Introduction to Psychology: The Study of Mental Processes and Behavior

1. Psychology: An Introduction

2. Psychology Defined: The scientific study of mental processes and behavior in both animals & humans.

3. Psychology uses a scientific approach • Psychological theories are general frameworks for the scientific study of human & animal behavior

4. Psychological Theories • Theories are used to develop testableassumptions or ideas about human behavior • Theories in psychology can become confusing because human behavior is difficult to explain

5. Psychological Theories • There are many possible causes for a particular behavior • Often, psychological theories contradict each other

6. Areas of Specialization in Psychology • Research • Pharmacology • Consumer Behavior • Military • Experimental • Clinical • Teaching • Psychotherapy • Industrial

7. Types of Psychologists • Research psychologists: those whostudy the origin, cause,or results of certain behaviors • Applied psychologists: those who make direct use of the research findings of research psychologists by dealing directly with patients

8. Historical Psychologists & Their Theories

9. Wilhelm Wundt (pronounced Voont) “The work which I here present to the public is an attempt to mark out a new domain of science.”

10. Wundt’s Accomplishments • Started the first laboratory for studying humans • Known as the “Father of Psychology”

11. Wundt’s Theories • Wundt sought to understand the basics that go into making up our thoughts & feelings • Wundt tried to train people to accurately describe the sensations that they experienced when touching certain objects • Wundt found that human sensation and experiences were too complex to be generally classified

12. Wundt’s Theories • Developed the process known as introspection • Introspectionmeans looking within yourself and explaining what is there • Wundt demonstrated that some aspects of human behavior and thought processes can be observed scientifically

13. Sigmund Freud “A man like me cannot live… without a dominating passion…It is psychology.”

14. Freud’s Accomplishments • Austrian Physician • Developed one of the first comprehensive theories of personality • Developed psychoanalysis which examines the base human desires and impulses to determine the cause for psychological problems

15. Freud’s Theories • Problems that appear in adolescence or adulthood can be traced to things that happened in the first five or six years of life • His primary theory is based on how unconscious conflicts affect personality

16. Freud’s Theories People are influenced by their early childhood experiences Freud had many other theories which will be discussed later in this course

17. William James “Psychology is the science of mental life.”

18. James’ Accomplisments • Philosopher and Harvard professor • One of the founders of American psychology

19. James’ Theories • Interested in how humans adapt to their environment • He preferred to examine human experiences in their entirety rather than breaking them down

20. James’ Theories • Tried to understand thinking as a “stream of ideas” • Kept the needs of the individual in mind while studying human thinking processes

21. John B. Watson “No one today knows enough to raise a child.”

22. Watson’s Accomplishments • Studied the impact of learning on human emotion • He is associated with behaviorism due to his concentration on human learning

23. Watson’s Theories • He believed associations with either positive or negative experiences shape our emotions and behavior • He believed psychological problems could be prevented through good parenting

24. Six Main Psychological Approaches • Neurobiological • Behavioral • Humanistic • Psychoanalytic • Cognitive • Sociocultural

25. Neurobiological Approach The Brain Antidepressants: Prozac Paxil Zoloft Celexa Wellbutrin Serotonin Acetylcholine Norepinephrine Dopamine Endorphins neurotransmitters

26. Neurobiological Behavior is viewed in terms of biological response

27. Neurobiological For example: Low levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain causes depression

28. Neurobiological • Research on depression has demonstrated that the brain’s chemistry changes dramatically during depressive states • This research has led to the development of powerful antidepressants known as SSRI’s. • SSRI stands for selective serotoninreuptake inhibitors

29. Behavioral Approach Behavior is viewed as a product of learned responses

30. Behavioral Approach • Humans become who they are through a process of learning and associations with things that have been learned

31. Behavioral Approach People act as they do because of the “rewards” they have received for previous behavior

32. Humanistic Approach • Humans are basically good • If allowed to develop to their fullest potential, then humans will reach their goals

33. Psychoanalytic Approach • Sexual and aggressive impulses experienced in early childhood continue to affect our behavior throughout adolescence and adulthood • We are not aware of these impulses but they affect our behavior nonetheless

34. Psychoanalytic Approach • By analyzing these impulses, we gain an understanding of them as well as insight into how to control them

35. Cognitive Approach Rodin’s “The Thinker” • Behavior is viewed as a product of various internal sentences or thoughts

36. Sociocultural Approach • Society greatly influences our behavior • Behavior is viewed as strongly influenced by the rules and expectationsof our society and culture Calista Flockhart Is her body-size “Normal”?

37. by: Scott Jones

38. Bye, Bye !