An Introduction to the stuff you will be learning this year.

Psychology What is it? The science of behavior and mental processes. Do our feelings always match our behaviors? If you call me stupid, I may feel sad or insecure But I will still act tough. (even though I will be crying on the inside, so be gentle).

Psychology’s History Prescientific Psychology – Socrates These two guys thought alike – Plato dualism - t he mind is separate from the body and continues after the body dies - some ideas innate – Aristotle monism – mind and body are connected - knowledge results from memories of past experiences (mind is a blank slate)

Psychology’s Roots Prescientific Psychology Rene Descartes – – mind and body separate; innate ideas Francis Bacon – – founder of modern science and the scientific method John Locke – – tabula rasa - mind is a blank slate – Empiricism – – knowledge comes from experience & science should therefore use observation and experimentation – Locke’s and Bacon’s ideas

Psychology’s Early Debates 1.Mind and Body Connect v. Separate 2.Nature v. Nurture Innate v. Learned

Think Pair Share Which of the early thinkers of psychology do you think had the greatest effect on today’s psychology? Why?

History of Psychology Psychology has gone through 5 different historical eras or changes in how scientists view the mind and behavior…aka… Psychological Perspectives – a mental view of how scientists explain the mind and behavior

5 Historical Periods of Psychology 1.Introspection – Structuralism – Functionalism 2.Gestault 3.Psychoanalytic 4.Behaviorist 5.Biopsychosocial -

One: Introspection 2 schools - Structuralism and Functionalism Structuralism – – Explored structural elements (smallest mental processes) of the human mind. » Introspection - self reflective observation of one’s own sensations and feelings to study inner sensations and mental images – Example: Report immediate reactions and feelings to different musical sounds

IA: Structuralism – Wilhelm Wundt 1 st Psych Lab - Reaction time experiment 1 st Psych Lab (Leipzig) Reaction Time Experiments – Experiment: Hearing a ball hit the platform measured reaction time – G. Stanley Hall (Baltimore) 1 st Lab USA -Johns Hopkins University 1st Pres. APA – Edward Titchner (Cornell) Student of Wundt Used introspection to identify elements of sensory experience – Example: Report immediate reactions and feelings to hearing musical sounds, looking at a rose

IB: Functionalism Functionalism – – Emphasized the purpose or function of mental processes – Focused on the adaptive value of conscious thoughts and emotions - how a characteristic of an organism enables it to survive and reproduce added the importance of the environment Wm. James – First Functionalist – based ideas on Charles Darwin’s – 1 st Psych prof at Harvard – Authored 1 st Psych textbook Mary Calkins – 1 st woman student of Psychology (Harvard) – 1 st woman APA Pres. Margaret Floy Washburn – 1 st woman to receive Ph.D. in Psych

Think Pair Share 1.With your table, discuss the limitations of “introspection” and explain why current psychological researchers would be unlikely to use introspection to gather data. 2.William James developed his theory of functionalism around the same time Charles Darwin was developing the theory of evolution. How do you think Darwin's theory influenced James' theory of functionalism?

Two: Gestalt Psychology Focused on human perceptions of the world The whole of an experience can be more than the sum of its parts. – Led by Max Wertheimer = This may seem like one picture, but it can be perceived as 2 different faces. Can you find them? Rules for how we organize what we see

Three: Psychoanalysis Psychoanalysis - Freud’s theory of personality development and also his treatment of disorders – Behavior is driven by unconscious drives and conflicts from childhood experiences Unconscious – a place in the mind where unacceptable thoughts, wishes and memories are hidden and that we are unaware of defense mechanisms – tactics that reduce anxiety by distorting reality – Regression – Repression – Rationalization

Four: Behaviorism Behaviorism – studied only observable behavior Ignored Introspection and psychoanalysis and all mental process – Believe behavior is learned through conditioning or through observing others – Classical Conditioning – involuntary learning – Pavlov – experiments on dogs learning to salivate at sound of a bell – John B. Watson – experimented on “Little Albert learned that emotions (fear) can be learned – Operant Conditioning – voluntary learning B.F. Skinner – experimented on pigeons and rats, learned that animals learn from reinforcements and punishments – Observational Learning Bandura – animals learn by watching others

Five: Eclectic Biopsychosocial Approach Psychologists pick and choose what theories to use depending on the situation and the client. Kind of like a smorgasbord..lots of variety, you pick what you want to eat

Modern Psychology’s Three Main Levels of Analysis Levels of Analysis – Biological – Psychological – Social-cultural Biopsychosocial Approach - integrated approach that incorporates biological, psychological, and social-cultural levels of analysis. Evaluates both nature and nurture Evaluates both mind and behavior

Psychology’s Three Main Levels of Analysis

Wave 5 -Biopsychosocial Approach is made up of 7 different perspectives. Psychologists today, pick and choose from about 7 schools or perspectives of thought to help you with your problems. Thus we have: THE SEVEN MODERN SCHOOLS OF PSYCHOLOGY

Biopsychosocial Approach 7 MODERN SCHOOLS OF PSYCHOLOGY 1.Biological/Neuroscience 2.Psychodynamic 3.Behaviorist 4.Cognitive 5.Evolutionary 6.Humanist 7.Social-Culture

1. Biopsychology (Neuroscience) Perspective – Biological approach – perspective concerned with physiological and biochemical factors that determine behavior and mental process – View of Mind and/or Behavior Biological basis - Come from your brain, body, neurotransmitters, hormones, genes, blood chemistry etc… – To change behavior: Address biological problem – through drugs or surgery

Biological Perspective Let’s say you are 100lbs over weight. What would a psychologist from this perspective say was the cause of your obesity? What kind of treatment would they recommend? Metabolic rate, thyroid, Chemical imbalance Diet, Medication

2. Evolutionary Perspective Evolutionary - Concerned with how natural selection favored behaviors that contributed survival and spread our ancestors geans. View of Mind and/or Behavior: – Driven by inherited traits from our ancestors that help us survive and reproduce – Over time, we adapt to our environment, we change – Based on the ideas of… How could this behavior ensured Homer’s ancestors survival? Charles Darwin – Natural Selection Food was often scarce, so our ancestors would over eat when food was plentiful

3. Psychodynamic Perspective Psychodynamic Perspective – concerned with the unconscious mind and how it affects behavior View of Mind and/or Behavior: hidden/unconscious instincts, drives and conflicts, unfulfilled wishes and desires influence behavior. To change behavior: we must uncover repressed feelings Same scenario…you are 100lbs overweight…what would Freud say was the cause of your problem? How would he treat you? Cause: Unconscious feelings about our childhood (hatred toward mother/father) Treatment – uncover Unconscious thoughts And resolve your feelings

4. Behavioral Perspective Behavioral – concerned with behavioral reactions to stimuli, learning as a result of experience. View of Mind and/or Behavior: – Learned we have been conditioned – Classically (responding to something in our environment) – or Operantly (rewarded or punished) – Or through observing others – No focus on mind. Why? To change behaviors: – recondition the client – Model appropriate behavior Pretend that you fail psychology class. You become depressed. In turn, you begin to binge and gain weight. What do you think a behaviorist may do? They would probably ignore the fact that you are depressed and just focus on your overeating. Maybe make you run a mile every time you eat over 2000 calories.

5. Humanist Perspective Humanist - Concerned with how individuals are motivated to grow and achieve their potential View of Mind and/or Behavior: – Driven by objective to get to the next level on Maslow’s Hierarchy …ultimately self actualization – Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow. emphasizes the growth potential of healthy people and the individual’s potential for personal growth. Believed all people were good To change behavior: – Negative behaviors will improve with proper environmental conditions and support of people around them – learn to have self acceptance – “love thyself” – Focus on growth potential – set new goals What would a humanist say was the cause of your obesity? How would they Treat your obesity? Lack of self acceptance – Don’t like yourself…you feel dissatisfied with your life Stuck in lower level of Maslow’s Hierarchy Learn to love Yourself despite Your faults Set new goals

6. Cognitive Perspective Cognitive Perspective –concerned with how we think/reason, receive, store process and retrieve info (memory) View of Mind and/or Behavior – Influenced by the way we interpret or perceive an experience or receive, store and process info Cause of behavior – irrational or negative thoughts To Change Behavior: – change the way you think. What would a cognitive psychologist say was the cause of your obesity? How would they treat Your obesity? Thinking – “I’ll never be thin, I’ll always be fat, I can’t loose weight Change your Thoughts…”I can loose weight

7. Social-Cultural Perspective Sociocultural – concerned with how cultural differences affect behavior View of the Mind and/or Behavior: culture and society influence behavior dictated by friends, family, peers society and the culture you live in To change behavior: change your social context What would someone from this perspective say was the cause of the behavior? How would they treat this disorder? Friends – group parties Family – eats unhealthy Culture – Super sized New friends, avoid parties and fast food

Think Pair Share Discuss the causes of alcoholism using each of the following perspectives – Biological – Psychoanalytic/Psychodynamic – Behavior – Cognitive – Humanistic – Socio-cultural

Mr. Lopez believes that severe depression results primarily from an imbalanced diet and abnormal brain chemistry. Mr. Lopez favors a ________ perspective on depression. 1.Cognitive 2.Behavioral 3.Psychodynamic 4.Socio-cultural 5.Biological Table

Natassia believes that boys learn to be more aggressive than girls primarily because boys are more frequently exposed to external pressures to fight. Natassia's belief most directly exemplifies the ________ perspective. 1.Cognitive 2.Behavioral 3.Psychodynamic 4.Socio-Cultural 5.Biological Table

A concern with the reasoning processes that contribute to effective problem solving is most characteristic of the ________ perspective. 1.Cognitive 2.Behavioral 3.Psychodynamic 4.Evolutionary 5.Biological Table

Psychology’s Big Debate Nature Versus Nurture – Are our behaviors/traits influenced more by our genes (nature) or by our experiences (nurture) Examples – Intelligence- genes or home environment? – Language development – innate or learned – Personality – born with it or shaped over our life – Disorders – biological or triggered by experience

Fields of Psychology Applied V. Basic Research Applied Research – goal is to solve practical problems – Example: using a theory to solve a practical problem Basic Research – goal is to increase knowledge of field. – Example: developing a new theory Research on drug therapies to treat depression Theory that depression is caused by, among other things, chemical imbalances in the brain

Psychology’s Subfields Psychometrics – measurement of human abilities. – Ex. Creates aptitude tests like SAT, personality questionnaires Basic Research – research in psychology to increase our knowledge of the field. – Examples: Developmental psychology- change throughout the human life span (develop, grow, age) Educational psychology – how psych processes affect teaching and learning Personality psychology – individual traits Social psychology - how humans relate to one another

Psychology’s Subfields Applied Research – using what you’ve learned to help others – Examples Industrial/organizational psychology – help improve performance and well-being in the workplace Human factors psychology – designing machines and work environments that are best for people Counseling psychology – assists people in problems with work, family school (Masters Degree) Clinical psychology - – diagnose and treats people with psych disorders, can’t prescribe medication(PhD) Psychiatry - diagnoses and treats psych disorders, but can prescribe medication (Medical Doctor – M.D.)

Psychology’s Subfields Applied Research – – Examples Community Psychology - aims to prevent disorders from developing by evaluating issues that potentially could affect the health and wellness of individuals in a community Forensic Psychology – apply psychological principles to legal issues by helping law-enforcement in criminal investigations School Psychology – diagnose, treat cognitive, social, and emotional problems that may negatively influence children’s learning or overall functioning at school Sports Psychology – work with coaches and athletes to help them improve their performance