Download Introduction to Psychology

Introduction to Psychology
At the end of this unit the learner
should be able to:
1.1 Define terms such as psychology,
behaviour, and attitudes.
1.2 Describe the significance of
psychology (social) in community
health work.
1.3 Discuss the importance of
interpersonal relations with others in
the community
DEFINITION
• Defined first as the study of soul in its history
of evolution, it has been known gradually as
the study of the mind, study of consciousness
and finally study of behaviour ( when
behaviour is taken in its comprehensive
meaning involving all types of behaviour of all
living organisms).
NATURE OF PSYCHOLOGY
• Nature of psychology is quite scientific and
not philosophical or mysterious as supposed
to be considered in days gone by. Like
sciences, it believes in cause and other
scientific methods for its study, possesses a
universally accepted body of facts and
believes in the modification and alterations in
its principles thorough future researches and
findings.
SCOPE
• Scope of psychology is too wide. It studies,
describes and explains the behaviour of all the
living organisms. Living organisms and their
life activities are countless. Therefore no limit
can be imposed upon the scope of the subject
psychology.
BRANCHES OF PSYCHOLOGY
• It has many branches of studies. These may
include:
• educational;
• clinical;
• Industrial;
• social;
• legal, military, and political psychology.
DEFINITION OF BEHAVIOUR
• ‘’Any manifestation of life is activity’’ Says
woodworth [1948] and behaviour is a
collective name for these activities.
MOTOR ACTIVITIES
• Therefore, the term behaviour includes all
motor or conative activities [like walking,
swimming, dancing, etc.],
COGNITIVE ACTIVITIES
• cognitive activities [like thinking, reasoning,
imagining, etc] and
AFFECTIVE ACTIVITIES
• affective activities [like feeling, happy, sad
and angry, etc.].
• when we talk about the study of the
behaviour in psychology, we mean to study
the behaviour of all living organism in all walks
of their life.
• In a nutshell the term behaviour refers to the
entire life activities and experiences of all the
living organisms.
DEFINITION OF ATTITUDE
• Attitude can be defined as a tendency to
behave in a certain way (Campbell 1950;
Green, 1954).
• An attitude is a predisposition to feel, think
and act towards some object, person, group
or event in a more or less favourable or
unfavourable way.
• Many theorists believe that attitudes involve
all three of the elements identified by earlier
researchers-effect, cognitions, and behaviour.
• According to this tricomponent theory, an
attitude is (1) an affective feeling of disliking
based on (2) beliefs (cognitions) about an
object which (3) leads to a readiness to
behave in a certain manner (Breckler, 1984;
Smith, 1947; see Figure 5-1).
TRICOMPONENT THEORY
• Affect. ‘ I hate white,’ ‘Rose is a great baseball
player.’ ‘Blacks frighten me .’ ‘I like Italian food’
‘I can’t stand pushy women,’ All of these
statements illustrate the emotion in our
attitudes: the feeling of liking or disliking that
causes us to evaluate an object as good or bad.
• These emotional reactions make up the
affective component of an attitude, which can
be positive (liking, love, desire, wanting,
admiration), negative (disliking, hatred,
abhorrence, contempt, rejection), or neutral
(ambivalence, uncertainty, disinterest)
• Many theorists feel that the affective
component distinguishes an attitude from all
other psychological processes (Fishbein &
Ajzen, 1975).
• Cognition. The cognitive component of an
attitude includes various assumptions and
beliefs about aspects of our social world.
Although our beliefs can be as inaccurate as
the affective component is unfair, we feel that
these beliefs are supported by objective facts
and observations.
• An American who is prejudiced against
Russians, for example, may assume that they
deserve this rejection because they are
untrustworthy, aggressive, and unintelligent.
A prejudiced Anglo may believe that Chicanos
are lazy.
STEREOTYPES
• Such sweeping beliefs about the members of
other social groups are generally known as
stereotypes (Hamilton, 1979).
EXAMPLES OF STEREOTYPES
• (‘I dislike assertive women.’ Affect (‘ I get
angry when I see a woman doing a man’s job.’
• ( ‘ Wouldn’t hire a woman manager.’
• Attitude: Behavior
Sexism ( I pay my
girls less than the men’.
•
( ‘ I believe women should be wives not
workers) Cognition I think women are
inferior to men
IN SUMMARY
• Most social psychologists believe that our
attitudes also encompass a behavioural
component. A sexist man, for example, may
quit his job when he is transferred to a
department managed by a woman. A
prejudiced woman may discriminate against
blacks by treating them unfairly. In these two
cases, individuals’ overt actions are guided by
their attitudes.
• According to the tricomponent model,
attitudes form when all three componentsaffect, cognition, and behavior-become linked
together in an organized structure.
Importance of Psychology in Public
Health Work.
• The branch of psychology that deals with
communities is social psychology.
• Allport (1968) describes social psychology as
being concerned ‘to understand and explain
how the thought, feeling and behaviour of
individuals are influenced by actual, imagined
or implied presence of others’
Social Psychology: what it deals with.
• S.P deals with the group behaviour and interrelationships of people with other people.
• Group dynamics, likes, and dislikes, interests
and attitudes, social distance and prejudices
of the people in their personal and social
relationships form the subject matter of the
branch
Role of Attitudes in Public health work.
• Public health practitioners should be
concerned to discover the most acceptable
and effective means by which to influence
community attitudes and behaviour.
Some Examples Would Include:
• How can people be helped to act
spontaneously in ways that will benefit their
own health and health of those, like the young
and the old, for whom they may be
responsible?
• In particular, how can men and women be
persuaded that it is in their best interests to
have a periodic cancer check?
• What is the most satisfactory way of bringing
home to people the health risks involved in
heavy smoking of cigarettes?
• Can the prejudices of some sections of a
community towards the fluoridation of its
public water supply be overcome?
• How can children be encouraged to develop
more positive attitudes towards cleaning their
teeth after meals,
• And adolescents encouraged to develop more
negative attitudes towards the taking of ‘hard’
drugs?
Interpersonal Relationships With
Others in the Community
• The effectiveness of public health
practitioners depends on much more than
personal knowledge or technical or
professional competence.
• Public health practitioners rarely work alone
and a large part of their job involves
relationship with their colleagues,
subordinates, and others, both on a one-toone basis and within a group.
• The success of public health practitioners
depends largely on the quality of
interpersonal relationships.
• Public Health Practitioners can achieve much
by mobilizing the active cooperation of others.
The quality of interaction between the public
health practitioners and others in the
community matter a lot.
• The results only come with and through other
people in particular on the self awareness of
public health practitioners the others in the
community.
• The self-perception of public health
practitioners and how they perceive other
people is crucial factor.
Two Important Factors:
• The extent to which public health
practitioners see themselves as others see
them;
• The extent to which public health
practitioners see others as they see
themselves.
• Realistic perceptions are key elements in the
public health practitioners’ ability to
communicate and get on with others.
• To the extent that they have accurate selfperceptions and behave in a way congruent
with those self-perceptions, the better they
can communicate with others.
• A close relationship exists between selfawareness, self-acceptance, and acceptance
of others.
• The more public health practitioners accept
and value themselves, the more accurately
they can perceive themselves, and the more
effectively they accept others.
• People with positive self-regard are less likely
to need to discredit, diminish, stereotype, or
wrongly perceive others.
Success or Failure in Public Health
Practice
There are necessary traits that a a leader in
public health practice require to possess such as
Charisma, purpose and determination.
However, successful leaders have a single quality
in common. What distinguishes the best leaders
from the majority of their level of Emotional
Intelligence (EI)
DEF: OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
EI is defined by the ability to understand and
manage our emotions and those around us. This
quality gives individuals a variety of skills, such
as the ability to manage relationships, navigate
social networks, influence and inspire others.
• For any public health practitioner to become
an effective leader one needs a high level of
EI.
• In today’s workplace, EI has become a highly
important factor for success, influencing
productivity, efficiency and team
collaboration.
KEY REASONS WHY PH.PRACTITIONERS
SHOULD CULTIVATE EI
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
SELF-AWARENESS
EMOTIONAL MANAGEMENT
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
SOCIAL AWARENESS
CONFLICT RESOLUTION
SELF-AWARENESS
• PHP with EI are self- aware and able to
recognize emotions as they happen.
• This is a vital skill for PHP, as it helps them
obtain a clear understanding of their strengths
and weaknesses without any obstruction.
• PHP with EI are able to perceive emotions as
they arise in response to action or situation.
EMOTIONAL MANAGEMENT
• This step is about learning how to manage
emotions. PHP with high EI are able to
regulate themselves and stay in control.
• These persons are unlikely to rush headlong
into hasty decisions or let their anger take
over their behavior.
• It is vital that persons in managerial positions
keep their emotions in check, as it will help
them stay in a respected position.
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
• What is the benefit of Emotional awareness
and management if you are unable to clearly
express your thoughts?
• PHP, luckily have the skill of effective
communication. They are able to clearly
convey directions and know what to say in
order to inspire and motivate others.
SOCIAL AWARENESS
PHP with EI are well tuned to the emotions of
others and are able to pick up on what is going
on around them.
They are able to put themselves in the client’s
shoes and giving helpful feedback. Empathy.
If the PHP is unable to empathize with clients,
he or she will find it difficult to obtain respect or
loyalty.
CONFLICT RESOLUTION
• In the workplace, there’s always the risk that
emerging conflicts can threaten or disrupt
efficiency and productivity.
• However, public health practitioners with EI
are equipped to handle conflicts and provide
resolution.
The End of Psychology Unit
THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION
Introduction to Sociology
• By the end of this unit, you should be able to
• 3.1 Describe sociological concepts i.e
sociology, population, society, community,
culture and traditions and norms and beliefs
• 3.2 Explain health beliefs, practices and their
influence on health
• 3.3 Discuss social systems such as culture,
religion, political, social-economic situation
DEFINITION OF SOCIOLOGY
• Sociology is the science that studies human
society and social behavior.
• Sociologists are mainly interested in social
interaction-how people relate to another and
influence each other’s behavior.
• Consequently, sociologists tend to focus on
the group rather than on the individual.
• Sociologists do this by examining social
phenomena. A social phenomenon is an
observable fact or event.
• Sociology is a science of society and social
problems.
• Sociology essentially and fundamentally deals
with the network of social relationship which
we call ‘society’.
Why Study Sociology?
• INDIVIDUALLY STATE FIVE REASONS WHY THE
PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTITIONER MUST LEARN
SOCIOLOGY.
• IN GROUPS OF TWO COMPARE YOUR
RESPONSES AND COME UP WITH FIVE
STRONG JUSTIFIABLE REASONS FOR STUDYING
SOCIOLOGY FOR HEALTH.
JUSTIFICATION
• The public health practitioner working in a
community should understand a community is
a population made up of several groups of
people living in a certain area.
• Sociology is the study of society and social relations of
how people interact with one another.
• Further, it helps the individual understand the
community one lives in and works with. A human being
is a social being and cannot live without other human
beings.
• In sociology we set the picture 60 of the total life of a
human being in relation to other fellow human beings.
• Sociology go further to study human being’s
picture of today’s and tomorrow’s society and
finding a way forward to a better life for all.
Sociology: then and now
• Auguste Comte. The French philosopher
(1798-1857) usually is considered the founder
of sociology.
• He was concerned about two basic problemsorder and change. He used the term social
statics to describe the processes by which the
overall structure of a society remains relatively
stable, or unchanged, over time.
Karl Marx
• Karl Marx (1818-1883) was born in Germany
to middle-class parents. Marx believed that
the overall structure of society is heavily
influenced by how the economy is organized.
• According to Marx, society is divided between
those who own the means of production-the
materials and methods used to produce goods
and services-and those who own only their
labour. The people who own the means of
production control society. This imbalance in
power leads to conflict between owners and
labourers.
Herbert Spencer
. Herbert Spencer (1820-1903), an English
contemporary of Comte, started his working life
as a civil engineer for a railway.
The influence of Darwin led Spencer to adopt a
biological model of society.
• In a living organism, the biological systems
work together to maintain the health of the
organism.
• Spencer attributed a similar process to
society, viewing society as a set of
interdependent parts that work together to
maintain the system over time.
Emile Durkheim
• The Frenchman Emile Durkheim (1858-1917)
taught at University of Bordeaux. He was the
first sociologist to systematically apply the
methods of science to the study of society
• . He was concerned with social order and also
saw society as a set of interdependent parts
that maintain the system over time.
• He, however, viewed the role of these parts in
terms of functions. A function is the positive
consequence that an element of 61 society
has for the maintenance of the social system.
• Durkheim saw shared beliefs and values as
the glue that holds society together. He was
particularly interested in the function of
religion in maintaining the social order.
Current Perspectives
• Three broad theoretical perspectives form the
basis of modern sociology.
• Each perspective presents a slightly different
image of society or focuses on different
aspects of social life.
Functionalist Perspective.
• People who employ the functionalist
perspective view society as a set of
interrelated parts that work together to
produce a stable social system.
• According to functionalist, society is held
together through consensus.
• In other words, most people agree on what is
best for society and work together to ensure
that the social system runs smoothly.
Dysfunctional
• Recognizing that not everything in society
operates smoothly, functionalists also label
certain elements as dysfunctional. A
dysfunction is the negative consequence an
element has for the stability of the social
system
• . Dysfunctional elements, such as crime,
disrupt society rather than stabilize it.
• In addition to being either positive or
negative, functions can be either manifest or
latent.
Manifest
• A manifest is intended and recognized
consequence of some element of society.
• A manifest function of the automobile, for
example, is to provide speedy transportation
from one location to another.
Latent
• A latent function, on the other hand, is the
unintended and unrecognized consequence of
an element of society.
• A latent function of the automobile is top gain
social standing through the display of wealth.
Conflict Perspective
• Conflict Perspective. People who employ the
conflict perspective focus on those forces in
society that promote competition and change.
• Following in the tradition of Karl Marx, conflict
theorists are interested in how those who
possess more power in society exercise
control over those with less power.
Violent Conflict
• Conflict theorists do not limit their attention
to acts of violent conflict.
Nonviolent
• They also are interested in nonviolent
competition between various groups in
society, such as men and women or people of
different ages or racial or national
backgrounds.
• Some of the research Sessions worth pursuing
include decision making in the family,
relationships among racial groups in a society,
and labour disputes between workers and
employers.
• According to conflict theorists, competition
over scarce resources is at the 62 basis of
social conflict.
• Conflict lead to social change. Thus conflict
theorists see social change as an inevitable
feature of society.
Interactionist Perspective
• Interactionist Perspective. Functionalists and
conflict theorists tend to focus on society in
general or on groups within society.
• Sociologists who adopt the interactionist
perspective, on the other hand, focus on how
individuals interact with one another in
society.
• They are interested in the meanings that
individuals attach to their own actions and to
the actions of others.
• Interactionist theorists are heavily indebted
to the work of Marx Weber.
Symbols
• Of particular interest to this perspective is the
role that symbols play in our daily lives.
• A symbol is anything that stands for
something else.
• In order for something to be a symbol,
however, members of society must agree on
the meaning that is attached to it.
• Such things as physical objects, gestures,
words, and events can serve as symbols.
• Party symbols, for instance are good
examples. In the case of gesture, a salute is a
sign of respect for authority.
• Interactionists focus on the interaction
between people that takes place through the
use of symbols.
• This process is referred to as symbolic
interaction.