1. Unit 1 Psychology’s History and Approaches
Define psychology-science of behavior and mental processes
Nature (inborn) v. Nurture (environment)
Wilhelm Wundt-father of Psych-(mid/late 1800s)
Established. psy. as independent discipline -first psych lab in Germany
Wundt looked at conscious experiences
Wundt’s international influence:
G. Stanley Hall ( ), Student of Wuntz
Established first psych. laboratory in the U.S. in
1883-John Hopkins U
Psychology became the scientific study of
conscious experience (things we were aware of)
Structuralism-Edward Titchener /introspection
(response to own sensations)
Functionalism-William James (wrote The Principles of Psychology)
Mary Calkins-1st women president of APA 1905-denied degree from Harvard
Margaret Floy Washburn -first women Ph.D-2nd APA president 1921

2. The Battle of the “Schools” in the U. S. : Structuralism vs
The Battle of the “Schools” in the U.S.: Structuralism vs. Functionalism
Edward Titchener, an Englishman, came to US in
1892- taught at Cornell -earned degree in Wundt’s lab
Founded Structuralism:
Analyzed consciousness’s basic elements
(hearing/seeing):
Involved 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
Gestalt Psychology formed in response to structuralism
whole of anything (human mind/behaviors) is greater than its individual parts/the sum of its parts
Remember gestalt principles in Unit 4, Perception
Two intellectual schools of thought regarding the science of psychology fought it out in the academic arena, with the fight led by Edward Titchener in the STRUCTURALISM corner and William James in the FUNCTIONALISM corner.
The structuralists believed that psychology should be about analyzing consciousness into its basic elements, just as physicists were studying how matter was made up of basic particles…to do this, Titchener and his followers relied on introspection, a process by which a person makes careful, systematic self-observations of one’s own conscious experience.
The functionalists thought this missed the point. James and his followers thought psychology should be about investigating the function or purpose of consciousness, rather than its structure.

3. Structuralism vs. Functionalism
William James (Harvard Teacher)-founded Functionalism:
Structuralism went to the laboratory
While functionalists focused on how people adapt their behavior to real world demands
Investigated function (what does it do) of
consciousness rather than its structure
1890-He wrote The Principles of Psychology
(study of the mind, sensation, memory and
reason)
Other History
Mary Calkins-1st women president of APA 1905; Harvard denied her a degree
Margaret Floy Washburn -first women Ph.D-2nd APA president 1921

4. Wundt
Father of Psychology

5. Edward Titchener
Structuralism

6. William James
Functionalism

7. Psychological Approaches/Perspectives (8)
Psychodynamic psychology
Behavioral psychology
Humanistic psychology
Biological/Biomedical psychology
Evolutionary psychology
Cognitive psychology
Social-cultural psychology
Biopsychosocial

8. Unit 1- Eight Perspectives
1. Psychoanalytic
Unconscious experiences (childhood and sexual) and conflicts influence behaviors, disorders, personality, motivation
Key Figure:
Sigmund Freud ( ): Austrian medical doctor
First to do therapy on women with conversion disorders
Criticism of: Unscientific and Unreliable
2. Behavioral (Totally Nurture View)
Looked at Overt, Observable behaviors only /scientific study of behaviors-drastic turn from unconscious or even consciousness
Least concerned with underlying causes of behaviors
Rewards (reinforcements) and punishments impact on behavior/learning or stimulus response relationships (Skinner)
Key Figures:
Ivan Pavlov (Classical Cond.-salivation of dogs)
John Watson 1878 to 1958 (-classical conditioning, father of behaviorism-First to use classical Cond. on human=Little Albert)
BF Skinner (operant conditioning) –Rats and Pigeons
Criticism of: Did not consider importance of cognitive processes

9. Perspectives 3. Humanistic
Opposed theories 1 and 2-over lack of control by believed humans had over their own behaviors
Humans have innate potential for growth and are good
Humans have Control over own behaviors
Key Figures:
Abraham Maslow ( ) and Carl Rogers ( )
Criticism of: belief in goodness of human nature
4. Biological/biomedical-Total Nature View
Physical/Biological processes (brain chemistry/ neurotransmitters /body systems/ hormones)
responsible for behaviors
I flee a situation because certain chemicals are released that make me feel fear
6. Socio-cultural/Social Learning/Socio Cultural-imitation of models/one’s culture (Bandura) 7. Bio/psycho/social-combination of perspectives 8. Cognitive-problem solving. language; interpretation of situations, irrational beliefs and ideas Gestalt Psychology= whole of anything (human mind/behaviors) is greater than its individual parts/the sum of its parts

10. Perspectives 5. Evolutionary (Darwin)
Natural selection occurs for behavioral, as well as physical, characteristics
All behaviors (anger, aggression, outgoing, motivation etc…) are to ensure reproductive success and survival, even survival of future generations
Skills passed to future generations
6. Socio-cultural /Social Learning/ Cultural
observe and imitation of models/one’s culture
Key Figure:
Albert Bandura- BoBo Doll Experiment
7. Bio/psycho/social-combination of perspectives
Example: Depression due to low serotonin, coping skills, recent breakup
8. Cognitive-
interpretation or what we think about situations and problems; self
talk, irrational beliefs and ideas
Internal, mental processes involved in acquiring knowledge
(perception, problem solving, memory, language)

11. Psychological Science Develops
Sigmund Freud

12. Behaviorism- alters psychologies course
John B. Watson
Behaviorism- alters psychologies course

13. BF Skinner 1904-1990 operant conditioning-pigons /rats
Environmental factors determine behavior
Responses that lead to positive outcomes are repeated
Responses that lead to negative outcomes are not repeated

14. BF Skinner 1904-1990 Beyond Freedom and Dignity
- free will an illusion. -showed he could have control over behavior by manipulating the outcome of responses..

15. Humanism
Abraham Maslow
Carl Rogers

16. History in Order of Theory/Perspective Know This
Structuralism
Functionalism
Psychoanalytic
Behaviorism
Humanism

17. Positive Psychology Humanism
Martin Seligman’s
Humanist concerns revisited
Uses theory and research to better understand the positive, creative, and fulfilling aspects of humans
Positive subjective experiences
Positive individual traits
Positive institutions and communities
In 1997, Martin Seligman, having just been elected president of the APA, had an epiphany when his daughter told him he was too often “grumpy”. Seligman realized that both he was negative in his approach to life, and that psychology too was predominantly negative in its approach to human thought and behavior.
These concerns were similar to those raised by humanist psychologists some 50 years earlier.
Positive psychologists focus on those things that make life worth living, including (1) positive subjective experiences (e.g., happiness, love, gratitude), (2) positive individual traits (e.g., strengths and virtues), and (3) positive institutions and communities (e.g., strong families, healthy work environments).

18. Cultural or socio-cultural Psychology:
Ethnocentrism – viewing one’s own group as superior and as the standard for judging the worth of foreign ways
The vast majority of psychological research seeking to identify general principles of behavior that could be applied to all of humanity has been conducted in the United States, by white middle and upper class males studying white middle and upper class males. Little attention was paid, historically, to how this research might apply to non-Western cultures, ethnic minorities, or women.
In the late 80’s, however, a movement toward incorporating cultural factors into research and theory emerged…this was in part due to sociopolitical forces (civil rights movement, women’s movement, etc.), but most notably to the advances in international communication and increased global interdependence, as well as the increasingly diverse multicultural make-up of the Western world.

19. Unit 1 Areas in Psychology
Experimental psychology (Research)
Clinical psychology (Doctorate Degree)
Counseling psychology (Master’s Degree/Social Workers)
Developmental psychology
Personality psychology
Industrial/Organizational psychology (employee satisfaction, management training, management-employee relations, retention of employees)
Educational/school psychology
Social psychology
Psychometrics-tests to measure psychological variables (intelligence, aptitude, and personality traits)

20. Figure 1.8 Major research areas in contemporary psychology

21. Figure 1.9 Principal professional specialties in contemporary psychology

22. Psychological Approaches/Perspectives

23. Psychological Approaches/Perspectives

24. Table 1.1 Overview of Six Contemporary Theoretical Perspectives in Psychology