Chapter 1 Introduction and History of Psychology

What Is Psychology – and What Is It Not? Psychology is a broad field, with many specialties, but fundamentally, psychology is the science of behavior and mental processes

What Is Psychology – and What Is It Not? Psychology – The scientific study of behavior and mental processes Psychology is not Mere speculation about human nature A body of folk wisdom about people that “everybody knows” to be true

Pseudopsychology – False assertions of practices set forth as being scientific psychology What Is Psychology – and What Is It Not? Psychology disputes unfounded claims from pseudopsychology

What Do Psychologists Do? Psychology is a broad field with many specialties, grouped in three major categories: experimental psychology, teaching of psychology and applied psychology

I/OSports School Counseling Engineering Rehabilitation Use knowledge developed by psychology to solve human problems Clinical What Do Psychologists Do? Applied psychologists

I/O (Industrial/Organizational)

Sports Psychologists

Engineering Psychologists (aka Human Factors Psychologists)

School Psychologists

Rehabilitation Psychologists

Counseling and Clinical Psychologists

What Are Psychology’s Historical Roots? Modern psychology developed from several conflicting traditions, including structuralism, functionalism, Gestalt psychology, behaviorism, and psychoanalysis

Devoted to uncovering basic structures that make up mind and thought Tradition Structuralism Functionalism Psychoanalysis Gestalt psychology Behaviorism Wilhelm Wundt

What are the Perspectives Psychologists Use Today?

( 1)Psychoanalytic, (2)Cognitive, (3)Behavioral, (4)Humanistic, (5)Biological, (6)Sociocultural, (7)Evolutionary

View of Human Nature: We are driven by dark forces of the unconscious Perspective What Determines Behavior: Unconscious needs, conflicts, repressed memories, and childhood experiences Biological Developmental 1. Psychodynamic or Psychoanalytic Sociocultural Cognitive Behavioral Trait Humanistic Evolutionary/ Sociobiological

View of Human Nature: People are information- processing systems What Determines Behavior: Mental interpretation of our experience Perspective Biological Developmental Psychodynamic Sociocultural 2. Cognitive Behavioral Trait Humanistic Evolutionary/ Sociobiological

View of Human Nature: Behavior is primarily shaped by learning Perspective What Determines Behavior: Stimulus cues and our history of rewards and punishments Biological Developmental Psychodynamic Sociocultural Cognitive 3. Behavioral Trait Humanistic Evolutionary/ Sociobiological

View of Human Nature: Emphasizes human growth and potential Perspective What Determines Behavior: The influence of self-concept, perceptions, and interpersonal relationships, and on need for personal growth Biological Developmental Psychodynamic Sociocultural Cognitive Behavioral Trait 4. Humanistic Evolutionary/ Sociobiological

View of Human Nature: We are complex systems that respond to hereditary and environmental influences What Determines Behavior: Neural structures, biochemistry, and inborn responses to external cues Perspective 5.Biological or Biopsychological Developmental Psychodynamic Sociocultural Cognitive Behavioral Trait Humanistic Evolutionary/ Sociobiological

View of Human Nature: People are social animals, so human behavior must be interpreted in social context Perspective What Determines Behavior: Cultures, social norms and expectations, social learning Biological Developmental Psychodynamic 6.Sociocultural Cognitive Behavioral Trait Humanistic Evolutionary/ Sociobiological

View of Human Nature: Behavior is developed and adapted over time Perspective What Determines Behavior: Natural selection Biological Developmental Psychodynamic Sociocultural Cognitive Behavioral Trait Humanistic 7.Evolutionary/ Sociobiological