1. The Evolution of Psychology
Chapter 1

2. What is Psychology?
The scientific study of behavior and mental processes

3. First Wave Introspection Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920)
-A German philosopher-physician, made psychology an independent discipline-separate from philosophy/physiology
-First formal laboratory for research in psychology
-Founder of Psychology
-Psychology became the scientific study of conscious experience

4. Introspection - careful, systematic self-observation of one’s own conscious experience (analyze what they experienced in controlled setting/lab i.e., auditory tones)
More scientific – laboratory setting

5. E. B. Titchener (Wundt’s student)
Structuralism – the approach to discovering the basic elements, or structures, of mental processes; so called because of its focus on identifying the structures of the human mind
-Break conscious experience down into its constituent, sensation, feelings and images – structure of consciousness

6. - Influenced by “Natural Selection” (Darwin)
William James ( )
Functionalism was based on the belief that psychology should investigate the function or purpose of the mind, rather than structure.
In other words, functionalism looks at what the mind is for instead of what it is.
- How people adapt to their environment.(embedded in culture and intellectual influences)
- Influenced by “Natural Selection” (Darwin)

7. 2nd Wave Gestalt Psychology
Max Wertheimer ( ) – Founder
Gestalt psychology tries to understand the laws of our ability to acquire and maintain meaningful perceptions in an apparently chaotic world. The central principle of gestalt psychology is that the mind forms a global whole with self- organizing tendencies
“The whole is greater than the sum of its parts”
Big impact in the field of visual perception and problem solving (Wolfgang Kohler )

8. Contemporary Approaches to Psychology
Biological
Behaviorism
Psychodynamic
Humanistic
Cognitive
Evolutionary
Sociocultural

9. Biological Approach
Focuses on the body, especially the brain and nervous system
Ex. Researchers might investigate the way your heart races when you are afraid
Ex. How your hands sweat when you tell a lie
Neuroscience: study of the structure, function, development, genetics, and biochemistry of the nervous system
Neuroscientists believe that thoughts and emotions have a physical basis in the brain

10. Behaviorism
- Behaviorism – scientific psychology should study only observable behavior
- Abandon the study of consciousness
- Nature vs. Nurture – downplayed the importance of heredity. Behavior is governed primarily by the environment
- Events in the environment (stimuli) produce overt behaviors (responses), which are observable - Stimulus-Response Psychology
- Ivan Pavlov ( )/John B. Watson ( ) – Classical Conditioning

11. B. F. Skinner (1904-1990) - Behaviorist
- Did not deny the existence of internal mental events-but could not be studied scientifically
- Worked with rats and pigeons in laboratories
- Operant conditioning – repeat responses that lead to positive outcomes (Punishment and Reward)
- No Free Will

12. Psychoanalysis/Psychodynamic Sigmund Freud (1856-1939)
- emphasized unconscious thought, the conflict between biological drives and society’s demands, and early childhood family experiences
- Psychological disturbances are largely caused by personal conflicts existing at an unconsciousness level – Psychoanalytic theory
- Unconscious – thoughts, memories and desires below consciousness but greatly influences behavior
- No Free Will
- Unconscious Determinism – our behavior is controlled by forces of which we are unaware
- Sexual Urges/Instant Gratification/Internal Conflicts

13. Humanism
- Humanism – emphasizes the unique qualities of humans, especially their freedom and their potential for personal growth
- Optimistic view of human nature
- Humans are fundamentally different from other animals – research on animals has little relevance

14. Humanistic Perspective Cont.
view humans as essentially “good” and unique among species because they have free will (conscious and rational)
A basic need to fulfill this potential
 Carl Rogers ( ) and Abraham Maslow ( ) are the strongest advocate of human freewill, arguing that we are able to direct our lives towards self-chosen goals.
Individuals have the power to solve their own problems through insight – humanistic based therapies.

15. Cognitive Perspective
- Emphasizes the mental processes involved in knowing: how we direct our attention, perceive, remember, think, and solve problems
-Jean Piaget ( ) – Interest in child cognitive development
-Noam Chomsky ( ) – psychological underpinning in language
-Psychology must study internal mental events to fully understand behavior

16. Evolutionary Approach
Approach that is centered on evolutionary ideas such as adaptation, reproduction, and natural selection
Evolutionary psychologists argue that the way we adapt is traceable to problems early humans faced in adapting to their environment
Ex. Body shape influences our decision making, level of aggressiveness, fears, and mating patterns

17. Sociocultural Approach
Examines the ways in which social and cultural environments influence behavior
Socioculturalists argue that understanding a person’s behavior requires knowing about the cultural context in which the behavior occured

18. Cultural Diversity
-Traditionally Western Psychologist have focused on how well their theories can be generalized to non-western cultures, ethnic minorities or even women as opposed to men.
Why just a focus on Western Psychology:
Cross-Cultural research is costly, difficult, and time consuming

19. Cultural Diversity Con't
-In recent years Western psychologists have begun to recognize that their neglect of cultural variables has diminished the value of their work
-Population External Validity – generalizing the results to a larger population. It is limited to individuals with the same characteristics as those in the sample.

20. Cultural Diversity Con't
Cultural comparisons may inadvertently foster stereotypes of various cultural groups
Ethnocentrism – tendency to view one’s own group as superior to others and as the standard for judging the worth of foreign ways
Cultural Diversity Con't

22. Research Areas Developmental Social Experimental Physiological
Cognitive
Personality
Psychometrics

23. Applied Psychology Clinical Counseling Educational and school
Industrial and Organizational

24. Themes of Psychology
-Psychology is Empirical – knowledge should be acquired through direct observation
-Psychology is theoretically diverse
-Psychology evolves in a sociohistorical content
-Behavior is determined by multiple causes
-Behavior is shaped by cultural heritage
-Heredity and Environment jointly influence behavior
-People’s experience of the world is highly subjective