PSYCHOLOGY ROCKS Why did you take this class? What do you hope to get from this class?

Week One Objective I will be able to relay the concepts learned about psychology’s history and research method’s (in group activities, individual assignments and on tests)

Chapter 1: The Evolution of Psychology

What is Psychology?

The science of behavior and mental processes. What do you think that means?

What is Psychology Behaviors Any action we can record and observe: Yelling Smiling Blinking Talking Questionnaire marking Sweating Kissing Mental Processes Sensations Perceptions Dreams Thoughts Beliefs Feeling

Let’s Dance

Why are some people good dancers? Why are some people “bad’ dancers?

Psychologies Biggest Question????? Nature To what does nature refer? Nurture To what does nurture refer ?

From Speculation to Science: How Psychology Developed Prior to 1879 –Physiology and philosophy scholars study questions about the mind: –Are people’s perceptions of the world an accurate reality? –How do the mind and body interact?

From Speculation to Science: How Psychology Developed *Wilhelm Wundt ( ) University of Leipzig,* Germany –Campaigned to make psychology an independent discipline –*Established the first laboratory for the study of psychology in 1879 *Psychology was born-Father of Psychology

Wundt

Wilhelm Wundt’s International Influence Leipzig, the place to study psychology –Graduates of Wundt’s program set up new labs across Europe and North America *G. Stanley Hall ( ), Johns Hopkins University –*Established the first psychology laboratory in the U.S. in 1883 Between 1883 and 1893, 24 new laboratories in North America

For Wundt Psychology became the scientific study of conscious experience (things that we were aware of)

Figure 1.1 Early Research Laboratories in North America

Psychology Enters a period of Turmoil

The Battle of the “Schools” in the U.S.: Structuralism vs. Functionalism Structuralism – Edward Titchener, an Englishman, came to US in 1892 taught at Cornell for decades, earned degree in Wundt’s Germany lab but brought his own version of Wundt’s psychology to America –*Analyze consciousness into basic elements: relied on introspection to do this 1. *Introspection – careful, systematic observations of one’s own conscious experience-subjects exposed to auditory tones, optical illusions and stimuli that they and one needed to analyze his experience

Edward Titchener

The Battle of the “Schools” in the U.S.: Structuralism vs. Functionalism *Functionalism – William James (MD who didn’t find medicine challenging) –Investigate function (what does it do) of consciousness rather than its structure –Led to investigation of mental testing, developmental patterns, and sex differences –*He focused on the functions rather than the structure of consciousness –He wrote The Principles of Psychology (1890- study of the mind, sensation, memory and reason)

William James *James argued that consciousness consisted of a continuous flow of thoughts and not into different elements. Structuralism went to the laboratory while functionalists focused on how people adapt their behavior to real world demands

After Structuralism and Functionalism, Eight Perspectives Develop as part of Psychology: 1. Psychoanalytic/psychodynamic 2. Behavioral 3. Humanism 4. Cognitive 5. Biological 6. Evolutionary 7. Sociocultural/Cultural 8. Biopsychosocial All are varying ways to explain behaviors

1. Psychoanalytic Perspective: Sigmund Freud and the Concept of the Unconscious Mind *Sigmund Freud ( ): Austria- medical doctor who treated mental disorders such as irrational fears, anxieties and obsessions *Founded Psychoanalytic school of thought *Emphasis on unconscious processes influencing behavior –*Unconscious = outside awareness

Sigmund Freud

Unconscious Processes of Freud Unconscious contain: Thoughts Memories Desires below the surface of conscious awareness that had a big influence on behavior

Freud’s Ideas: Controversy and Influence *Behavior is influenced by the unconscious *Unconscious conflict related to sexuality plays a central role in behavior Controversial notions caused debate/resistance Significant influence on the field of psychology

Psychoanalytic Theory * Attempt to explain personality, motivation and mental disorders by focusing on the unconscious determining behavior, including repressed childhood experiences

2. Behaviorism: Redefining Psychology *John B. Watson ( ): United States –Founder of Behaviorism *Behavior = overt or observable responses or activities –Radical reorientation of psychology as a science of observable behavior –Study of consciousness abandoned

John B. Watson Behaviorism- alters psychologies course

Just what are observable behaviors?

Who is in control of how you behave?

John Watson and the Nature-Nurture Debate Nurture, not nature –“give me a dozen healthy infants, well- formed, and my own special world to bring them up in and I’ll guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become any type of specialist I might select – doctor, lawyer, artist, merchant-chief, and yes, even beggar-man and thief…” *Behaviorist school of thought emphasized the environment (nurture), how environment (my family, friends, coworkers, etc…influences behavior Focus on stimulus-response relationships: you act jealous, I coddle you to assure you, that rewards your jealousy and causes it to reoccur

*BF Skinner Environmental factors determine behavior Responses that lead to positive outcomes are repeated Responses that lead to negative outcomes are not repeated

BF Skinner Beyond Freedom and Dignity He felt free will was an illusion. He worked with rats and pigeons and showed he could have control over their behavior by manipulating the outcome of their responses. *People are controlled by their environment, not by themselves.

3. The 1950’s: Opposition to Psychoanalytic Theory and Behaviorism Charges that both were de-humanizing Diverse opposition groups got together to form a loose alliance A new school of thought emerged - Humanism –Led by Abraham Maslow ( ) and Carl Rogers ( ) –Emphasis on the unique qualities of humans: freedom and personal growth

3. Humanism/Humanistic-stressed the unique qualities of humans, especially their freedom and potential for personal growth, and asserts that once I realize my self-worth I am able to change behaviors Abraham Maslow Carl Rogers

4. Putting the Psyche Back in Psychology: The Return of Cognition *Cognition/Cognitive Perspective = refers to mental processes such as problem solving or thought processes. Negative behaviors are result of how I interpret events in my life 1950’s and 60’s – Piaget (children’s development), Chomsky (language acquisition), and Simon (problem solving)

Cognitive Perspective *Internal mental events effect behavior Peoples mental images effect how they behave. How one interprets a situation effects how one reacts.

5. Biological Psychology: The Biological Basis of Behavior –Biological perspective - behavior explained in terms of physiological/biochemical processes-I flee a situation because certain chemicals are released that make me feel fear James Olds (1956) –Electrical stimulation of the brain evokes emotional responses in animals Roger Sperry (1981) –Left and right brain specialization

Roger Perry-Split Brain Studies To his surprise he found that monkeys and cats with split brains act much the same as normal animals. where learning was involved they behaved as if they had two independent brains. If a monkey was trained to discriminate between a square and a circle with one eye, the other being covered with a patch, then, if the situation was reversed the animal would have to relearn how to make the discrimination.

Cultural Psychology: Recognizing Human Variation Ethnocentrism – viewing one’s own group as superior and as the standard for judging the worth of foreign ways-may have resulted in: Historically: middle and upper class white males studying middle and upper class white males 1980’s – increased interest in how cultural factors influence behavior-WHY do you think this occurred?

WHY Possibly: Growing global interdependence Civil rights movement women’s rights movement Gays rights movement Increased cultural diversity in the US

6. Evolutionary Psychology: Human Adaptations Central premise: natural selection occurs for behavioral, as well as physical, characteristics-We act the way we do to ensure reproductive success and future generations. I have good spatial skills because I am a women who gathers food-this skill was passed to me. Buss, Daly & Wilson, Cosmides & Tooby – 80’s and 90’s Studied natural selection of mating preferences, jealousy, aggression, sexual behavior, language, decision making, personality, and development are all to ensure survival and are passed on

7. Sociocultural/Cultural Perspective: One’s cultural expectations, rules and customs determines one’s behavior 8. Biopsychosocial Approach: Three things interact to determine one’s behavior, say depression: 1. body’s functioning such as brain, chemical, or hormones 2. psychological functioning such as how I cope with and interpret life events 3.environmental events (divorce, job loss, family death, being abused, for instances )

Table 1.1 Overview of Six Contemporary Theoretical Perspectives in Psychology

Psychology Today: A Thriving Science and Profession Research: Seven major areas Applied Psychology: Four major areas

Figure 1.6 Membership in the American Psychological Association, 1900–2004

Figure 1.7 Employment of psychologists by setting

Figure 1.8 Major research areas in contemporary psychology

Figure 1.9 Principal professional specialties in contemporary psychology