AP PSYCHOLOGY THE BASICS TO KNOW AND REMEMBER

Prescientific History Rene Descartes : –1. Dualism – mind & body viewed as interactive machines –2. Two kinds of ideas of the human mind-innate ( inborn) and derived – acquired through experience. *John Locke-1632 – Tabula Rasa 2. Empiricist approach – knowledge should be acquired by careful observation

Historical Approaches A. Structuralism: 1. study of the most basic elements, primarily sensations and perceptions that make up our conscious mental experiences. 2. Wilhelm Wundt: Father of Psychology 3. Introspection – method of exploring conscious mental processes. 4. Criticism – too narrow and subjective – unscientific, solely dependent on self-reports.

B. Functionalism –1. Study of the function rather that the structure of consciousness were interested in how our minds adapt to our changing environment. –2. William James: first textbook – Principle of Psychology. –Why did mental activities develop? C. Gestalt Approach: 1.Emphasizes that perception is more that the sum of its parts 2.Max Wertheimer, Wolfgang Kohler, Kurt Koffka 3.Phi phenomenon – when a fixed light appears to move, because of how they flash. D. Behaviorism: Emphasizes the objective, scientific analysis of observable behavior.

Early Milestones in Scientific Psychology A. G. Stanley Hall –1. Founded the first psych. Lab in the US. Started first American psych. Journal. –2. Founded APA – 1892 B.Herman Ebbinghaus – 1 st experiments on memory C.Edward Titchener- Wundt student- became one of the first psychologists in the US D.Sigmund Freud- Interpretation of Dreams – psychoanalytic theory E.E. Margaret Floy Washburn: First woman to receive Ph.D. F.May Whiton Calkins: First woman elected president of APA G.Ivan Pavlov: Study of reflexes – influence on learning H.John D. Watson – Leader of behaviorism – psychology should study observable behavior not consciousness I.Francis Cecil Sumner: First African-American PH.D. in psych

CONTEMPORARY THEORETICAL ORIENTATIONS 1. Psychoanalytical approach: Based on the belief that childhood experiences greatly influence the development of later personality traits and psychological problems Sigmund Freud: developed this approach – a physician Why do we have anxiety or psychological problems? Criticism: not based on experimental evidence – untestable –Influence- extremely influential on American Psychology –Neo- Freudians – accepted the broad features of Freud, but revised some of it – Carl Jung, Karen Horney, Anna Freud

Behaviorist Perspective Analyzes how organisms learn new behaviors or modify existing ones, depending on whether events in their environment reward or punish these behaviors. John Watson – psycho. should be considered an objective, experimental science, whose goal should be the analysis of observable behaviors and the prediction and control of those behaviors. Albert Bandura: social learning approach – our behaviors are influenced not only by environmental events and reinforcers but also by observation, imitation and thought processes.

HAUMANISTIC APPROACH Emphasizes that each individual has great freedom in driving his or her future, a large capacity for achieving personal growth, a considerable amount of intrinsic worth and enormous potential for self-improvement. Humanism emphasizes – positive side of human nature, creative tendencies, and its inclination to build caring relationships. Self-determination – behavior is the product of free-will, opposed determinism of behaviorism and psychoanalysis. Abraham Maslow – (hierarchy of needs) Carl Rogers – a minister turned psychologist, Gordon Allport

BIOLOGICAL APPROACH – AKA NEUROBIOLOGICAL Examines how our genes, hormones, and nervous system interact with our environments to influence. Roger Sperry – won Nobel Prize Technology – advancements have helped in growth Led to medicine to treat disorders

COGNITIVE APPROACH Aims to investigate the mind and how one acquires, stores, and processes information Jean Piaget – Noam Chomsky –Herbert Simon Advocates of cognitive psychology point out that people’s manipulations of mental images surely influence how they behave.

CROSS-CULTURAL OR SOCIO- CULTURAL APPROACH Studies the influence of cultural and ethnic similarities and differences Behavior is heavily influenced by culture, by social norms and expectations, and by social learning. The conditions in which the social and cultural situation predict behavior.

EVOLUTIONARY/ SOCIOBIOLOGICAL Behavior has developed and adapted over time. Connects contemporary psychology with central ideas of live sciences, Darwin’s theory of natural selection – mental abilities evolved just as physical abilities. Behavior is determined by natural selection How do behaviors change over time?

TRAIT APPROACH Individual differences result from differences in our underlying patterns of stable characteristics (traits) Behavior results from each person’s unique combination of traits. Can we predict behavior?

TYPES OF PSYCHOLOGISTS Practitioners: therapy, counseling, consulting, may conduct research. Academic: Colleges, teaching, research, writing, may consult, practice. Researchers: employed by industry, business, and the government Examine diverse phenomena: –The effects of coffee breaks on work productivity –Optimal training procedures for a specific job. –Ways to change behaviors that would prevent the spread of HIV

SUBFIELDS OF PSYCHOLOGISTS Clinical: largest group of practitioners –Diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders. –Psychological testing, interviewing, therapy Counseling Psychologists: Moderate problems marital or family counseling School Psychologist: Concerned with social, intellectual, emotional development of students. Work with children, parents, teachers Test students for special programs

MORE SUBFIELDS OF PSYCHOLOGISTS Educational psychologists: teacher training, curriculum design, other Industrial/Organizational Psychologist –Work in business and industry –Attempt to improve productivity –Works with advertisers, study consumer behavior, design equipment Experimental Psychologist : Broad classification for lab researchers Work in specific areas of research – like memory

MORE SUBFIELDS OF PSYCHOLOGISTS Social psychologist: –Experimental who study social situations –Conformity, obedience, leadership Psychometric psychologist: Measures behavior Skilled at using statistical procedures to develop reliable and valid test PSYCHIATRIST : MD’s