Download History of Psych

The History of
Psychology
Prescientific
Psychology
Is the mind
connected to
the body or
distinct?
Are ideas
inborn or is
the mind a
blank slate
filled by
experience?
What is Psychology?
The science of behavior and the mind
behavior - observable actions of a person
or animal
mind - thoughts, feelings, sensations,
perceptions, memories, dreams, motives
and other subjective experiences
science
 an objective way to answer questions
 based on observable facts / data and well
described methods
What is Psychology?
 Definition:
psyche = mind
ology = the study of
psychology is the scientific study of
behavior & mental processes
 Goals
describe,
explain,
predict,
control…behavior & mental processes
Hoarders
What is Psychology?
What is Psychology?
 A set of questions about mental functioning
trace back to philosophy
Aristotle asked about memory, personality,
emotions, etc.
 A set of theories and procedures for asking
and answering questions
the scientific method
evolved over centuries, first in physics
 A product of history
philosophy asked many of the basic questions
physiology used similar methods
Philosophical Developments
A
Question: How are mind and
body related?
Dualism - body and soul are separate
but interrelated
origins in medieval religion
soul is seat of intellectual function and will
mind is product of the soul
mind not subject to scientific inquiry
to challenge this was punishable by death
Philosophical Developments
A
Question: How are mind and
body related?
Rene Descartes (1596-1650) - modified
dualism
since animals have no soul, much behavior
does not require soul
the body can therefore control much behavior
led him to study reflexes
the soul’s main function is thought, a
uniquely human attribute
Philosophical Developments
A
Question: How are mind and body
related?
 Materialism: Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679)
mind is a product of the brain
soul is not involved in human behavior
 Empiricism: Psychological Science Is Born
knowledge and intellect are acquired
sensory experiences produce elementary ideas
elementary ideas become associated into complex
thought and ideas
Science flourishes through observation and
experiment
Philosophical Developments
 Another
Question: Empiricism vs. Nativism
 Nativism is the view that elementary ideas
are innate
 If knowledge is innate
What is the purpose of education?
Can intellect be changed by experience?
 Are abilities determined by our genes or
our experiences?
 This is known as Nature vs. Nurture
appears throughout modern psychology
Phinease Gage video
Foundations of Modern
Psychology
 Charles Darwin (1809-1882)
 Theory of natural selection (1859)
physical characteristics evolve through natural
selection
behavioral patterns also influence selection
inborn knowledge and behavioral tendencies
with survival value are passed on
 Human beings are part of nature and can
be understood through the methods of
science
Foundations of Modern
Psychology
 Natural selection
 principle that
those inherited
trait variations
contributing to
survival will most
likely be passed
on to succeeding
generations
Foundations of Modern
Psychology
 Darwin’s theory encouraged scientific inquiry
 19th century developments in physiology
demonstrated the approach to use
based on scientific methods, controlled laboratory
experiments
influential beliefs from early physiology
reflexology - all human behaviors occur through
reflexes
localization of function - specific structures of the
brain serve specific functions in the control of mental
experiences and behavior
Foundations of Modern
Psychology
 Separated from philosophy in 19th century
influences from physiology remain
 Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920)
“Father of Psychology”
Leipzig, Germany
wrote the first psychology textbook
applied laboratory techniques to study of the mind
structuralism – Early Approach
identify ‘atoms’ of the mind
focused on basic sensory and perceptual processes
measured reaction times
Structuralism
used
introspection
(looking in) to
explore the
elemental
structure of the
human mind
Other Pioneers
 William James (1842-1910)
Concerned with how mental
processes are used by human and
animals in adapting to their
environment.
Broadened psychology to include
behavior as well as mental
processes
 Sigmund Freud (1856-1939)
emphasizes the role of unconscious
mental forces & conflicts in
determining behavior
importance of repressed sexual &
aggressive impulses (current & past)
 Functionalism
focused on how
behavioral
processes
function- how they
enable organism to
adapt, survive, and
flourish
Other Pioneers
 Alfred Binet (1857-1911)
French intelligence researcher
developed first intelligence test
 Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936)
Russian physiologist
discovered conditioned reflexes
 B.F. Skinner (1904-1990)
American psychologist at Harvard
studied learning and effect of reinforcement
behaviorism
Psychology’s Perspectives
A lot depends on your viewpoint
Perspectives
Perspective is a way of viewing
phenomena
Psychology has multiple perspectives
ethological
(neuro)-biological
Psychoanalytic
Humanistic
cognitive
cross- cultural
social
Ethology
The study of animal behavior in the
natural environment rather than in a
lab setting
Influenced by Darwin and the
emphasis on innate, adaptive behavior
patterns
European approach to studying
behavior founded by animal
researchers, Lorenz and Tinbergen
(Neuro) Biological Perspective
 Study the physiological mechanisms in the
brain and nervous system that organize and
control behavior
 Focus may be at various levels
individual neurons
areas of the brain
specific functions like eating, emotion or learning
 Interest in behavior distinguishes biological
psychology from many other biological
sciences
Behavioral Approach
 Study of behavior because it is observable
and measurable, and therefore objective and
scientific
 Behavior is determined primarily by
environment (no free will)
 Positive reinforcement- add something good
 Negative reinforcement-take away something
bad.
Clinical Perspective
 View of behavior based on experience
treating patients
 Psychoanalytic approach (Sigmund Freud )
both a method of treatment and a theory of the
mind
behavior reflects combinations of conscious and
unconscious influences
drives and urges within the unconscious
component of mind influence thought and behavior
early childhood experiences shape unconscious
motivations
Clinical Perspective
Humanistic approach
developed by Abraham Maslow and
Carl Rogers
focuses on the uniqueness of human
beings and their capacity for choice,
growth/betterment, and psychological
health
focus on conscious forces and self
perception-based on free will
More positive view of basic forces
than Freud’s
Cultural Psychology
The study of psychological differences
among people living in different
cultural groups
How are people’s thoughts, feelings
and behavior influenced by their
culture?
What are the common elements across
culture? Are these innate?
Cognitive Perspective
How is knowledge acquired, organized,
remembered, and used to guide
behavior ?
Influences include
Piaget - studied intellectual development
Chomsky - studied language
Cybernetics - science of information
processing
Psychology’s Perspectives
The Profession of
Psychology
American Psychological Association
had 52 divisions in 1998
Some represent areas of training and
specialization (e.g., developmental,
clinical)
Some are applied (i.e., teaching in
psychology, psychology and the law)
Areas of Specialization
 Clinical
abnormal behavior
and psychological
disorders
psychologist vs.
psychiatrist
 Health psychology
psychological factors
in physical healthy
Stop smoking, lose
weight, manage
stress, stay physically
fit, etc.
Industrial/Organizational 3%
Social and
Biological and
Personality 8%
Experimental
16%
Educational 3%
Other
Developmental 6%
Psychology
15%
School 3%
Clinical
36%
Counseling 10%
Areas of Specialization
 Developmental
psychological change
over the life span:
Biological and
intellectually, socially,
Experimental
and emotionally
16%
Other
social, cognitive,
Psychology
15%
personality
 School
Clinical
counseling and
36%
guidance in school
settings
 Educational
learning and teaching
Industrial/Organizational 3%
Social and
Personality 8%
Educational 3%
Developmental 6%
School 3%
Counseling 10%
Areas of Specialization
 Physiobiology
Study structure and
function of brain and
central nervous
system
 Experimental
basic laboratory focus
animals or humans
learning, memory,
motivation, cognition,
perception, and
language.
Industrial/Organizational 3%
Social and
Biological and
Personality 8%
Experimental
16%
Educational 3%
Other
Developmental 6%
Psychology
15%
School 3%
Clinical
36%
Counseling 10%
Areas of Specialization
 Social
social influences on
cognition and emotion
attitudes and beliefs
 Personality
Industrial/Organizational 3%
Social and
Biological and
Personality 8%
Experimental
16%
Educational 3%
Other
Developmental 6%
Psychology
15%
School 3%
individual differences
perception by others
 Industrial/organizational
people and work
job satisfaction
training and selection
Clinical
36%
Counseling 10%
Areas of Specialization
 Forensic
analyzes crime
evidence and aids in
criminal investigations.
 Sports
Counsels athletes on
how to achieve peak
performance through
self talk
 Human factors
Basic research on
human abilities as they
relate to the operation
of machines and
computers.
Industrial/Organizational 3%
Social and
Biological and
Personality 8%
Experimental
16%
Educational 3%
Other
Developmental 6%
Psychology
15%
School 3%
Clinical
36%
Counseling 10%
Professional Work Settings
Colleges and
universities
Clinical settings
Elementary and
secondary
schools
Business
Government
Employment Settings of Psychologists
Business
& Industry
School
Private
Practice
Universities &
College
Average Salary: $30,000-$45,000 a year
Government
Psychology vs Psychiatry
Psychologist
Psychiatrist
Trained in psychology, no
medical school
Medical School
Cannot prescribe drugs
Can prescribe drugs
Can have a PHD or Psy.D
Use medical treatments
Can use behavioral
modifications and some
medical treatments (as long as
there is not medicine involved)
Has done residency in general
medicine
Pay usually under $50,000
Pay usually over $110,000