1. What is psychology?

2. Behavior Cognitive Activities
Recap: Psychology is…..
The study of behavior and mental processes
Behavior
Any action that people can observe and measure
Cognitive Activities
Private, unobservable mental processes such as perception, thought and problem solving

3. Recap: the Goals of Psychology are…
Describe
Explain
Predict
Influence

4. Recap: Psychology is like a TREE because…

5. Psychology as a science is both …..
A Social Science—deal with the structure of human society and nature and interactions of individuals who make up society
And
A Natural Science—concerned with the nature of the physical world

6. In that scientific process Psychologists…
“Evaluate the “what, how and why of a PRINCIPLE of the human experience by developing a THEORY in which they often create a PSYCHOLOGICAL CONSTRUCT to achieve their goals.”

7. In that scientific process Psychologists…
“Evaluate the “what, how and why of a PRINCIPLE of the human experience by developing a THEORY in which they often create a PSYCHOLOGICAL CONSTRUCT to achieve their goals.”
Principle: a basic truth or law that is common to the human experience
Theory: a statement that attempts to explain why things are and why they happen the way they do.
Psychological Construct: a theoretical concept that enables one to discuss something that cannot be seen, touched or measured directly

8. As a Science it employs the ….
Question
Hypothesis
Experiment
Results Analysis
Conclusion

9. Famous Psychological approaches

10. Structuralism and William Wundt
Trained as a physiologist (study of how body works) is considered the first psychologist. Focus solely on working of the mind.
Structuralism Defined:
Study of the basic elements of how the mind make up the mental experiences.
Done through subject doing introspection reports.

11. Functionalism and William James
Considered the father of American psychology; influenced by Darwin’s theory of survival of fittest
Functionalism Defined:
the study of the function rather than the structure of the mind
Concerned with the function or the purpose of mental process; the “why” not the “how.” For James, how did our thought processes promote survival

12. Contemporary Psychological Perspectives
Subject Matter
Key Assumption
Psychoanalytic
Unconscious processes, early childhood experiences
Unconscious motives influence behavior
Learning
Environmental influences, learning, observational learning
Personal experience and reinforcement guide individual development
Sociocultural
Ethnicity, gender, culture, socioeconomic status
Sociocultural, biological, and psychological factors create individual differences

13. Freud and Psychoanalysis
Study of the unconscious
Belief that all behavior is motivated by psychological processes by psychodynamic conflicts within ourselves
Sexual and aggressive instincts, clashing with society’s rules, generated many hidden conflicts

14. John B. watson and Behaviorism
Theory of thought that does not address consciousness, but observable behavior
Belief that learning is the most important cause of behavior

15. “If I had enough control over the environment, I could create learning experiences that would turn any infant into a doctor, lawyer, or even a criminal.” - John B. Watson

16. Abraham Maslow and Humanism
“If you plan on being anything less than what You are capable of being, you will probably be unhappy all the days of your life.”

17. Contemporary Psychological Perspectives
Subject Matter
Key Assumption
Psychoanalytic
Unconscious processes, early childhood experiences
Unconscious motives influence behavior
Learning
Environmental influences, learning, observational learning
Personal experience and reinforcement guide individual development
Sociocultural
Ethnicity, gender, culture, socioeconomic status
Sociocultural, biological, and psychological factors create individual differences

18. Contemporary psychological perspectives
Subject Matter
Key Assumption
Biological
Nervous system, glands, hormones, genetic factors
Biological processes influence behavior and mental processes
Evolutionary
Physical traits, social behavior
Adaptive organisms survive and transmit their genes to future generations
Cognitive
Interpretation of mental images, thinking, language
Perceptions and thoughts influence behavior
Humanistic
Self-concept
People make free and conscious choices based on their unique experiences

19. Your Task
Bluto, the neighborhood bully, is constantly teasing the other children on his block. Explain Bluto’s behavior using your assigned psychological approach.

20. Example from an Evolutionary Perspective….
Bluto’s aggressive behavior is symptomatic of our primal instincts of survival of the fittest.

21. OTHER POSSIBLE ANSWER…
Biological: Bluto’s aggressive behavior may be caused by abnormal brain structures, an imbalance in brain chemistry and overactive hormones.
Cognitive: Bluto views the world as a hostile place, and his decision-making processes have let him to the conclusion that aggression is the best way to combat such hostility.
Psychoanalytic: Bluto harbors strong aggressive instincts in his unconscious mind, and these instincts are driving his behavior toward other children in the neighborhood.
Learning: Bluto’s aggression towards other children because he has observed others in his life deal with problems aggressively. 21