What is Psychology?

Definitions?

Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behaviour

Psychological Concepts Memory and recall Learning Perception Thinking and cognition Creativity Attitudes and behaviour Individual differences and personality Intelligences

Schools of Thought… Psychodynamics Nativism (Rationalist/Biological) Behaviourism (S-R) Cognitive Psychology Humanistic Psychology Constructivist theories Social Psychology

A Brief History of Psychology Sigmund Freud ( ): ‘I set myself the task of bringing to light what human beings keep hidden within them… the task of making conscious the most hidden recesses of the mind is one which is quite possible to achieve’.

A Brief History of Psychology Ivan Pavlov( ): Studied the conditioned and unconditioned responses of animals to stimuli. Concluded that learning occurred as an association (coupling) of one event with another. Stimulus-Response. Classical Conditioning

A Brief History of Psychology B. F. Skinner ( ): Behaviourism A behaviour followed by a reinforcing stimulus results in an increased probability of that behaviour occurring in the future. Operant Conditioning Extinction of behaviour

A Brief History of Psychology Carl Rogers ( ): Humanistic approach to learning Unconditional positive regard Student centred learning (Client centred approach)

©1999 Prentice Hall Humanist Psychology A psychological approach that emphasizes personal growth and the achievement of human potential, rather than the scientific understanding an assessment of behavior. This approach: –Rejected behaviorism and psychoanalysis. –Emphasized creativity and achieving potential.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Social Motives Motives acquired through experience and interaction with others (McClelland, Murray) –Need for achievement (n Ach) The need to accomplish something difficult and to perform at a high standard of excellence –Need for affiliation The need to have harmonious relationships with other people and to be accepted by others –Need for power Personal – want to direct others Institutional – want to organize efforts of others to meet the needs of the institution

Need for Achievement Characteristics of achievers –High n Ach pursue goals that are challenging, yet attainable through hard work, ability, determination, and persistence see their success as a result of their own talents, abilities, persistence, and hard work –Low n Ach not willing to take chances when it comes to testing their own skills and abilities when fail, usually give up quickly

Parents can foster n Ach –give children responsibilities –teach them to think and act independently from the time they are very young –stress excellence, persistence, and independence –praise them sincerely for their accomplishments Need for Achievement

©1999 Prentice Hall Academic/Research Psychologists Research in areas of basic or applied psychology. Examples include: –Experimental psychologists –Educational psychologists –Developmental psychologists –Industrial/Organizational psychologists –Psychometric psychologists

©1999 Prentice Hall What Psychologists Do Academic/research psychologists Psychological practitioners Psychologists in other settings

©1999 Prentice Hall What Areas do Psychology Undergraduates Pursue? Psychology Other Counseling Education Social work Medicine Law Health Sciences Business Sociology

©1999 Prentice Hall Psychologists in Other Settings Sports Consumer Issues Advertising Organizational Problems Environmental Issues Public policy Opinion polls Military training Animal behavior Legal Issues

©1999 Prentice Hall Clinical Psychologists are not: Psychotherapists Psychoanalysts Psychiatrists

©1999 Prentice Hall Psychological Practitioners Counseling psychologists help people deal with problems associated with everyday life. School psychologists work with parents, teachers and students to enhance student performance. Clinical psychologists diagnose, treat, and study mental or emotional problems.

A Brief History of Psychology Edward Tolman ( ): Cognitive Shift Theory Cognitive Map Challenge to Behaviourism

A Brief History of Psychology Leon Festinger ( ): Cognitive Dissonance Theory Describes conflicting thoughts or beliefs (cognitions) that occur at the same time, or when engaged in behaviours that conflict with one's beliefs.

A Brief History of Psychology Abraham Maslow ( ): Hierarchy of Human Needs Self Actualisation Psychology of Being ‘Peak experiences’

A Brief History of Psychology Lev Vygostsky ( ): Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) Social learning Co-operative learning

A Brief History of Psychology Jean Piaget ( ): The child as a solo scientist Discovery learning Assimilation and Accommodation Schema Theory

A Brief History of Psychology Jerome Bruner (1915-): Scaffolding The ‘spiral curriculum’ ‘Cognition is involved in everything a human being might possibly do…’

A Brief History of Psychology Howard Gardner(1943-): Theory of Multiple Intelligences ‘An important part of that understanding is knowing who we are and what we can do... Ultimately, we must synthesize our understandings for ourselves’.

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