What is Psychology?

1. What is Psychology? • The science of behavior and the mind • behavior - observable actions • mind - subjective experiences (thoughts, feelings, sensations, perceptions, memories, dreams, motives) • science • an objective way to answer questions • based on observable facts / data and well described methods

3. 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 • A product of history • religion, philosophy, physiology

4. Philosophical Developments BIG • A Question: How are mind and body related? • Dualism - body and soul are separate but interrelated • origins in medieval religion • Soul: seat of thought and intellect • mind is product of soul • mind not subject to scientific inquiry • to challenge this was punishable by death • (compare to astronomy (Ptolemy vs. Copernicus, Galileo)

5. Philosophical Developments • Rene Descartes (1596-1650) • 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

8. Philosophical Developments • Materialism: Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) • only matter, energy exist • mind: product of brain (matter), thus subject to natural law • Empiricism: Locke, Hume • knowledge and thought derive from sensory experience • thought not produced by free will but by experience • Empiricism vs. Nativism aka Nature vs Nurture

9. Foundations of Modern Psychology • Charles Darwin (1809-1882) • Theory of natural selection (1859) • views traits in light of adaptive function • Humans are part/ product of nature and can be understood through the methods of science

10. Foundations of Modern Psychology • Darwin’s theory encouraged scientific inquiry of human behavior • 19th century physiology • scientific methods, controlled laboratory experiments • influential beliefs from early physiology • reflexology - all human behaviors occur through reflexes • localization of brain function

11. Foundations of Modern Psychology • Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920) • first psychology laboratory: Leibzig 1879 • structuralism - identify ‘atoms’ of the mind • focused on basic sensory and perceptual processes • measured reaction times

12. Other Pioneers • Edward Titchener • structuralism, introspection • William James • functionalism, introspection not method but source of ideas • Mary Calkins, Christine Ladd-Franklin, Margaret Floy Washburn • Max Wertheimer • Gestalt psychology • phi phenomenon: • http://psych.purdue.edu/Magniphi/SimpliPhi.html, http://psych.purdue.edu/Magniphi/MagniPhi.html

13. John Watson • Behaviorism: S-R psychology(see reflexology) • B.F. Skinner • operant psychology • Konrad Lorenz • ethology: animal behavior in natural environment • Karl Lashley • neural basis of learning

14. Sigmund Freud • psychoanalysis, unconscious mind • Carl Rogers, Abraham Maslow • humanistic psychology: self-actualization drive • Cultural and Social Psychology • Cognitive Revolution • developed from S-O-R behaviorists • aided by Piaget, Chomsky

16. 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

17. Perspectives • Perspective is a way of viewing phenomena • Psychology has multiple perspectives • ethological • biological • psychoanalytic • cognitive • cross- cultural • social

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. Clinical Perspective • View of behavior based on experience treating patients • Humanistic approach • developed by Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers • behavior reflects innate ‘actualization’ • focus on conscious forces and self perception • More positive view of basic forces than Freud’s

22. 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?

23. 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

25. 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)

26. Industrial/Organizational 3% Social and Personality 8% Biological and Experimental 16% Educational 3% Other Psychology 15% Developmental 6% School 3% Clinical 36% Counseling 10% Areas of Specialization • Clinical • abnormal behavior and psychological disorders • psychologist vs. psychiatrist • Health psychology • psychological factors in physical health • Counseling • dealing with normal life situations • provide guidance

27. Industrial/Organizational 3% Social and Personality 8% Biological and Experimental 16% Educational 3% Other Psychology 15% Developmental 6% School 3% Clinical 36% Counseling 10% Areas of Specialization • Developmental • psychological change over the life span • social, cognitive, personality • School • counseling and guidance in school settings • Educational • learning and teaching

28. Industrial/Organizational 3% Social and Personality 8% Biological and Experimental 16% Educational 3% Other Psychology 15% Developmental 6% School 3% Clinical 36% Counseling 10% Areas of Specialization • Psychobiology • brain and behavior • studied at many levels • often uses animals as research model • Experimental • basic laboratory focus • animals or humans • learning, memory, motivation • Cognitive • experimental • human memory, perception, etc.

29. Industrial/Organizational 3% Social and Personality 8% Biological and Experimental 16% Educational 3% Other Psychology 15% Developmental 6% School 3% Clinical 36% Counseling 10% Areas of Specialization • Social • social influences on cognition and emotion • attitudes and beliefs • Personality • individual differences • perception by others • Industrial/organizational • people and work • job satisfaction • training and selection

30. Employment Settings of Psychologists Business & Industry Private Practice School Universities & College Government Professional Work Settings • Colleges and universities • Clinical settings • Elementary and secondary schools • Business • Government