SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT AND BRANCHES OF STUDY IN PSYCHOLOGY Introduction to Psychology
Jan 11, 2016
SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT AND BRANCHES OF STUDY IN
PSYCHOLOGY
Introduction to Psychology
What is Psychology?
Focuses on the individual, (not groups) and the personal and unique experiences that influence how/why the individual acts, behaves and thinks the way they do
Schools of Thought in Psychology
Learning Theories Humans are born with little
instinct but much learning potential
Most human behaviour is learned, especially in child and youth
The ability to modify behaviour that is undesireable
Controlling the way in which humans learn can have a great influence on their personalities and behaviour
Ivan Pavlov - (1849-1936) Classical Conditioning
Pavlov’s experiments with dogs showed that it was possible to get a dog to associate the sound of a bell with the imminent arrival of food
Humans learn behaviours by associating them with certain stimuli – e.g. You learned that class begins/ends with the sound of a bell
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpoLxEN54ho
B.F. Skinner (1904-1990) – Operant Conditioning
Learning can be programmed by whatever consequences or stimulus follows a particular behavior -
Punishments (negative reinforcements such as timeouts, spanking…) discourage negative behaviour
Rewards (positive reinforcement such as compliments, money, candy…) encourage positive behaviour to continue
In his research - rats and pigeon’s received food rewards for pressing specific levers in a complicated sequence leading Skinner to believe that learning was a STIMULUS-RESPONSE effect
Difference between Classical and Operant Conditioning:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6LEcM0E0io https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTVQHhbhYbA
Albert Bandura (1925) Experiment- Bobo Doll, Social
Learning Theory/Observational Learning Theory http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0i
WpSNu3NU
Bandura concluded that learning is largely a modeling experience and more complicated than a mere stimulus-response effect
When humans observe behaviour – either acceptable or unacceptable – they are more likely to practice it
Psychoanalytic Theory
The mind is divided into two parts: the conscious (aware of ) and the unconscious (not aware of)
According to psychologists, our unconscious mind has more influence than our conscious mind on our personalities and behaviour
Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) The founder of psychoanalytic theory
He believed our early childhood experiences, usually involving our relationships with parents and family, are stored in our unconscious mind
While we are normally unaware of these memories, they can have a powerful influence on the way we function
Those that live with a general sense of frustration, our behaviour may become neurotic and connected with anxiety or obsessiveness which can be treated using dream analysis, hypnosis and individual counseling
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdE9MKVSgyg
The Unconscious Mindhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vFf5CS27-Y
The Unconscious mind is dividedinto three parts:1. Id – which encourages us to
seek physical satisfaction (pleasure principle)
2. Superego – prompts us to do the moral thing, not the one that feels best (very strict conscience)
3. Ego – the referee between the two and deals with external reality, this is our most conscious self (reality principle)
Branches of Psychology
Abnormal Psychology
Psychopathology and abnormal behavior – mental illness disorders
Covers a broad range of disorders, from depression to obsession-compulsion to addictions
Obsessed – OCD case study Chad: https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeoCPMqZPOU
Behavioural Psychology
Theory of learning based upon the idea that all behaviors are acquired through conditioning – rewards and punishments
Focus is to change the undesired behaviour of an individual
Behavioral techniques include therapy and education
BF Skinner Video:http://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGazyH6fQQ4&feature=relatedn
Big Bang Theory Video:https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mt4N9GSBoMI
Cognitive Psychology
The study of how the brain influences behavior
Focuses on internal states, such as motivation, problem solving, decision-making, thinking and attention
Example: The Stanford Marshmallow Experiment – Delayed Gratificationhttp://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHOeYgO_2tE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7UUfrnnbb8
Experimental Psychology
Uses experimental methods to study psychological issues.
Try to establish patterns or laws of human behaviour that can be applied in the real world.
Example: Change Blindness:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38XO7ac9eSs&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PLB0DD943CF9EF0BEB
Developmental Psychology
Looks at development throughout the lifespan, from childhood to adulthood.
Seeks to understand and explain how and why people change throughout life.
This includes all aspects of human growth, including physical, emotional, intellectual, social, perceptual and personality development.
Development of Children – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRF27F2bn-A
Forensic Psychology
Deals with issues related to psychology and the law.
Forensic psychologists perform a wide variety of duties, including: providing testimony in court
cases, assessing children in
suspected child abuse cases, preparing children and adults
to give testimony and evaluating the mental
competence of criminal suspects.
Criminal Profiling Explained:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeY0zeo2fkY