History and Perspectives in Psychological Science

1. History and Perspectives in Psychological Science Module 01

2. Module Overview • The Definition of Psychology • Modern Psychology’s Roots • Psychology in the Twentieth Century • Psychology’s American Groundbreakers • Six Psychological Perspectives • Psychology in the Twenty-First Century Click on the any of the above hyperlinks to go to that section in the presentation.

3. The Definition of Psychology Module 01: History and Perspectives in Psychological Science

4. Psychology • Scientific study of behavior and mental processes. • Uses scientific research methods. • Behavior includes all observable behavior. • Mental processes include thoughts, feelings and dreams.

5. Basic Research • Pure science that aims to increase the scientific knowledge base. • Research with the explicit purpose of finding new information

6. Applied Research • Scientific study that aims to solve practical problems. • Research with the purpose of using psychology to better the world.

7. Modern Psychology’s Roots Module 01: History and Perspectives in Psychological Science

8. Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920) • Founder of modern psychology; • he opened the first psychology laboratory. • The “father of psychology” • The opening of the lab in 1879 in Leipzig is considered the beginning of the field of psychology.

9. Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920) • Used introspection (describing one’s conscious experience) • First to use of the scientific method in studying consciousness

10. E.B. Titchener (1867-1927) • Founder of structuralism • Analyzed the intensity, clarity and quality of the parts of consciousness • Stressed psychology as a descriptive science

11. Structuralism • Theory that the structure of conscious experience could be understood by analyzing the basic elements of thoughts and sensations.

13. Gestalt Psychology • Psychological perspective that emphasized our tendency to integrate pieces of information into meaningful wholes. • The whole is different from the sum of its parts.

15. William James (1842-1910) • First American psychologist and • author of the first psychology textbook • Founder of Functionalism

16. Functionalism • Theory that emphasized the functions of consciousness or the ways consciousness helps people adapt to their environment

18. Psychology in the Twentieth Century Module 01: History and Perspectives in Psychological Science

19. Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) • Founder of psychoanalysis, • a controversial theory about the workings of the unconscious mind. • Believed that abnormal behavior originated from unconscious drives and conflicts

20. Psychoanalysis • Freud’s theory of personality; also, • a therapeutic technique that attempts to provide insights into thoughts and actions by exposing and interpreting the underlying unconscious motives and conflicts

21. Freud’s Influence • Influence on “pop culture” • Freudian slips • Anal-retentive • Influence on psychology • Psychodynamic theory • Unconscious thoughts • Significance of childhood experiences

22. Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936) • Russian physiologist and learning theorist famous for the discovery of classical conditioning, in which learning occurs through associations. • Studied learning in animals • Emphasized the study of observable behaviors

23. John B. Watson (1878-1958) • Founder of behaviorism, • the theory that psychology should restrict its efforts to studying observable behaviors, not mental processes. • Emphasized objective and scientific methodology • Little Albert study

24. Behaviorism • The theory that psychology should only study observable behaviors, not mental processes. • Today focuses on learning through rewards and observation

25. B.F. Skinner (1904-1990) • American behavioral psychologist who developed the fundamental principles and techniques of operant conditioning and • devised ways to apply them to the real world.

26. Humanistic Psychology • A perspective that focuses on the study of conscious experience, the individual’s freedom to choose, and the capacity for personal growth • Stressed the study of conscious experience and an individual’s free will • Healthy individuals should strive to reach their full potential. • Rejected idea that behavior is controlled by rewards and punishments

27. Carl Rogers (1908-1970) • Humanist psychologist who developed client-centered therapy and • stressed the importance of acceptance, genuineness, and empathy in fostering human growth.

28. Abraham Maslow (1902-1987) • Humanistic psychologist who proposed the hierarchy of needs, • with self-actualization as one of the ultimate psychological needs.

29. Jean Piaget (1896-1980) • Pioneer in the study of developmental psychology who introduced a stage theory of cognitive development that led to a better understanding of children’s thought processes. • Interested in how thinking develops • Believed younger children thought differently than older children

30. Psychology’s American Groundbreakers Module 01: History and Perspectives in Psychological Science

31. G. Stanley Hall (1844-1924) • First American with a doctorate in psychology • Open the first psychology lab in U.S. at John Hopkins University • First president of the APA

32. Mary Whiton Calkins (1863-1930) • First woman to complete the requirements for a Ph.D. in psychology • President of the APA in 1905

33. Margaret Floy Washburn (1871-1930) • First woman to receive a Ph.D. in psychology in the U.S.

34. Francis Cecil Sumner (1895-1954) • First African-American to receive a Ph.D. in psychology

35. Inez Beverly Prosser (1897-1934) • First African-American woman to receive a Ph.D. in psychology

36. Kenneth Clark (1914-2005)Mamie Philips Clark (1917-1983) • Researchers whose work was used in the Brown vs. Board of Education case that overturned segregation in schools. • Educational psychologists • Studied institutionalized racism

37. Six Psychological Perspectives Module 01: History and Perspectives in Psychological Science

38. Cognitive Perspective • School of thought that focuses on how people think – how we • take in, • process, store, and • retrieve information. • Emphasizes how people think about and interpret a situation

41. Biological Perspective • School of thought that focuses on the physical structures and substances underlying a particular behavior, thought, or emotion • Behavior is explained by brain chemistry, genetics, glands, etc.

44. Social-Cultural Perspective • School of thought that focuses on how thinking or behavior changes in different situations or as a result of cultural influences.

47. Behavioral Perspective • Focus: How we learn through rewards, punishments, and observation • Behavior is explained by previous learning

50. Humanistic Perspective • Focus: How healthy people strive to reach their full potential • Behavior is explained as being motivated by satisfying needs (safety, hunger, thirst, etc.), with the goal of reaching one’s full potential once basic needs are met.