Download Chapter 1 Lecture Notes Module 1 – The Story of Psychology What

PSY 101 – Dr. V
Chapter 1 Lecture Notes
Module 1 – The Story of Psychology
What is Psychology?
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Psychology - ____________________________________________________________________
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Behavior - outward or overt actions and reactions.
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Mental processes - internal, covert activity of our minds.
Psychology is a science
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Prevent possible biases from leading to faulty observations
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Precise and careful measurement
Psychology’s Four Goals
1. ____________________
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What is happening? – through observation
2. ____________________
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Why is it happening?
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Theory - general explanation of a set of observations or facts
3. ____________________
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Will it happen again?
4. ____________________ – this is not “brainwashing”
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How can it be changed?
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Desirable to Undesirable
Psychology’s Biggest Question
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Nature vs. Nurture – the controversy over the relative contributions of biology and experience
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i.e., ____________________________________________________________________
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Plato/Descartes – biology
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Aristotle/Locke – environment (blank slate – tabula rasa)
Natural Selection – ______________________________________________________________
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From among chance variations, nature selects the traits that best enable an organism to
survive and reproduce in a particular environment.
Psychology’s Roots
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________________ - a naturalist and philosopher, theorized about psychology’s concepts. He
suggested that the soul and body are not separate and that knowledge grows from experience.
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Structuralism
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Structuralism - __________________________________________________________________
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_____________________ – “father of psychology”
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First true experimental laboratory in psychology (Germany 1879)
Edward Titchener – Wundt’s student
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Brought structuralism to America.
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_______________________________ – process of objectively examining and measuring
one’s thoughts and mental activities (broken down into fundamental elements)
Margaret Washburn – Titchener’s student
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First woman to earn a Ph.D. in psychology.
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Published “The Animal Mind”
Structuralism died out in early 1900s.
Functionalism
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Functionalism - _________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
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A reaction to structuralism (consciousness cannot be studied)
William James
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Influenced by Charles Darwin’s “natural selection”
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Physical traits that help an animal adapt to its environment and survive are
passed on to its offspring
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Published _________________________________ – considered first textbook of psychology
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Mary Calkins, James’ student, became the APA’s first female president (1905); denied
Ph.D. from Harvard due to being a woman
Gestalt Psychology
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Gestalt – “__________________” psychology.
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Wertheimer – studied sensation and perception.
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Perceiving and sensing cannot be broken down into small elements and still be properly
understood
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Important Gestalt quote: “___________________________________________
___________________________________”
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Gestalt ideas are now part of the study of cognitive psychology, a field focusing not only on
perception but also on learning, memory, thought processes, and problem solving.
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Gestalt Therapy
PSY 101 – Dr. V
Psychoanalysis
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Psychoanalysis = Sigmund Freud
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Freud was a medical doctor – a neurologist (nervous system)
Freud’s patients suffered from nervous disorders with no found physical cause.
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Note context of the time: late 1800’s to early 1900’s (“Victorian Age”) – intense sexual
repression (mostly women clients)
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Freud proposed that there is an ______________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
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He believed that these repressed urges, in trying to surface, created nervous disorders –
i.e,. “hysteria”
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Freud stressed the importance of ________________________________ – especially
the _________________________
Psychoanalysis & Psychodynamic Therapy
Behaviorism
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Behaviorism - the science of behavior that ___________________________________________
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Must be directly seen and measured – “______________________” is not a factor
John B. Watson – ___________________________
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Based much from work of Ivan Pavlov who demonstrated that a reflex could be
conditioned (i.e., learned).
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Watson believed that phobias were learned.
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Mary Carver Jones – Watson’s student
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Case of “Little Albert” – taught to fear a white rat through generalization
Case of “Little Peter” – repeated Watson’s study (with a white rabbit) but actually
“canceled out” the phobic reaction through counterconditioning
Behavior & Cognitive Therapy (Cognitive-Behavioral)
Seven Modern Perspectives
1. Psychodynamic perspective - modern version of psychoanalysis.
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More focused on the development of a sense of self and the discovery of other
motivations behind a person’s behavior than sexual motivations.
2. Behavioral perspective – B. F. Skinner studied operant conditioning of voluntary behavior.
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Behaviorism became a major force in the twentieth century.
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Skinner introduced the concept of reinforcement to behaviorism.
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Behavioral responses followed by pleasurable consequences are strengthened
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3. Humanistic perspective – the “third force”
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Reaction to psychodynamic theory and behaviorism
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Owes far more to the early roots of psychology in the field of philosophy.
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Humanists held the view that people have free will, the freedom to choose their own destiny.
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Early founders:
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Abraham Maslow
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Carl Rogers
Emphasized the human potential, the ability of each person to become the best person
he or she could be.
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Self-actualization - _________________________________________________
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Hierarchy of Needs
4. Biopsychological perspective - attributes human and animal behavior to biological events
occurring in the body, such as genetic influences, hormones, and the activity of the nervous
system.
5. Cognitive perspective - focuses on memory, intelligence, perception, thought processes,
problem solving, language, and learning.
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”Cognitive Revolution” (1960s) – shift in research and therapy for human behavior; now
known as _____________________________________
6. Sociocultural perspective - focuses on the relationship between social behavior and culture.
7. Evolutionary perspective - focuses on the biological bases of universal mental characteristics
that all humans share.
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Looks at the way the mind works and why it works as it does.
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Behavior is seen as having an adaptive or survival value.
Psychology’s Three Main Levels of Analysis: The Biopsychosocial Approach
PSY 101 – Dr. V
Psychological Associations & Societies
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The _______________________________ is the largest organization of psychology with 160,000
members world-wide, followed by the British Psychological Society with 34,000 members
Types of Psychological Professionals
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Psychiatrist - a ______________________ who has specialized in the diagnosis and treatment of
psychological disorders; prescribes medications
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Psychoanalyst - either a psychiatrist or a psychologist who has special training in the theories of
Sigmund Freud and his method of psychoanalysis.
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Psychiatric social worker - a social worker with some training in therapy methods who focuses
on the environmental conditions that can have an impact on mental disorders, such as poverty,
overcrowding, stress, and drug abuse; can also do counseling (e.g., LCSW)
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Types of Psychological Professionals
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Psychologist - a professional with an _______________________ and specialized training in one
or more areas of psychology.
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Can do counseling, teaching, and research and may specialize in any one of a large
number of areas within psychology.
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Cannot prescribe medications – however, there are now some exceptions in some states
for certain disorders
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Areas of specialization in psychology include clinical, counseling, developmental, social,
and personality, among others.
Mental Health Counselor – similar training to a psychologist but less focus on academic (more
applied), can be less specialized, and some limitations depending on state (e.g., minimal role in
assessment , diagnostic reports) (e.g., LMHC)
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