Download What is Psychology

‫برجان هاشم طه‬.‫د‬
Psychiatrist
MBChB MSc CAP FICMS(psych)
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Behavioral Neuroscience Approach
• the brain and nervous system play important roles in
understanding behavior and mental processes.
• As cognitive psychologists do, neurobiologists believe
that thoughts have a physical basis in the brain
• The human brain is only a 3-pound lump of matter,
but in this lump are more than 100 billion
interconnected nerve cells.
• Electrical impulses zoom throughout our brain cells,
and chemical substances are released as we think,
feel, and act.
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Evolutionary Psychology
• the importance of adaptation, reproduction, and
"survival " in explaining behavior.
• Our behavior is to allow individuals to survive or to fail.
• David Buss' (1995, 1999) believes that just as evolution
shapes our physical features, such as body shape and
height, it also influences how we make decisions, how
aggressive we are, our fears, and mating patterns.
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Sociocultural Approach
• This approach emphasizes that culture, ethnicity, and
gender are essential to understanding behavior,
thought, and emotion.
• Aspects of sociocultural approach:
• Culture is the behavior patterns, beliefs, and other
products of a particular group of people, such as values,
work patterns, music, dress, diet, and ceremonies, that
are passed on from generation to generation.
• Ethnicity is based on nationality characteristics, race,
religion, and language.
• gender, the sociocultural dimension of being female or
male. Sex is the biological dimension of being female or
4male.
Which Approach Is Best?
• No single theory offers all the answers; each
contributes to the science of psychology.
• Some psychologists adopt a particular
approach; others take a more eclectic
approach.
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What Are the Goals of Psychology?
1. Description of Behaviors: Naming and classifying
various observable, measurable behaviors
2. Understanding: The causes of behavior(s)
3. Prediction: behaviors
4. Control: Altering conditions that influence behaviors.
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what are important
Psychology's Specializations?
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Areas of Specialization
is the most widely practiced
specialization in psychology:
They diagnose and treat people with
psychological problems.
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Specialties in the Fields of Clinical and Counseling Psychology
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Psychotherapy
With many subspecialties such as family therapy, group therapy, drug therapy, individual therapy, biofeedback, and
sex therapy
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Clinical Child Psychology
Assessment (giving tests), severely disordered children, learning disabilities, reading problems, mental retardation,
and parent education
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Behavior and Mental Disorders
Alcoholism, delinquency, crime, suicide, eating disorders, and depression
•
Medical Psychology
Often working in hospitals in concert with physicians and other medical personnel, hospital care
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Gerontology
Specializing in the growing area of older adults' mental disturbances
•
Community Mental Health
Working in community mental health clinics
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Physically Handicapped
Working with the disabled, blind, and hearing impaired
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Clinical Psychologists and Psychiatrists
• Clinical psychologist has a doctoral degree in psychology.
• Psychiatry is a branch of medicine practiced by physicians
with a doctor of medicine (M.D.) degree who subsequently
specialize in abnormal behavior and psychotherapy.
• Clinical psychologists and psychiatrists both are interested in
improving the lives of people with mental health problems.
• One important distinction is that psychiatrists can prescribe
drugs, whereas clinical psychologists cannot.
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• Community-based mental health centers
outreach programs to people in need, especially
those who traditionally have been underserved by
mental health professionals.
• also concerned about prevention. They try to
prevent mental health problems by identifying
high-risk groups.
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• involves areas in which
psychologists often conduct basic
research and use an experimental
strategy.
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• focus on biological processes, especially the brain's role
in behavior.
• Many of these scientists use animals in their research
and investigate how the brain processes information to
the effects of hormones on behavior.
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• is concerned with how we become who we are, from conception to
death.
• In particular, developmental psychologists focus on the biological and
environmental factors that contribute to human development.
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• deals with people's social interactions,
relationships, and attitudes.
• Social psychologists believe we can better
understand mind and behavior if we know
something about how people function in groups.
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• focuses on the characteristics of individuals.
• Personality psychologists study self-concept,
aggression, moral development, gender roles,
and inner or outer directedness.
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• is concerned with children's learning and
adjustment in school.
• School psychologists work in elementary and
secondary school systems, testing children,
working on educational planning teams.
• Educational psychologists work at colleges and
universities, and do research on learning.
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• examines the role of culture in understanding
behavior, thought, and emotion.
• Cross-cultural psychologists compare the nature
of psychological processes in different cultures.
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• emphasizes the importance of
promoting the research and study of
women, applying the information to
society and its institutions.
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• is a multidimensional approach to health that emphasizes
psychological factors, lifestyle, and the nature of the health care
delivery system.
• Health psychologists may work in physical or mental health areas.
• Some are members of multidisciplinary teams that conduct
research or provide clinical services.
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• applies psychological concepts to the legal
system. Crimes, responsibilities, e.g. abuse
cases.
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Which Areas of Psychology Interest You the Most?
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Think about the areas of psychology described in the text. Which areas interest you the most?
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_____ Clinical and Counseling Psychology
_____ Community Psychology
_____ Experimental Psychology
_____ Physiological Psychology and Neuroscience
_____ Developmental Psychology
_____ Social Psychology
_____ Personality Psychology
_____ School and Educational Psychology
_____ Industrial/Organizational Psychology
_____ Cross-Cultural Psychology
_____ The Psychology of Women
_____ Health Psychology
_____ Forensic Psychology
_____ Sports Psychology
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Different Perspectives in Psychology
Biological Psychology
Behavioral/Clinical Psychology
Cognitive Psychology
Social-Cultural Psychology
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Biological Perspective
Focus
How the body and brain create emotions, memories,
and sensory experiences.
Sample Issues
• How do evolution and heredity influence behavior?
•How is brain chemistry linked with moods and motives?
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Behavioral/Clinical Perspective
Focus
How we learn from observable responses.
How to best study, assess and treat troubled people.
Sample Issues
• How do we learn to fear particular objects or situations?
• What is the most effective way to alter certain behaviors?
• What are the underlying causes of:
 Anxiety Disorders
 Phobic Disorders
 Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders
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Cognitive Perspective
Focus
How we process, store and retrieve information.
Sample Issues
•How do we use info in remembering and reasoning?
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Social-Cultural Perspective
Focus
How behavior and thinking vary across situations
and cultures.
Sample Issues
•How do we differ, as products of different social contexts?
•Why do people sometimes act differently in groups than
when alone?
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