1. PSYCHOLOGY THE SYSTEMATIC STUDY OF BEHAVIOR AND MENTAL PROCESSES

2. Why do we study psychology? To describe To predict To explain To change our behavior and experience To make sound decisions To help people

3. GOALS To challenge “common sense” To gain understanding and tolerance To prepare for times that will be both good and bad, and all points between

4. We all know that: If it doesn’t kill us it will just make us stronger. We would never do that! We can multitask effectively. Our emotions impair our reasoning. Couples should stay together for the kids. Nice guys finish last.

5. The scientific study of behavior Wide scope Emphasis on evidence acquired through the methods of science

6. How about animals? Do animals think? Are they smart? Do they feel emotions?

7. How important is psychology? Abu Ghraib

8. Why psychology? Are nonstop electronics posing risks?

9. Special Education

10. Enhancing performance

11. Big Questions Do we have Free Will? Do we really make decisions or are we just playing out a script? Chaos Sin Crime

12. What do psychologists do? Explore biopsychology Brain trauma Drugs - neurotransmitters Genetics Evolutionary influences

13. Study our cognitive capabilities and processes. How do we think and acquire knowledge? How can we treat learning disabilities? How can we control our “self talk”?

14. Study human development When should we able to perform various tasks? What is the process of our development- from conception to death. What causes things to go wrong

15. Social psychology The study of the influences we exert on one another. Persuasion. The intersection of law and psychology. the jury system the death penalty

16. Professionals Counselors who listen and treat Psychiatrists who can prescribe Psychoanalysts who analyze

17. Industrial organizational Using psychology in the work setting How do employers select, train and pay their employees NFL combine

18. Psychology as a Major? Suitable for many purposes Employment – Without a Master’s With a Master’s P.H.D. programs Women - the new majority? Professional schools Typical classes

19. The history of psychology From the dawn of time ….. The Bible – Proverbs The Greeks tragedies Aristotle- observation and rational analysis

20. History cont. The Scientific Method – applying the rigor of the physical sciences to behavior and consciousness 1880 Wilhelm Wundt The fist lab devoted to psychology Ran experiments, collected data Studied consciousness – with little success

21. History Cont. 1880 – William James & Functionalism Stark contrast to Wundt Focus on utility The Principles of Psychology Inspirational, timeless But no research

22. History vi two geniuses Pavlov- 1905, Moscow The discovery of Classical Conditioning and the dawn of behaviorism Freud- 1900, Vienna The birth of psychodynamic theory Personality and behavior are controlled by unconscious forces stemming from our childhood Dominated treatment and personality theory

23. History- behaviorism Experience? Thoughts? Emotions? Who cares?!? In response to frustration with animal IQ studies and the vague nature and unsettling assumptions of psychodynamics GOAL – to observe and quantify without inferences FOCUS – use animals to uncover the basic laws of learning and behavior

24. History of psychology beyond behaviorism Albert Ellis – the power of irrational thinking – self talk “I must be approved or loved by every significant person in my community” “If I’m not thoroughly compe- tent in everything I do, I’m worthless.”