1. Introduction to Psychology Class 3: Perspectives on Science & History of Psychology June 14, 2006

2. Carl Sagan What is CSISCOP? How might we define awe? What is an ad hominem argument? What is the role of counter-intuition in science? What did you think about the ideas presented in the reading assignment?

3. Richard Dawkins “Fundamentally, science just comes down to faith, doesn't it?“ Well, science is not religion and it doesn't just come down to faith. Although it has many of religion's virtues, it has none of its vices. Science is based upon verifiable evidence. Religious faith not only lacks evidence, its independence from evidence is its pride and joy, shouted from the rooftops. There is a very, very important difference between feeling strongly, even passionately, about something because we have thought about and examined the evidence for it on the one hand, and feeling strongly about something because it has been internally revealed to us, or internally revealed to somebody else in history and subsequently hallowed by tradition.

4. Thomas Kuhn Presented the idea that science does not evolve gradually toward truth, but instead undergoes periodic revolutions which he called paradigm shifts The Red Spade Study Evolution of science is more progress from than progress toward

5. History of Western Psychology STRUCTURALISM - Wilhelm Wundt established the first psychological laboratory in Leipzig in 1879 - The term was coined by Edward Titchener (student of Wundt) - The study of components underlying conscious experience via sensation and introspection - Example: Fechner’s jnd

6. FUNCTIONALISM - The structure was not central, instead they studied function - Not what it is but what is it for - William James established the first psychological laboratory in the US in 1896

7. BEHAVIORISM - Emphasized observable behavior - That which is learned by association, across species - Watson, Pavlov, Skinner

8. GESTALT - Whole is unequal to the sum of its parts - Emphasized context and meaning - Max Wertheimer (phi phenomenon) and Kohler (insight learning)

9. PSYCHODYNAMICS - Study of the interrelationship of various parts of the mind, personality, or psyche as they relate to mental, emotional, or motivational forces especially at the subconscious level - Freud, Jung, and Adler

10. HUMANISM - Therapist downplays the pathological aspects in favor of healthy aspects of a client’s life - Self-actualization and individual fulfillment - Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers