Psychology Unit HSP 3M

In this unit we will learn: The major branches of psychology The difference between sensation and perception How humans learn How memory works Some of the ways we use knowledge The significance of daydreams and sleep

Key terms we will learn: Psychology Psychoanalysis Cognitive psychology Sensation Perception Cognition Conditioning

Key terms we will learn… (cont’d) Deductive reasoning Inductive reasoning Dialectical reasoning

Introduction… Copy the information in white font. Psychology, as a formal area of study, has existed since the late 1800s when people began to examine the human mind and human behaviour in a scientific manner. Psychologists study the way people work in an effort to help them improve their job performance. They study buying patterns and use what they’ve learned to help shape consumer habits. They provide counselling that

Introduction (Cont’d) people deal with life in a more effective manner. In this unit, you will be introduced to what psychologists know about human mental processes, including sensation, perception, learning, memory and thought. *

Psychological Research: Methods and Ethics Psychologists use a whole range of scientific methods: case studies, sample surveys, interviews, observations, and experiments. In all methods of psychological research, but especially when conducting experiments with human subjects, ethical standards must be followed. To guide researchers, the American Psychological Association (APA) has provided a set of principles called the APA Code of Ethics.

APA Code of Ethics: The investigator should inform participants of all features of the research that might influence their willingness to participate. There should be openness and honesty between investigator and participants. Reasons for concealment or deception should be given. Participants are free to back out at any time.

Code of Ethics (Cont’d) Responsibilities of investigator and participants should be made clear from the beginning. The investigator should protect participants from physical and mental discomfort, harm, and danger. Participants should be informed of any risk. All measures should be taken to minimize distress.

Sensation and Perception All branches of psychology are concerned with understanding human mental processes. These processes are complex, but we can make them easier to understand by dividing them into two stages. The first stage is sensation, the process that activates our sense receptors – sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch – and enables them to transmit signals to the brain.

Sensation and Perception (Cont’d) The second stage is perception – the process that allows us to select, organize, and interpret sensory signals to the brain.

Sensation and Perception (Cont’d) Input from our senses is essential for information to reach the brain. Helen Keller was prevented from acquiring information through sight and hearing, but not through touch. The case study in the handout illustrates how important sensory input is to our ability to learn and relate to our world.*

How Humans Learn One of the results of organizing the information we collect from our senses is that we learn from our experience. Psychologists define learning as a change in knowledge or behaviour as a result of experience. While this definition may be different from your own concept of learning, its advantage is that covers a wide range of various kinds of learning.

How Humans Learn (Cont’d) Most human thought and behaviour is the result of learning. A great deal of learning occurs during the first few years of life, although we continue to learn throughout our lives. Learning takes place in many different ways. We learn in school, of course, but we also learn in everyday encounters with life. For example, think of all the difficult skills you learned before you started kindergarten: walking, talking, riding your bike, playing and getting along with others.

How Humans Learn (Cont’d) Other living species learn, too. Mammals such as dogs, cats, and chimpanzees have a highly developed ability to learn from experience. Perhaps you have had a pet that could do tricks or knew how to get what it wanted by learning a new form of behaviour. For example, my dog Max, who learned to get the garbage by opening the cupboard door! ;)

How Humans Learn (Cont’d) Learning, however, is not the only influence on our behaviour. An important role is also played by innate drives and instinctive reactions – responses that members of a species are born with and that help them survive. Many species rely largely or completely on innate drives.