Introduction to Psychology Schools of thought and branches of study in 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=Z0iWpSNu3NU 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 Mind https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vFf5CS27-Y The Unconscious mind is divided into three parts: Id – which encourages us to seek physical satisfaction (pleasure principle) Superego – prompts us to do the moral thing, not the one that feels best (very strict conscience) 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 Gratification http://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

Criminal Profiling Explained: 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