culture

Individualistic Cultures individuals viewed as unique and distinct

from their social group value independence

Collectivistic Cultures emphasize social group and the individual’s

role within that group value interdependence

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Influence of Culture

Individualistic subjects prefer to work on tasks that they have had

previous success with like to emphasize their successes

Collectivistic subjects prefer to work on tasks that they have

difficulty with self-critical view

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Science of Psychology andHealth and Wellness

Mind-Body Connections

how the mind impacts the body how the body impacts the mind

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Chapter Summary

Explain what psychology is and how it differs from an every-day, informal approach to understanding human nature.

Discuss the roots and early scientific foundations of psychology.

Summarize the main themes of the seven approaches to psychology.

List some of the areas of specialization and careers in psychology.

Describe the connections between the mind and the body.

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Chapter Summary

Defining Psychology scientific study of behavior and mental processes

Historical Foundations of Psychology origins in philosophy and physiology structuralism – Wilhelm Wundt functionalism – William James evolutionary theory – Charles Darwin

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Chapter Summary

Contemporary Approaches to Psychology current approaches – complementary

Specializations and Careers in Psychology practice, research, teaching academic, clinic, private practice, industry, school

Science of Psychology and

Health and Wellness mind-body connection is a “two-way street”