Chapter 1 Introduction and History of Psychology

Many things that happen to us leave no record in memory. True or False? True: Most of the information around us never reaches memory, and what does reach memory often gets distorted.

The most common form of mental disorder occurs in 30% of the population. True or False? True: Depression, the single most common disorder, may affect up to a third of the population at some point in their lives.

You are born with all the brain cells you will ever have. True or False? False: Recent research shows that some parts of the brain continue producing new cells throughout life.

True or False? Both center patches are the same shade of gray

True: The patch on the right appeared darker due to perceptual contrast with its background

Intelligence is a purely genetic trait that does not change throughout a person’s life. True or False? False: Intelligence is the result of both heredity and environment, and may change throughout your life.

Repeated exposure to the same face leads us to like it more. True: Familiar people (and their faces) are generally liked more than less familiar people. True or False?

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 – Erroneous 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? Experimental psychologists Conduct most research across psychological spectrum May work in private industry or for the government Often teach at college or university

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

Devoted to uncovering basic structures that make up mind and thought Tradition Structuralism Functionalism Psychoanalysis Gestalt psychology Behaviorism Wilhelm Wundt: 1 st Research Lab (1879) Introspection: reporting own conscious mental experiences; subjective

Believed mental processes could best be understood in terms of their adaptive purpose and function Tradition Structuralism Functionalism Psychoanalysis Gestalt psychology Behaviorism William James Psychology should explain how people adapt or fail to adapt to their environment

Interested in how we construct “perceptual wholes”, unlike structuralists Tradition Structuralism Functionalism Psychoanalysis Gestalt psychology Behaviorism Max Wertheimer and Wolfgang Kohler

Argued psychology should deal solely with observable events Tradition Structuralism Functionalism Psychoanalysis Gestalt psychology Behaviorism John B. Watson Who cares what people are thinking? How will they act?

Asserted mental disorders arise from conflicts in the unconscious mind Tradition Structuralism Functionalism Psychoanalysis Gestalt psychology Behaviorism Sigmund Freud

Other Early Contributors G. Stanley Hall: 1 st president of APA; 1 st psych lab in U.S.(1882) Mary Whiton Calkins: 1 st woman president of APA; focused on conscious self Margaret Floy Washburn: president of APA; 1 st PhD in psych awarded to a woman

Biological Developmental Psychodynamic Sociocultural Cognitive Behavioral Trait Nine Modern Perspectives of Psychology Humanistic Evolutionary/ Sociobiological

View of Human Nature: We respond to hereditary and environmental influences; includes evolutionary psych. What Determines Behavior: Neural structures, biochemistry, and inborn responses Question for Study: How do heredity, the nervous system, and the endocrine system produce behavior and mental processes? Perspective Biological Developmental Psychodynamic Sociocultural Cognitive Behavioral Trait Humanistic Evolutionary/ Sociobiological

View of Human Nature: We undergo predictable patterns of change throughout our lives What Determines Behavior: Interaction between heredity and environment Questions for Study: What are the patterns that characterize developmental change? What are the genetic and environmental influences underlying these patterns? Perspective Biological Developmental Psychodynamic Sociocultural Cognitive Behavioral Trait Humanistic Evolutionary/ Sociobiological

View of Human Nature: People are information- processing systems; look for laws governing all people What Determines Behavior: Mental interpretation of our experience Question for Study: How do mental processes, including sensation, perception, learning, memory, and language, influence behavior? Perspective Biological Developmental Psychodynamic Sociocultural Cognitive Behavioral Trait Humanistic Evolutionary/ Sociobiological

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 guide behavior Question for Study: How does the energy generated in the unconscious mind motivate our actions and account for mental disorders? Biological Developmental Psychodynamic Sociocultural Cognitive 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; unique experiences guide one’s behavior Question for Study: How can humanistic theory be applied to enhance mental health through counseling and therapy? Biological Developmental Psychodynamic Sociocultural 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 guide behavior Questions for Study: What are the “laws” that associate our responses with stimulus conditions? How can they be applied to improve the human condition? Biological 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 Questions for Study: Under what conditions is the social and cultural situation predictive of behavior? How are social influences different across cultures? Biological Developmental Psychodynamic Sociocultural Cognitive Behavioral Trait Humanistic Evolutionary/ Sociobiological

View of Human Nature: Behavior is developed and adapted over time Perspective What Determines Behavior: Natural selection Question for Study: How do behavior and individual differences develop and change? Biological Developmental Psychodynamic Sociocultural Cognitive Behavioral Trait Humanistic Evolutionary/ Sociobiological

View of Human Nature: Individual differences result from differences in our underlying patterns of stable characteristics Perspective What Determines Behavior: Each person’s unique combination of traits Question for Study: How many fundamental traits are there? How can we use trait patterns to predict behavior? Biological Developmental Psychodynamic Sociocultural Cognitive Behavioral Trait Humanistic Evolutionary/ Sociobiological