Download Psychology - Wando High School

Psychology…
Psychology
 The
scientific study of behavior and
mental processes.
◦ Scientific research methods.
◦ ALL observable behavior.
◦ Mental processes
include thoughts,
feelings and
dreams.
Prescientific Psychology
 Ancient
Greeks
◦ Socrates
◦ Plato
 Mind is separable from body &
continues after the body dies.
 Knowledge is born within us.
◦ Aristotle
 Knowledge is not preexisting.
 Grows from experiences stored in
memories.
Prescientific Psychology
 Rene
Descartes
 Francis Bacon
 John Locke
◦ Tabula Rasa
(blank slate)
 Empiricism
Modern Psychology’s
Roots
Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920)
 Father
of Psychology
 Founder of modern psychology
 Opened the 1st
psychology lab
in 1879.
E.B. Titchener (1867-1927)
Founder
of Structuralism
Analyzed the intensity, clarity
and quality
of the parts of
consciousness:
the structure
Structuralism
 Studied
the basic
elements (structure) of
thoughts and
sensations.
 Broken down into
three parts: ex.
sensations, feelings,
thoughts
Gestalt Psychology
 Whole
is different
from the sum of
its parts.
 Ex: Notes of
music put
together and you
have a song
William James (1842-1910)
 First American
psychologist
 Author of the first
psychology textbook
 Founder of
Functionalism
Functionalism
 Emphasized
how consciousness
helped people adapt to their
environment
◦ James composed a list of 37 instincts
that cause human behavior
 Ex. cleanliness, curiosity, sympathy,
jealousy
Mary Calkins 1890
◦ (James) 1st female admitted into
Harvard’s Graduate seminar
◦ 1st to achieve PhD
◦ Harvard denied
◦ Memory researcher
◦ 1st woman president
of the APA
◦ Calkins couldn’t Walkins @ graduation
Margaret Floy Washburn
 1st
woman to earn PhD from Harvard
 2nd female president of the APA
 Animal behavior research
 The Animal Mind
Sigmund Freud (1856-1939)
Psychoanalytic
perspective
Behavior
explained by
unconscious
Freud’s Influence
 Influence
on “pop culture”
◦ Freudian slips
◦ Anal-retentive
 Influence on psychology
◦ Psychodynamic theory
◦ Unconscious thoughts
◦ Significance of childhood experiences
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Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936)
 Russian
Physiologist
 Studied learning in animals
 Emphasized the study
of observable behaviors
 Classical conditioning
 Ex. dogs
John B. Watson (1878-1958)
 Founder of behaviorism
 Studied only
observable and
objectively
described acts –
unconscious was
of little value
 Environment
molds our behavior
B.F. Skinner (1904-1990)
 Behaviorist
 Focused
on learning through rewards
and punishment and observation
 Operant conditioning
 Rats and pigeons
 Food = reward
 Shock = punishment
Psychology Timeline
 E.B. Titchener
 Wilhelm Wundt
 William
 Structuralism
James
 Mary Calkins
 Gestalt
 Sigmund Freud
 Ivan Pavlov
 Functionalism
 John
B. Watson
 Margaret Floy
Washburn
 B.F. Skinner
7 Contemporary
Psychological
Perspectives
Psychological Perspectives
 Method
classifying a collection of ideas
 Also called:
◦ “schools of thought”
◦ “psychological approaches”
 View
BEHAVIOR
from a particular
perspective
Cognitive Perspective
 Focus:
How we encode, process, store,
and retrieve information
 Behavior is explained by how a person
interprets the situation – grocery store
Biological Perspective
 Focus:
Body & brain enable emotions,
memories and sensory experiences.
 Genes & Environment influence
individual differences.
 “feel-good” brain chemicals affect
behavior - depression
Social-Cultural Perspective
 Focus:
How thinking
and behavior vary
across situations and
cultures.
 Influence of other
people present?
Behavioral Perspective
 Focus: We
learn through
rewards, punishments,
and observations
 Behavior explained by previous learning
 Unconscious = little value
Humanistic Perspective
 Focus:
How we strive to meet our needs
for love, acceptance and achieve
our full potential.
 Behavior is motivated
by satisfying needs
(safety, hunger, thirst)
Psychodynamic Perspective
 Focus:
Behavior is affected by
unconscious drives, conflicts, motivation
and unresolved
inner conflicts
from one’s
childhood.
Evolutionary Perspective
 Focus:
How the natural selection of traits
promoted the survival of genes.
Perspective Activity
 The Case of Andrea Yates…
◦ Illustrates complexity & multiple causes of behavior
◦ Looking at each Perspective, how would you
describe the cause of Yates’ murder of her children?
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Cognitive Perspective
Biological Perspective
Social-Cultural Perspective
Behavioral Perspective
Humanistic Perspective
Psychodynamic Perspective
Evolutionary Perspective
◦ What important principle does this case reveal?
Careers in Psychology
What do they do?
 Psychologist?
 Psychiatrist?
 Counselor?
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Clinical Psychologist
 Diagnose/treat
patients with
psychological problems
 Largest number of
professional
psychologists
Academic Psychologist
PhD in Psychology = TEACH
 Research
 Expand knowledge base of psychology

Biological Psychologists
Explore the physiological roots and results
of behaviors.
 Might ask:

◦ “Do repetitive behaviors, such as piano
playing, produce changes in the brain?”
Social Psychologist
Explore the influence others have on behavior.
 Might ask:

◦ “Under what circumstances do young adults
conform to the wishes of their peers?”
Developmental Psychologists
Study the growth or development that
takes place from womb to tomb.
 Might ask:

◦ “How do the friendships
of 6-year olds differ
from the friendships
of 10-year olds?”
Cognitive Psychologist
Study thought processes.
 Might ask:

◦ “How does the memory
of an old home phone number
affect the memory of
a new home phone number?”
Majoring in Psychology…
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Skills possessed by graduates:
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Strong “people” skills
Good problem solving skills
Communication skills
Analyzing skills
Listening skills
Well developed, higher level thinking skills
Good research and writing skills
Sample Job Titles:
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Mental health care
worker
Residential care worker
Career resource
coordinator
Events coordinator
Student Advisor
Youth care worker
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Police officer / FBI
After hours emergency
worker
Job coach
Fundraiser
Psychiatric assistant
Volunteer manager /
coordinator
Areas of Employment:
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Retirement homes
Hospitals
Non-profit organizations
Small-businesses
Human resource dept.
Street outreach
Volunteer services
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Employment agencies
Residential treatment
centers
Personal / Family
counseling
Law Enforcement office
Post-secondary schools
Career centers
Applied Research
 Research
designed to solve specific
practical problems
 Rather than expanding the scientific
knowledge base of psychology.
◦ Organizational Psychologists
◦ Educational Psychologists
Basic Research
 Pure
science or research
 Research for the sake of finding new
information and expanding the
knowledge base of psychology
The End
Humanistic Psychology
 Stressed
the study of conscious
experience and an individual’s free will
 Healthy individuals strive to reach their
potential
 An optimistic view of human potential
 The world is a friendly, happy, and
secure place
Evolutionary Psychology
 Focus:
Combines aspects of biological,
psychological, and social perspectives
 Behavior is explained by how the
behavior may have
helped our ancestors
survive long enough
to reproduce
successfully.
Positive Psychology
 Focus: To
study and promote optimal
human functioning
 Martin E.P. Seligman is a major
advocate: APA
 Should promote building
positive qualities of people