1. Psychology = Science of behavior and mental processes
A specific way of asking and answering questions.
Any action that is observable and thus recordable.
Internal experiences such as sensations, dreams, thoughts, and feelings.

2. -Life Before Psychology-
Philosophy asks questions about the mind:
Does perception accurately reflect reality?
How is sensation turned into perception?
Problem - No “scientific” way
of studying problems
René Descartes
( )
Biology (physiology) asks similar questions about the body
SCIENTIFIC
METHOD:
-Predict what will happen
-Systematically observe events
-Do events support predictions?

3. -Founders- John Locke (1600’s) “Tabula Rasa” or blank slate
Experience shapes the mind
NURTURE = EXPERIENCE
Charles Darwin (mid-1800s)
His idea of natural selection says that nature chooses those characteristics or behaviors that best enable an organism to survive
NATURE = BIOLOGY

4. -Psychology is Born- First Experimental Psych Lab (1879):
Focuses on the scientific study of the mind.
Wundt insists that Psych methods be as rigorous as the methods of chemistry & physics.
Wundt’s students start labs
across USA ( )
Wilhelm Wundt
( )
-University of Leipzig
-Harvard University
-Yale University
-Columbia University
-Catholic University
-Univ. of Pennsylvania
-Cornell University
-Stanford University

5. Looking inward will show us structure!
-Structuralism-
Looking inward will show us structure!
Introspection means to look inside oneself.
Introspection is also a technique used in which subjects report a response to stimuli (red light).
If we can understand the building blocks of basic processes, we will be able to put it together to understand complex processes.
Edward Titchener came to the U.S. and used Wundt’s approach.

6. Why do we do what we do?
-Functionalism-
William James, the first American psychologist, felt that structuralism was too limited.
James founded functionalism, which studied how complex mind processes evolve because of life preserving functions.
He studied not only observations, but how mental processes, emotions, and self-concept worked to influence behavior.

7. -Structuralism vs. Functionalism-
Analyze consciousness into basic elements
and study how they are related
Introspection - self-observation
of one’s own conscious experiences
Wilhelm Wundt
Functionalism
Investigate the function, or purpose,
of consciousness rather than its structure
Leaned toward applied work
(natural surroundings)
William James
( )

8. -Early Psychologists-
Mary Calkins ( ) was one of William James’ students at Harvard
She became the first woman to earn a PhD in Psychology at Harvard, but never received the degree
She later became the 1st female president of the APA

9. -Psychology (pre-1920)- Psychology Understanding Mental Processes
Wilhelm Wundt ( )
Physiologist & Perceptual Psychologist
Founder of Psychology as a Science
Experiments
Edward Titchner ( )
Student of Wundt
Formed Y at Cornell
Introspection
Psychology
Understanding
Mental Processes
William James ( )
Philosopher & Psychologist
Formed Y at Harvard

10. -Different Perspectives in Psychology- KNOW THESE!!!
Psychoanalytic Psychology - Freud
Behavioral Psychology - Actions
Biological Psychology - Biology
Cognitive Psychology - Thinking
Social-Cultural Psychology - Society
Humanistic Psychology - Pyramid

11. -Freud & Psychoanalysis-
Proposes the idea of the UNCONSCIOUS
Thoughts, memories & desires
exist below our conscious awareness
and exert an influence on our
behavior
Unconscious is expressed all the time, but is identified in dreams & “slips of the tongue”
Sigmund Freud
( )
Psychoanalytic perspective attempts to explain
personality, mental disorders & motivation in
terms of unconscious determinants of behavior

12. Mental processes cannot
-Behaviorism-
Scientific Psychology should focus on
observable behavior, not introspection.
Mental processes cannot
be studied directly
Psych = the Science of Behavior
John Watson
( )
Stimulus
Response
Psychology
“The rat never lies”

13. -Behaviorist Perspective-
Ivan Pavlov used conditioning of dogs to show that behavior is learned.
The dogs were conditioned to salivate when a tone was sounded.

14. -Psychology (1920s-1960s)- Behaviorism Science of observable actions
John B. Watson ( )
Behavior without reference to thought
Stimulus and Response Psychology
People do stuff… Why?
B. F. Skinner ( )
Behaviorism with a twist
The pigeon & the Skinner box

15. -Behavioral/Clinical Perspective-
Focus:
How we learn from observable responses.
How to best study, assess and treat troubled people.
Sample Issues:
How do we learn to fear particular objects or situations?
What is the most effective way to alter certain behaviors?
What are the underlying causes of:
Anxiety Disorders
Phobic Disorders
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders

16. -Biological Perspective-
Our behavior is a result of our physiological processes and natural development.
Study the psychological effects of genes, hormones, activity of the nervous system and the brain.
NATURE

17. -Biological Perspective-
Focus:
How the body and brain create emotions, memories,
and sensory experiences.
Sample Issues:
How do evolution and heredity influence behavior?
How are messages transmitted within the body?
How is blood chemistry linked with moods and motives?

18. -Cognitive Psychology-
Cognition is the mental processes
involved in acquiring, processing,
storing & using information
Cognitive Psychologists return
to the study of introspection;
memory, language, mental development & problem solving
Advent of computers (late 1950s) provides
a new model for thinking about the mind
Noam Chomsky
“Language”

19. -Cognitive Psychology (1960s-1990s)-
Science of Behavior
& Mental Processes
Cognitive Y
Sigmund Freud ( )
The dynamic unconscious mind
and Psychoanalysis
Computers as Metaphor for Mind
Study mind through inferences drawn
from observable behavior

20. -Cognitive Perspective-
Focus:
How we process, store, and retrieve information.
Sample Issues:
How do we use info in remembering and reasoning?
How do our senses govern the nature of perception?
(Is what you see really what you get?)
How much do infants “know” when they are born?

21. -Humanistic Perspective-
This perspective emphasizes the unique qualities of humans.
Free will, self-concept, and self-fulfillment are emphasized.
People are naturally positive and growth seeking.
Ex. - desire for love, self-esteem, acceptance, etc.

22. -Social-Cultural Perspective-
Focus:
How behavior and thinking vary across situations
and cultures.
Sample Issues:
How are we, as members of different races and
nationalities, alike as members of one human family?
How do we differ, as products of different social contexts?
Why do people sometimes act differently in groups than
when alone?

23. -Behavior is Shaped by Culture-
Personal Space
Value of
Education
Punctuality
Social Norms

24. -Influence of Heredity & Environment-
Nature versus Nurture

25. -The Biopsychosocial Model-
Takes into account all of the perspectives.
Views biological processes (genes, brain functions, etc.) psychological factors (learning, thinking, emotion, etc.) and social forces (family, school, culture, etc.) as interrelated influences.

26. -Work In Psychology- Elementary/ Universities & Secondary Colleges
27.2%
Elementary/
Secondary
Schools
4.2%
Independent
Practice
33.1%
Hospitals,
Counseling,
Clinics, etc.
22.3%
Business,
Government or
Consulting
12.1%

27. -Specialties In Psychology-
General/Quantitative
3.6%
Cognitive/Physio.
5.2%
Clinical,
Community
& Counseling
51.1%
Industrial/ Organizational
5.7%
Social/
Developmental
6.4%
Other
8.6%
Ed & School
19.4%