1. What psychology is not…

2. Benefits of Psychology Activity On a separate sheet of paper, brainstorm and identify the benefits you hope to gain by studying psychology. You must come up with at least 10 things.

3. Para/pseudopsychology (What Psychology is not.) Parapsychology - the field of study concerned with the supernatural or other phenomena that science cannot explain. AKA – Phony, fake, or unscientific psychology. ESP – Extra sensory perception

4. Dangers of Para/Pseudopsychology Can cause: Beliefs of racial superiority Beliefs of demonic possession as a cause of metal illness Lobotomies Etc

5. More Specific Dangers of Pseudopsychology Confirmation Bias – We pay attention to events that confirm our beliefs and ignore evidence that contradicts them. Fraud – Waste time, money, and talent on inaccurate methods. Can be used to falsely confirm racial or sexual stereotypes. Acceptance of inaccurate methods for treating psychological disorders. Facilitated communication

6. 4 forms of ESP Precognition – Ability to know about events before the occur. Psychokinesis – Ability to make objects move by thinking of them as moving. Telepathy – The direct transmission of thoughts or ideas from persons to person without anything being spoken or written down. Clairvoyance – The ability to perceive objects that are out of the range of human senses.

7. What is Psychology? Psychology – The scientific study of behavior and mental processes. Behavior – An action that other people can observe or measure.

8. Goals of Psychology Explain, predict, and control behavior. Psychologists organize their ideas about behavior and mental processes into theories. Theory – A statement that attempts to explain why things are the way they are and happen the way they do.