1. History of Psychology

2. Lecture Overview What is Psychology? History of Psychology Early views of Mental Disorder Origins of Psychological Science Psychological Science Today –Levels of analysis

3. What is Psychology? Psychology is the study of the –Mind -- mental activity such as thoughts, feelings, and subjective experiences –Brain – an organ in the skull that produces mental activity and behavior –Behavior – any observable action or response

4. History of Psychology Interest in understanding human behavior and mental processes has existed for centuries Areas of interest: –Consciousness –Madness or Mental Disorder

5. History of Psychology Written documents addressing these issues date back 25 centuries to the Greek Philosophers Socrates, Aristotle, & Plato In Asia, evidence of interest in exploring consciousness and in controlling it with meditation and yoga In Africa, personality and mental disorder explained based on traditional spiritual beliefs

6. Early Views of Mental Disorder Earliest conceptions of mental disorder – displeasure of the gods or demonic possession –E.g., Ancient Babylonians – insanity resulted from possession by the demon Idta

7. Early Views of Mental Disorder Treatment developed out of conception of mental disorders –Flogging –Starvation –Drinking “unpalatable brews” –Trephining

8. Trephining

10. Early Views of Mental Disorder Evidence of Humane Treatment –Sleeping in the temple of the deity of healing –Artistic endeavors –Bathing in hot springs –Exercise –Those who were not cured, however, were chased from the temples and/or stoned

11. Early Views of Mental Disorder Hippocrates (460-377 B.C.) –Earliest proponent of somatogensis Mental disorder resulted from disturbances of the body NOT demonic possession Stress can also damage the mind and body

12. Early Views of Mental Disorder Hippocrates –Normal Functioning depended on delicate balance of four “humors” or body fluids –Mental Disorder resulted from an imbalance of these “humors” Blood – changeable mood Black Bile -- melancholia Yellow Bile (choler) – irritable; anxious Phlegm – sluggish or dull

13. Early Views of Mental Disorder Treatment –Looked for natural remedies –E.G., For melancholia Tranquility Sobriety Care in choosing food and drink Abstinence from sexual activity

14. History of Psychology Galen (1 st Century AD) – autopsy of apes  lead to his belief in the role of the brain in mental function 3 rd Century AD -- Return to demonology; mentally ill as witches (?); Church had responsibility for care of mentally ill 1700’s -- move toward Psychogenesis – mental disorders attributed to psychic malfunctions 1850’s -- Return to Somatogenesis with publication of Kraeplin’s classification system

15. Origins of Psychological Science Nature -vs- Nurture Debate

16. Origins of Psychological Science Nature -vs- Nurture Debate Ongoing debate since the time of the Greeks about causes of psychological characteristics Nature  psychological characteristics are biologically determined or innate; that is, we are born with it Nurture  psychological characteristics are acquired through learning, experience, or culture

17. Origins of Psychological Science Nature -vs- Nurture Debate E.G., Schizophrenia; intelligence Current thinking  all behavior is some combination of Nature and Nurture

18. Implications of the Nature/Nurture Debate Thinking, feeling, experiencing, behavior have multiple causes Biology is NOT destiny

19. Origins of Psychology as a Science 1637 Cartesian Dualism Nature -vs- Nurture Debate Religious doctrine  the mind and the brain were separate entities Descartes – mind and brain were separate but related Current conception – the mind is what the brain does!

20. Implications of Mind-Body Debate 1637 Cartesian Dualism Nature -vs- Nurture Debate Brain Mind Behavior

21. Origins of Psychology as a Science 1637 Cartesian Dualism 1859 Darwin –Theory of Natural selection Species evolve through a process known as natural selection Characteristics that were adaptive in specific environments had a selective advantage

22. Survival Mechanisms: Famine Taste-specific satiety – become satiated more quickly when exposed to a single flavor than to a variety of flavors We have a preference for foods that are high in fat and sugar Current Implications – high rate of obesity

23. Survival Mechanisms: Learning Specific area of the brain that recognizes reward This area of the brain “lights up” when a behavior is followed by a biologically relevant consequence Leads to repetition of the behavior Current Implications  brain mechanisms that set us up for addiction

24. Survival Mechanisms: Sex Gender differences in tendency toward promiscuity develops from need to ensure survival of offspring –Males  more sexual partners means greater number of offspring survive –Females  better sexual partners means greater likelihood of offspring survival Remember: Biology is NOT destiny

25. Implications of Evolutionary Theory Pioneering research in animals could be used to explain human behavior –Pavlov’s dogs – implications for human learning –Helmholtz’ research on nerve impulses in frogs could be used to understand nerve impulses in humans –Animal models of addiction, ADHD and other mental disorders allow us to determine brain areas involved in these disorders and novel compounds for treatment

26. Origins of Psychology as a Science 1859 Darwin –Theory of Natural selection 1879 Wundt introduces Structuralism Structuralism – conscious experience can be broken down into its most basic components or elements Introspection – the process of reporting on one’s own mental experiences of a stimulus Identified major areas of interest to psychologists

27. Origins of Psychology as a Science 1879 Wundt introduces Structuralism James introduces Functionalism 1890 William James – Argued that structuralism was too narrow Functionalism – Influenced by Darwinian Theory The mind evolved to serve adaptive functions These adaptive functions should be evident in behavior and in daily life; thus interested in studying the functions of the mind

28. Origins of Psychology as a Science James introduces Functionalism 1890 1900 Freud – the unconscious Freud – as physician, found patients with neurological symptoms that had no physical explanation Unconscious mind – much of mental activity occurred outside of an individual’s conscious awareness Mental disorder – unconscious mental forces in conflict

29. Origins of Psychology as a Science 1900 Freud – the unconscious Gestalt Psychology the whole > the sum of its parts 1912 Gestalt Theory We perceive information as uniform and whole not as separate elements The whole is greater than the sum of its elements

30. Origins of Psychology as a Science

31. Gestalt Psychology the whole > the sum of its parts 1912 Behaviorism – Studying the mind is unscientific Observable behavior, not the mind, should be the focus of scientific inquiry All behavior is a function of environmental influences Behaviorism – behavior is a function of learning 1925

32. How do we Understand Behavior? 7 Levels of Analysis Genetic Neurochemical Brain Systems Behavioral Perceptual/Cognitive Individual Social/Cultural 7 Disciplines Biological Developmental Behavioral Cognitive Trait Clinical Sociocultural

33. Understanding Behavior using a Levels of Analysis Approach Depression –Genetics –Neurochemistry –Developmental –Perceptual/Cognitive Academic Performance –Genetics –Behavioral –Developmental –Perceptual/cognitive –Social/Cultural