Introduction to Psychology Lycke Spring 2019

Sciences Physical sciences Life sciences Behavioral sciences Physics, astronomy, chemistry Life sciences Biology, ecology Behavioral sciences Sociology, economics, anthropology Psychology

Psychology is the study of mental processes and behavior. What is Psychology? Psychology is the study of mental processes and behavior. Behavior: external Mental processes: internal

Schools of Thought in Psychology

Structuralism: Wundt 1879: first psychological laboratory (Wundt) The first formal school of psychology Focused on analyzing the basic elements and structure of conscious mental experience Primarily used objective introspection Objectivity: free of bias Wundt: Liepzig, Germany Titchner: England and Cornell U in NY

Functionalism: William James 1870, Harvard University The first American school of psychology More practical psychology of everyday life (functionalism) Broadened the scope of psychology to include mental processes of animals, the study of children, and the mentally impaired

Psychoanalysis: Freud Late 1800s Austria Emphasizes the role of unconscious mental forces and conflicts on determining behavior Unconscious (repressed) motives help determine personality and behavior Experiences in early childhood govern personality Personality formed by age 6

Behaviorism: Pavlov 1880s (Russia) Reflex: involuntary reaction Famous experiments with dogs—classical conditioning Mind = black box

Behaviorism: Watson Coined the term behaviorism Only observable events can be studied scientifically Phobias (Freud) are learned behaviors through conditioning Little Albert study Mary Cover Jones: counterconditioning

Humanistic psychology: Maslow and Rogers Focuses on the uniqueness of human beings and their capacity for choice, growth, and psychological health Has a generally positive view of psychological development Developed as a reaction against behaviorism and psychoanalysis

Cognitive: Piaget 1930s Focuses on mental processes such as memory, problem solving, intelligence, reasoning, learning, language, and perception Precursor to neuroscience Piaget (Swiss) developed the idea of constructivism; studied his own children’s development

Gestalt Psychology: Wertheimer 1890, Berlin The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Perception: awareness Sensation: 5 (7?) senses

Sociocultural: Vygotsky Combines social psychology, cultural psychology, and cognitive psychology Aims to study the influence of society on individual human behavior and cognition Vygotsky (Russian) developed social constructivism; used heavily in educational psychology

Biopsychology: Sperry Seeks to explain behavior by focusing on the function of the nervous system and other biochemical systems in the body Also known as behavioral neuroscience Sperry discovered the hemispheres of the brain can work independently Evolutionary psychology is a branch that looks at human behavioral development, change, and adaptation over time

Specialties in Psychology Clinical Psychology Cognitive and Perceptual Psychology Counseling Psychology Developmental Psychology Educational Psychology Engineering Psychology Experimental / Research Psychology Forensic Psychology Geriatric Psychology Industrial / Organizational Psychology Neuropsychology School Psychology Social / Personality Psychology Sports Psychology

The Scientific Method

5 steps (or 6 or 7?) Develop a research question Form a hypothesis/make a prediction Test the hypothesis/gather and analyze data Draw conclusions/develop findings Report results

Research goals Describe (what?) Explain (why?) Predict (when?) Control/Change (how?)

Research Methods

Descriptive Design Basic purpose To observe and record behavior How it’s conducted Case studies, surveys, and naturalistic observations What is manipulated Nothing

Experimental design Basic purpose To explore cause and effect How it’s conducted Manipulating one or more factors What is manipulated The independent variable(s)

Experimental Design Independent variable The experimental factor that is manipulated Gender, age, treatment Dependent variable The behavior measured; the response affected by changes in the independent variable Grades, aggression

Experimental Design Experimental condition The condition that exposes subjects to one version of the independent variable Control condition A condition identical to the experimental one, except the independent variable is absent or held constant

Confounding variables Random assignment Assigning subjects to conditions by chance, thus minimizing preexisting differences Confounding variables Preexisting differences that may influence whether a hypothesis may be erroneously accepted or rejected Random assignment should limit this problem

Correlational studies Basic purpose To detect naturally occurring relationships To access how well one variable predicts another How it’s conducted Computing statistical associations, surveys What is manipulated Nothing

Positive Correlation 6 5 4 3 2 1 Study hours F D C B A Grades

Negative Correlation: 6 5 4 3 2 1 TV Viewing F D C B A Grades

No Correlation: No Relationship Hair Bl Color Rd Bk Br F D C B A Grades

Correlational Assumptions Correlation does not mean causation A relationship does not show cause and effect 3rd variables Any outside variable that can influence a possible relationship