1. Psychology: Introduction and Major Perspectives
What do you know about Psychology?

2. What is Psychology?
Psychology – scientific discipline that studies behavior and mental processes.
Why do we do what we do?
Why are some things scary? How do you respond to stress?
Is Psych a science or pseudoscience?
Pseudoscience – a practice that pretends to be a science in order to claim legitimacy
Usually lacks scientific method
Psychology uses the scientific method but can you really study a mental process?
By the end of this year, you’ll be able to answer this question.

3. Major Perspectives of Psychology
Behaviorism – focuses on the role of learning in explaining observable behavior.
Behavior is learned through environmental factors like rewards and punishments
Why don’t you put your hand on a hot stove?
If a toddler throws a temper tantrum and gets the toy he wants, what does he learn?

4. Biological (Neuroscience)
Examines the relationship between biological processes and behavior.
How do heredity, hormones, and your brain impact your behavior?
Some factors such as schizophrenia and depression have been linked to heredity.
Intelligence, personality, and abnormal behavior have biological links.
Phineas Gage (1848)

5. Socio-cultural
Study of how behavior and attitudes are shaped by social and cultural influences.
Ethnicity, gender, lifestyle, income & culture
Are their gender differences in basic abilities in math or verbal skills?
How does your culture impact your reaction to certain events?
What if you moved to another country?

6. Cognitive
Study the mental processes by which we acquire knowledge – how we learn, solve problems etc.
Placing value on objects or goals (like good grades) & what you expect about the outcome of your behavior
If I get a good grade, then I will get into college
How do you study someone’s private thoughts?

7. Psychoanalysis
Emphasizes the role of unconscious motives and conflicts in determining behavior
Freud
Unconscious – not a result of active thought
Abnormal behavior patterns are rooted in unconscious conflicts from childhood.

8. Humanistic
Study that believes that free will and conscious choice are essential aspects of human nature
No two people are alike
Emphasizes the importance of self-awareness
Be the real you
Down side – completely subjective and can’t be scientifically measured

9. Older Perspectives in Psychology
Functionalism – focuses on how behavior helps people adapt to the demands placed on them by their environment.
Natural selection of behavior
Adaptive behaviors become stronger and habitual, less useful ones disappear
Structuralism – study of how individuals consciously react to a stimulus (light and sound)
Horror movie background music
Flashing lights

10. Real Life Case Study
Each student will join the group assigned to their perspective
Reading on Mary Bell the 11 year old serial killer
As you read, examine the story from your assigned Psychological perspective to determine what caused her to become a serial killer.
Afterwards groups will present their findings to their classmates.