Mr. Cameron – Jeannette Senior High School Intro. to Psychology Mr. Cameron – Jeannette Senior High School

Why Study Psychology? Psychology – the scientific study of behavior and mental processes Behavior – any action that other people can observe or measure Examples: Walking, talking, eating, pressing a button Heart rate, blood pressure, brain activity

Behavior and Mental Processes Cognitive activities – private, unobservable mental processes such as sensation, perception, thought, and problem solving Dreams, perceptions, thoughts, and memories Brain waves that indicate dreaming can be measured Cell activity in an eye responding to color can be measured

Behavior and Mental Processes Psychologists also want to measure emotions Emotions affect behavior and mental processes Emotions must be studied through psychological constructs Psychological constructs – concepts that enable a person to discuss something that cannot be seen, touched , or measured directly

Goals of Psychology Observe behavior and mental processes to gain a better understanding Enables psychologists to describe, explain, predict, and control behavior Dealing with anxiety Positive visualization

Psychology as a Science Psychology is a social science (sociology, history) Closely tied to natural sciences (biology, physics) Answer questions by following scientific research steps 1. Conducting surveys and experiments 2. Collecting and analyzing data 3. Drawing conclusions

Psychological Theories Psychologists organize their research into theories Theory – Statement that attempts to explain why things are the way they are & happen the way they do Discuss principals that govern behavior and mental processes Principals – Rule or law

Areas of Psychology 1. Clinical Psychologists Make up the largest group of psychologists Help people with psychological problems

Areas of Psychology 2. Counseling Psychologists Use interviews and tests to identify problems Treat people who have adjustment problems

Areas of Psychology 3. School Psychologists Aid students with problems that interfere with learning 4. Educational Psychologists Focus on course planning and instructional methods

Areas of Psychology 5. Developmental Psychologists Study changes that occur throughout a person’s life (behavior, thoughts, feelings)

Areas of Psychology 6. Social Psychologists Study people’s behavior in social situations Physical and psychological factors of attraction Ways men and women behave in situations Reasons people conform to group standards How behavior changes when in a group

Areas of Psychology 7. Forensic Psychologists Testify about the psychological competence of a defendant

History of Psychology Began as part of philosophy Wilhelm Wundt “father of psychology” Studied conscious experiences Sensations, images, feelings? Observed and measured stimuli Stimuli = lights, sounds, pain Stimulus – physical energy that evokes a sensory response

Structuralism Wundt also used “introspection” Introspection is “looking inward” Basic elements of consciousness: 1. Objective sensations 2. Subjective feelings Structuralism – Human mind functions by combining these basic elements of experience (Objective and Subjective)

Functionalism Developed by William James How the mind functions to help us survive and adapt Influenced by Charles Darwin (natural selection) James wanted to know how the mind helps us adapt Adaptive behavior is learned because it is successful Adaptive (successful) behavior is repeated and eventually becomes a habit…studying = success!

Behaviorism Cartoons!

Behaviorism Behaviorism – Study of observable behavior John B. Watson…introspection was “unscientific” Observed the relationship between stimuli and an animal’s response (can’t ask animals questions) Used Pavlov’s idea of conditioning to explain behavior Conditioned response – learned behavior to a particular stimulus

John B. Watson “Give me a dozen healthy infants, well- formed, and my own special 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, beggarman and thief”

B.F. Skinner Believed behavior is controlled by positive reinforcements (rewards) Worked with animals, ideas applied to humans If rewarded, an animal is more likely to perform act People behave in certain ways because they have been reinforced for doing so

Gestalt School Gestalt is German for “form, pattern, or whole” Gestalt psychologists studied thinking, learning, and perception in whole units, not by analyzing experiences into parts

Gestalt School Playing the same song on a guitar and on the drums Playing a song with only one note per hour Perception is affected by the context in which it appears The human eye sees objects in their entirety before perceiving their individual parts

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Psychoanalysis Emphasized unconscious motives and internal conflicts in determining human behavior Believed that mental life is like an iceberg…huh? Unconscious – Area of the mind that lies outside of our personal awareness Our behavior is deeply influenced by unconscious thoughts, impulses, and desire…especially those concerning sex and aggression

Psychoanalysis Freud theorized that many unconscious thoughts are threatening, so they are repressed Repressed – Restrained, held out of awareness Unconscious thoughts are revealed by dreams, emotions, and slips of the tongue Believed all thoughts, emotions, etc. are determined There are no accidents, every thought has a cause!

Psychoanalysis Freud was one of the first psychologists to appreciate that childhood affects adult personality “The child is father to the man”…what does this mean? Known for creating psychoanalysis, “talking therapy” Gained his understanding of behavior through meetings Theorized that behavior is aimed at satisfying needs / desires Help people find socially acceptable ways of meeting needs

Contemporary Perspectives The study of psychology has changed over the years Theories of Skinner and Watson have been modified Many contemporary psychoanalysts do not use the same methods as Sigmund Freud New perspectives still use historical traditions of psych Each perspective emphasizes different topics/approaches

Biological Perspective Emphasizes the influence of biology on our behavior Assume our mental processes (thoughts, fantasies, & dreams) are made possible by the nervous system Look for connections between events in the brain Study brain activity when listening to music, solving problems, experiencing psychological disorders Interested in the influences of hormones and genes

Hormones and Genes Hormones – Chemicals that glands release into the bloodstream to set in motion body functions Body functions can include growth or digestion Genes – Basic unit of heredity Biological psychologists study the influence of genes on personality traits, psychological health, as well as various behavior patterns

Evolutionary Perspective Focuses on the evolution of behavior and mental processes Darwin believed that the most-adaptive organisms have a greater chance of surviving to maturity People who are resistant to certain diseases are more likely to transmit those genes to future generations Behavior (aggression) have a hereditary basis

Cognitive Perspective Emphasize the role thoughts play in behavior Study mental processes to understand human nature Look at the ways people perceive information, make mental images, solve problems, and dream Cognitive psych. study the mind

Humanistic Perspective Stresses the human capacity for self-fulfillment and the importance of consciousness, self-awareness, and the capacity to make choices Considers people’s personal experiences to be the most important aspect of psychology Unlike behaviorists (stimuli acting upon us) believe that we are free to choose our own behavior View people as basically good & desiring to help others

Psychoanalytic Perspective Stresses the influence of unconscious forces on human behavior Focus less on unconscious sexual and aggressive impulses Focus more on conscious choice and self-direction

Learning Perspective Emphasizes the effects of experience on behavior Social learning theory – People can change their environments or create new ones Behavior is learned either from direct experience or by observing other people We learn to act hostile/friendly based on the situation

Sociocultural Perspective Studies the influence of ethnicity, gender, culture, and socioeconomic status on behavior and mental processes Helps people appreciate the cultural heritages and historical issues of various ethnic groups Ethnic groups – United by heritage, race, language, and history Sociocultural theorists also study gender

Sociocultural Perspective Gender is not simply a matter of being male or female Involves cultural expectations and social roles These can affect self-concepts, aspirations, & behavior Sociocultural psychology addresses the similarities and differences between men and women As of 2005, women made up 72% of psychology PhD’s