Download The History and Scope of Psychology Module 1

PSYCHOLOGY
40S
C. McMurray
Source:
David Myers
PowerPoint Slides
Aneeq Ahmad
Henderson State University
Worth Publishers, © 2006
1
Introduction to
Psychology
2
Psychologist vs. Scientist
Write down 5 adjectives that describe
a typical scientist.
Write down 5 adjectives that describe
a typical psychologist.
3
Psychology Today
We define psychology today as:
the scientific study of behavior (what we
do) and mental processes (inner
thoughts and feelings).
Behaviour is anything an organism DOES. Any action
we can observe and record.
Mental Processes are the internal, subjective
experiences we infer from behaviour. Sensations,
perceptions, dreams, thoughts, beliefs, and feelings.
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The Case of Andrea Yates
On June 20th,2001, after her husband had
left for work, Andrea Yates, a Houston
mother, drowned her five children in the
family bathtub. She told police that she
drowned the children to save them from
burning in hell.
What do you believe to be the causes of
Andrea Yates’ murder of her children?
Pair-share
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Psychology’s Three Main Levels of Analysis:
The Biopsychosocial Approach
Biopsychosocial Approach - an approach to describe and explain
how biological, psychological and social factors influence behaviour
and mental processes.
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Causes?
Did we find the cause in her mental disorder or
illness that may have a biological basis? (Biological)
Mood disorders run in families and Andrea’s was no
exception. A sister and two brothers were also on
antidepressants. Research indicates that brain chemistry
plays a role in psychological disorder. The neurotransmitter
serotonin appears scarce in depression. Diagnosed as
suffering from postpartum depression with psychosis, she
had been taken off her antipsychotic medication about a
month before the children’s deaths. Andrea’s husband,
Russell, claimed he had been pleading with doctors to again
prescribe Haldol, used in treating people who hear voices or
have delusional thoughts.
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Causes?
Did we find the cause in her private mental
functioning? (Psychological)
Clearly Andrea experienced low self-esteem.
At the time she killed her children, she believed
she was possessed and that the sign of Satan
(666) was marked on her scalp. She told the
police that her children “weren’t developing
correctly” and that drowning them was the only
way to save them.
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Causes?
Did we find the cause in her social
environment? (Social-Cultural)
Why did her doctor take her off her antipsychotic
medication? More importantly, was this really a family
affair? Andrea’s in-laws report that her husband was not
socially supportive. He claimed he had never changed a
diaper. How could he leave her alone with the five children
when she could barely care for herself? Why, after doctors
had strongly recommended no more children, did he
impregnate her a fifth time? And where was her extended
family when she needed help so desperately? The
individualism of North American society plays a critical role
in its accelerating rate of depression.
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Activity:
Think of a Behaviour or Mental Process and apply the 3
main influences:
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Psychology’s Perspectives
There are many factors that shape human
behaviour.
Psychology looks at behaviour, thought
and emotion from differing perspectives.
(What is a perspective?)
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perspectives
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Psychology’s Current Perspectives
1.
2.
3.
Neuroscience - physical and biological makeup
Evolutionary - survival and reproduction
Behaviour Genetics – Nature/Nurture (Genes
4.
5.
Psychodynamic – unconscious mind
Behavioural – learned behaviours (rewards
and punishments)
Cognitive – mental processes -“I believe, I
6.
or environment)
think, I remember”
7. Social-Cultural – big environment, ethnicity,
culture
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Psychology’s Current Perspectives
Perspective
Focus
Sample Questions
Neuroscience
How the body and brain
enables emotions?
How are messages
transmitted in the body? How
is blood chemistry linked with
moods and motives?
Evolutionary
How the natural selection
of traits the promotes the
perpetuation of one’s
genes?
How does evolution influence
behavior tendencies?
Behavior genetics How much our genes and
our environments
influence our individual
differences?
To what extent are
psychological traits such as
intelligence, personality,
sexual orientation, and
vulnerability to depression
attributable to our genes? To
our environment?
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Psychology’s Current Perspectives
Perspective
Focus
Sample Questions
Psychodynamic
How behavior springs
from unconscious drives
and conflicts?
How can someone’s
personality traits and
disorders be explained in
terms of sexual and
aggressive drives or as
disguised effects of unfulfilled
wishes and childhood
traumas?
Behavioral
How we learn observable
responses?
How do we learn to fear
particular objects or
situations? What is the most
effective way to alter our
behavior, say to lose weight or
quit smoking?
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Psychology’s Current Perspectives
Perspective
Focus
Sample Questions
Cognitive
How we encode, process,
store and retrieve
information?
How do we use information
in remembering? Reasoning?
Problem solving?
Social-cultural
How behavior and
thinking vary across
situations and cultures?
How are we — as Africans,
Asians, Australians or North
Americans – alike as members
of human family? As products
of different environmental
contexts, how do we differ?
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Outrageous Celebrity Assignment
5 marks
Choose the most outrageous celebrity you can think of, past or present. You
should provide a short list of some of the outrageous behaviours this person has
exhibited. Then, attempt to explain these behaviours from the point of view of
each major psychology perspective. Your reasoning can be as ridiculous as the
behaviour itself, as long as it falls in line with the perspective. They don’t have to
be true!
Celebrity: ______ Well known for the following behaviours: ________
1.Neuroscience:
2.Evolutionary:
3.Behaviour Genetics:
4.Psychodynamic:
5.Behavioural:
6.Cognitive:
7.Social Cultural:
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Two Fields of Psychology
Research
Applied

Pure science

Working with people

Researches topics in
Psychology

“Applies” research
that has been done
already
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Psychology’s Subfields: Research
Psychologist
Biological
Developmental
Cognitive
Personality
Social
What she does
Explore the links between brain and
mind.
Study changing abilities from womb to
tomb.
Study how we perceive, think, and solve
problems.
Investigate our persistent traits.
Explore how we view and affect one
another.
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Psychology’s Subfields: Applied
Psychologist
Clinical
What she does
Studies, assesses, and treats people with
psychological disorders
Counseling
Helps people cope with academic,
vocational, and marital challenges.
Educational
Studies and helps individuals in school
and educational settings
Industrial/
Organizational
Studies and advises on behavior in the
workplace.
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Counseling and Clinical Psychology vs. Psychiatry
Counseling psychologist
Helps people cope with academic, vocational, and
marital challenges.
A clinical psychologist (Ph.D.) studies, assesses, and
treats troubled people with psychotherapy.
Psychiatrists on the other hand are medical
professionals (M.D.) who use treatments like drugs
and psychotherapy to treat people with psychological
disorders.
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Reflections
Entry #1 Topic: Introduction to Psychology
Reflect on the past few of days in
Psychology. Comment on what you have
learned, your thoughts about psychology
and your wonderings.
Try to add a personal connection to your
entry.
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Close-up
Your Study of Psychology
Survey, Question, Read, Review and Reflect (SQ3R)





Survey: What you are about to read, including
chapter outlines and section heads.
Question: Ask questions. Make notes.
Read: Make sure you read outlines, sections and
chapters in entirety.
Review: Margin definitions. Study learning
outcomes.
Reflect: On what you learn. Test yourself with
quizzes.
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Close-up
Additional Study Hints

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
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Distribute your time.
Listen actively in class.
Overlearn.
Be a smart test-taker.
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