1. Welcome to Human Behavior
PSYCHOLOGY
SOCIOLOGY

2. Definitions Psychology Is the science of behavior and mental processes
Sociology
Is the science of human society and social behavior

3. PSYCHOLOGY Three Major Organizations
APA
American Psychological Association
APS
Association for Psychological Science
APA
American
Psychiatric
Association

4. American Psychological Association
Founded in 1892 by G. Stanley Hall
Today it is made up of 54 divisions
Each division represents an area of special interest to contemporary psychologists

5. Areas of Special Interest in PSYCHOLOGY
Developmental
Studies the processes and changes involved in human mental and physical growth in specific time frames in life
-Ex. Child Psychologists
Psychology
These careers mirror demographic changes
-Baby boom= lots of child psy.
-Now older people= geriatric psy.

6. Areas of Special Interest in PSYCHOLOGY
Physiological Psychology
Investigates the extent to which behavior is caused by physical and chemical phenomena in the body
They study the brain, the nervous system, and the body’s biochemistry
Example: why coffee makes us nervous

7. Areas of Special Interest in PSYCHOLOGY
Experimental Psychology
Investigates such basic psychological processes as learning, memory, sensation, perception, cognition, motivation, and emotion
BIG TOPICS FOR OUR CLASS!!!!!!!
Careers: Mostly at the college level, few make a career out of it

8. Areas of Special Interest in PSYCHOLOGY
Personality Psychology
Investigates the differences among people in such traits as anxiety, sociability, self-esteem, the need for achievement, and aggressiveness
Is shyness a personality trait or simply the response to an unfamiliar social situation?
Introvert v. Extrovert

9. Areas of Special Interest in PSYCHOLOGY
Clinical and Counseling Psychology
About ½ of all psychologists specialize in this division
Patients or “clients”
Interested primarily in the diagnosis, causes, and treatments of psychological disorders

10. Areas of Special Interest in PSYCHOLOGY
Industrial Psychology
Studies the nature of humans at work
Ex-Does the physical appearance of a workplace impact productivity? Quality?

11. Areas of Special Interest in PSYCHOLOGY
Consumer Psychology
Focuses on the nature of the human consumer
What makes people buy things?
Work includes advertising firms and private companies
Ex- Children and bright cereal boxes

12. Areas of Special Interest in PSYCHOLOGY
Environmental Psychology
Studies the impact of our environment on human behavior
Work: Architects, Landscape Design, Urban Planners

13. Areas of Special Interest in PSYCHOLOGY
Community
Other Divisions of the APA:
Consumer PSY
Industrial
Organizational
TEACHING OF
PSYCHOLOGY
School
Addictions
Educational
Social
KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESE TWO…
Page 9 In Your Packet Describes A Few More Specialties…

14. What is the difference between…
CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST
Ph.D. in clinical psychology (LOTS AND LOTS of psych classes and training).
Can provide different types of therapy but can NOT prescribe medicine.
PSYCHIATRIST
M.D. (LOTS AND LOTS of medical school classes) and additional training in mental hospitals/clinics
Uses medical therapy (drugs, shock therapy, etc)
LETS LOOK AT PACKET PAGE 8 FOR OTHER JOBS AND PROFESSIONAL REQUIREMENTS.

15. Where it all Began Logic and ideas of ancient Greeks
Plato and Aristotle had theory of Associationism:
-learn and understand by making associations between events they observe

16. This is still the biggest debate in psychology:
Nature
vs.
Nurture
MOST PEOPLE RECOGNIZE THAT IT IS BOTH NATURE AND NURTURE THAT MAKES US WHO WE ARE…BUT THE REAL QUESTION IS “HOW MUCH IS DETERMINED BY NATURE AND HOW MUCH IS DETERMINED BY NURTURE.”

17. Debating since the 17th Century…
(NATURE)
Rene Descartes-wrote that mind and body are separate and interact to make us who we are
AKA: The Nativist View- emphasizes nature (GENETICS, HEREDITY) accounts for who we are
(NURTURE)
John Locke- who we are comes through our senses and associations between events
AKA: The Empiricists Position- Locke believed each person was a blank slate SHAPED BY EXPERIENCE