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Thinking About Psychology:
The Science of Mind and
Behavior 2e
Charles T. Blair-Broeker
Randal M. Ernst
Methods Domain
Introductory Chapter
Human Behavior
• Write down a question you have about human
behavior. (Nothing “naughty”) No names. Switch.
• Read the one you get and consider how you
would answer that question: Why would
someone do that? Think that? Live that way?
• Trade with someone near you and read this one.
• Get up and find someone new, and trade with
them.
• Repeat five times; move around the room.
Psychology’s Biggest Question: Is
Human Nature Fixed or Changeable?
1. Entity Theorists think traits are fixed. They
think a person’s character can be revealed by a
single behavior or performance. This is true for
both positive and negative acts.
In other words, they think that what we see on
the outside reflects what people are like on the
inside.
They see setbacks as a reflection of lack of
ability. They think that, as a result, people
become defensive and often feel helpless.
2. Incremental Theorists
• They think that traits are changeable
(good or bad).
• They value learning and growth and
respond to adversity with increased effort
and strategies for change.
• They think people tend to be resilient.
Carol Dweck’s Studies
Study One: Measured the brain waves of students
with these contrasting mindsets.
• Took a test with difficult questions. 1.5 seconds
after they answered a question, the computer
indicated whether they had responded correctly
or not.
• Their brain’s electrical activity was measured.
• Students with an entity (fixed) mindset stopped
paying attention once they learned if they were
right or not.
• Those with incremental (growth) mindset were
more focused on learning than on the answer.
Study Two:The Brain is a Muscle
• Junior High students with low math scores were
given 8 sessions of training in study skills.
• Half also received instruction in the malleability
of intelligence. They were told that the brain
was a muscle that can be strengthened with
hard work.
• Those who were given this instruction
rebounded with better grades than those who
had not received the instruction. Teachers
reported that their motivation also improved.
Study Three: Love Relationships
• Those with fixed and growth mindsets are
likely to respond differently to rejection in a
love relationship.
• Those with a fixed mindset feel judged and
labeled by the rejection. They see
themselves as unlovable and are likely to
lash out. Their goal is revenge.
• Those with a growth mindset are likely to
respond to the rejection with
understanding and forgiveness and a
desire to move on.
Fact or Falsehood
1. Psychologists are only interested in
treating people with mental illness.
2. Psychology is not considered a scientific
field because psychologists only
diagnose and treat mental illness.
3. To be a psychologist, you need a degree
beyond the 4-year bachelor’s degree.
4. Psychology is best defined today as the
study of mental life.
5. Today, half of Ph.D degrees in
psychology are awarded to women.
6. Evolution has become an important
principle for psychology.
7. In contrast to sociology and anthropology,
contemporary psychology has little interest
in how behavior varies across cultures.
8. Psychology aims to answer the ultimate
question, “Why should I live?”
9. Psychiatry is a branch of psychology that
involves the assessment and treatment of
psychological disorders.
10. There are two types of psychology –
those who work in hospitals and those
who work in private practice.
5 Adjectives
• Write 5 adjectives that describe “scientist”
and 5 adjectives that describe
“psychologist”.
• Share with the class
The Results
• Typically, students perceive “psychologist”
and “scientist” differently.
• Did you describe psychologist as
accepting, caring, genuine or attentive?
• Did you describe scientist as methodical,
analytical, intelligent or thorough?
Module 01
Introduction and
Careers
Module 1: Introduction and Careers
The Definition of
Psychology
Psychology
• The scientific study of behavior and
mental processes.
– Uses scientific research methods.
– Behavior includes all observable
behavior.
– Mental processes include thoughts,
feelings and dreams.
True or False
1. Most people suffer from unrealistically
low self-esteem.
2. The opinions of 1500 randomly selected
people can provide a fairly accurate
picture of the opinions of an entire nation.
3. The scientific finding that depressed
people tend to have low self-esteem
proves that depression causes people to
be down on themselves.
Critical Thinking
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haP7Ys
9ocTk&feature=player_embedded
Darren Brown: astrology
“I’d Like to Have an Argument” Podcast
http://www.thepsychfiles.com/
Critical Thinking Skills
The Hindsight Bias
• How many seconds do you think it would
have taken you to unscramble each of
these?
WREAT > WATER
ETRYN > ENTRY
GRABE > BARGE
Famous Examples of The
Hindsight Error
• 1. “We don’t like their sound. Groups of
guitars are on their way out.” Decca Records in
turning down a recording contract with the Beatles.
• 2. “They couldn’t hit an elephant at this
distance.” General Sedgwick just before being killed
during a US Civil War battle, 1864
• 3. Computers in the future may weigh no
more than 1.5 tons. Popular Mechanics, 1949
Be a Skeptic
• “A skeptic is one who is willing to question
any truth claim, asking for clarity in
definition, consistency in logic, and
adequacy of evidence.” Philosopher Paul
Kurtz, 1994
The Scientific Approach
• Science is not the only way to approach life. It
can answer some questions, but not others.
• How could you establish the validity of each
statement? Have you taken any classes that
might have addressed one of these issues?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
The best things in life are free.
Hamlet is a better play than King Lear.
Abortion is wrong.
There is a genetic predisposition to schizophrenia.
The mind is just like a computer.
2+2=4
Attitudes affect cancer.
Module 1: Introduction and Careers
Careers in Psychology
Psychologist
• Need a doctorate graduate degree
• May take 4-6 years to earn a doctorate
in a subfield
• You take a doctorate after an undergrad
degree (4 years).
Clinical Psychologist
• Diagnose and treat patients with
psychological problems
• Largest number of professional
psychologists
Basic Research
• Pure science or research
• Research for the sake of finding new information
and expanding the knowledge base of psychology
• These psychologists are “academic psychologists”
& they work in colleges and universities,
conducting basic research.
• Examples: neuropsychologists, social psychologists,
developmental psychologists, cognitive
psychologists, experimental or research
psychologists.
Neuropsychologist
• Also called biological
psychologists or
biopsychologists
• Explore how the brain
works
• Most often work in
university/college
settings
Social Psychologist
• Explore how behaviors,
feelings, and beliefs are
influenced by others
• Study conformity,
attitudes, leadership,
prejudice, group
behavior, etc.
• Work in the business
setting, government, and
universities
Developmental Psychologist
• Study the growth or development that
takes place from the womb to death
• Work in senior centers, hospitals, daycares or universities
Cognitive Psychologist
• Study thought processes including
intelligence, problem solving, attention,
decision making, language, etc.
• Work in educational settings and the
business world
Experimental Psychologist
• Also called research psychologist
• Specialize in doing research in any of
the other subfields
• Most work at universities, but some
work for the government, or in a
business setting
Applied Research
• Research designed to solve specific
practical problems
• These are the psychologists who are
interested in solving problems and who
do applied research, rather than
expanding the scientific knowledge base
of psychology
Forensic Psychologist
• Apply law and
psychology to legal
issues
• Work in correctional
settings, law
enforcement, and
academic settings
Sports Psychologist
• Explore psychological
issues in improving
athletic performance
• Work for sports teams or
in private practice
Educational Psychologist
• Study how humans
learn and how to
improve the
learning process
• Work in school
systems, the
government, or at
universities
Human-factors Psychologist
• Study how people and machines interact
at home and in the workplace
• Try to minimize frustration and increase
safety and production
• Work in the business world or for the
government
Industrial/Organizational (I/O)
Psychologist
• Try to apply psychology to help
business and organizations operate
• Work for the government, business or in
academic settings
School Psychologist
• Use psychology to improve the
development of children in the school
system
• Are involved in assessments (testing)
• Work for school systems, the
government or universities
Consumer Psychologist
• Study why people buy certain products
and not others
• Work in the business or academic world
Rehabilitation Psychologist
• Help those who have been involved in
an accident or have been ill
• Work in medical rehabilitation centers
Health Psychologist
• Find ways to prevent disease and
promote good health
• Work for health agencies, hospitals,
rehabilitation centers, and universities
Social Worker
• Only have an undergraduate or masters
degree in psychology or social work
• Work to improve the lives of others
• Work for the government, schools, and
residential facilities
Assignment
• Consider the 16 different psychological
careers described in this chapter. Write
(one page) about which career you are
most attracted to right now, which
assignment you are least attracted to right
now, and why. In your answer, describe
the kinds of work and psychological
questions relevant to the careers you
chose.
The End
Paper Personality
• http://www.pbs.org/saf/1210/video/watcho
nline.htm
• Activity