Falkné dr. Bánó Klára BGF Külkereskedelmi Főiskolai Kar Introduction to the Study of Psychology

What is Psychology?

The Goals of Psychology

Psychology and other Sciences

Basic Research and Applied Research

The basic questions Psychology focuses on:

Five major approaches to the study of psychology:

A psychologist’s perspective ‘is the set of beliefs that guide his or her approach to all issues in psychology; it suggests what to look at and how, in seeking answers to questions about behaviour.’ (Atkinson)

The Biological/Physiological Perspective This perspective relates overt, observable behaviour to physical and chemical processes inside the body. This approach seeks to specify the neurobiological processes that underlie behaviour and mental processes. Wilder Penfield (mapped the surface of the human brain, performed many operations)

The Behavioural Perspective This approach focuses on measurable overt behaviour. According to this approach behaviour should be the only subject matter of psychology. Watson – behaviorism- influential in the first part of the 20-ieth century Skinner – development of behaviorism, animal models to find basic laws of learning Both have a strong learning and nurture position, i.e. the environment forms us. (‘tabula rasa’=blank state) Stimulus-response (S-R) psychology – still influential

The Cognitive Perspective This approach focuses on mental processes, e.g. planning, decision making, communication, i.e. complex human activities. Not just focusing on specific behaviours (like the behaviourists) but also interpreting behaviours in terms of underlying mental processes

The Psychoanalytic Perspective Freud – much of our behaviour stems from unconscious processes, i.e. beliefs, fears and desires a person is unaware of but nevertheless they influence behaviour. We are driven by basic instincts, primarily sex and aggression. – these must be brought under control.

FREUD: - ID, EGO and SUPEREGO

The Phenomenological Perspective Unlike the other four approaches, the phenomenological perspective focuses on the individual’s personal experience of events – the individual’s phenomenology. Some of these theories are called humanistic, Maslow, Rogers, - innately positive human nature; self and selfactualization – motivational force is growth of potential to the fullest

Two additional perspectives 1. Social learning theory – is based on the behavioural or learning theory approach but emphasizes learning based on social factors. It places a special emphasis on modeling and vicarious reinforcement. – Bandura We come to be what our particular society teaches us to be.

Two additional perspectives 2. The Ethological perspective – Ethology is a branch of biology focusing on the behaviours of particular species. It becomes a psychological perspective when psychologists apply ethological techniques for examining human behaviour. – Konrad Lorenz (Nobel Prize together with two ethologists in 1973) Behaviour aids survival of the species, so typical beh. of a species is the end product of evolution. Concept of imprinting