HSP3M Probing Into Psychology

What is Psychology?  Psychologists study human behaviour, often (but not always) from the perspective of the individual  Psychology deals with the scientific study of human and animal behaviour and is comprised of three main areas: Psychoanalysis Psychoanalysis Behavioural psychology Behavioural psychology Cognitive psychology Cognitive psychology

Psychoanalysis A largely individualized examination of patients’ inner mind, often focusing on thoughts, feelings, emotions, fantasies, and dreams. Psychoanalysis attempts to understand a person’s unconscious and subconscious mind. BehaviouralA study of people’s and animals’ observable behaviour, often in relation to stimuli and responses. Behavioural psychologists often either ignore or discount the inner mind. CognitiveA blend of the two above-mentioned schools whereby psychologists attempt to understand the mind through scientific methods, often utilizing technology as a means to perceive the mind’s biological inner workings.

Psychology & Social Phenomena  Psychology explores social interaction, but from a smaller perspective (as opposed to a larger one, like anthropology and sometimes sociology).  Because of this perspective, psychologists often research how individuals function, develop, survive, and thrive  Psychologists pose important questions concerning how our mental processes affect our social behaviour and interactions

Important Questions  why do humans have such similar ways of thinking and acting?  what role do gender differences have in our development and interactions?  what is deemed ‘normal’ and how should ‘abnormality’ be dealt with?  how do changes (technological, societal, political, etc) affect our individual and collective perceptions?

The Psyche  The Latin translation of psyche is “soul”  The dictionary definition for psychology is “the sum or characteristics of the mental states and processes of a person or class of persons, or of the mental states and processes involved in a field of activity.”

The Power of the Mind  Wilder Penfield  Ivan Pavlov  Psychosomatic illnesses The Placebo effect The Placebo effect

Homework Question  Can humans be conditioned like Pavlov’s animals?  Can you think of any examples of humans being “conditioned”?