1 / 21

Unit 1: Scope, History, and Methodology

Unit 1: Scope, History, and Methodology. By: J. Mulder AP Psychology. What is psychology?. Psychology is a science. Definition : the scientific study of behavior and mental processes. Psychology is a science BECAUSE psychologists rely on scientific research methods.

luigi
Download Presentation

Unit 1: Scope, History, and Methodology

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Unit 1: Scope, History, and Methodology By: J. Mulder AP Psychology

  2. What is psychology? • Psychology is a science • Definition: the scientific study of behavior and mental processes • Psychology is a science BECAUSE psychologists rely on scientific research methods. • Psychologists study your behavior (the observable things you do) and your mental processes (the unobservable- thoughts, feelings, and dreams)

  3. What is Culture? • Learned (Enculturation) • Shared (Language) • Ideas & Symbols • Patterns of Behavior

  4. Historical Background • Functionalism • Structuralism • Psychoanalytic Perspective • Behaviorism

  5. Structuralism Birth of Psychology • 1879 Wilhelm Wundt “father of psychology” • Creates 1st psychological research lab Structuralism • Developed by E.B. Titchener • Goal: To understand the structure of conscious experiences by analyzing the intensity, clarity, and quality of its basic parts. • Used scientific method to gather information about consciousness.

  6. Structuralism • What is the intensity of the grasses green color? • The clarity of the texture? • The quality of the shape and size?

  7. Functionalism Functionalism • Developed by William James -> 1890 • Goal: To study the functions of consciousness / ways the consciousness helps people adapt to their environment. • Uses the scientific method to gather information.

  8. Psychoanalytic Perspective Psychoanalysis • Developed by Sigmund Freud -> 1900 • Goal: Understand how unconscious drives and conflicts contribute to abnormal behavior. • Relied on personal observation and reflection instead of experimentation.

  9. Behaviorism Behaviorism • Developed by John Watson -> 1913 • Goal: To study observable behavior in an objective matter. • Thought that the studying of the consciousness of of little value. • Focused on scientific experimentation and measurable outcomes. • Most dominant perspective of the 20th c.

  10. Modern Approaches • Biological • Evolutionary • Psychodynamic • Behavioral • Cognitive • Humanistic • Social-Cultural

  11. Biological Approach(AKA Neuroscience) • Assumes that behavior and mental processes are largely shaped by biological processes. • The brain • Hormones • Other chemicals • Genetics • Nervous System

  12. Evolutionary Approach • Assumes that the behavior of animals and humans today is the result of evolution though natural selection. • Inherited, adaptive, aspects of behavior.

  13. Psychodynamic Approach • Assumes that our behavior and mental processes reflect constant, and mostly unconscious, psychological struggles within us. • Rooted in Freud’s Theories

  14. Behavioral Approach • Assumes that human behavior is determined mainly by what a person has learned, especially from rewards and punishments. • Associated with John Watson and B.F. Skinner • Ignores EVERYTHING but what is observable!

  15. Cognitive Approach • Focuses on how the brain takes in information, creates perceptions, forms and retrieves memories, processes information, and generates integrated patterns of actions. • How does it get from out there ->brain -> back out there.

  16. Humanistic Approach • Views behavior as controlled by decisions that people make about their lives based on their perceptions of the world. • Emphasizes individual potential for growth.

  17. Social-Cultural Approach • Views behavior as controlled by different situations and cultural attitudes. • This is becoming a very important approach in are shrinking global society.

  18. Anger

  19. What YOU need to know! • The approaches are important to know. You will see them appear many times throughout this course. • They can however be difficult to manage when thinking about psychological issues. • For most of the content in this course, we will use the levels of analysis to view psychological problems

  20. Three Main Levels of Analysis • The three levels of analysis offer complementary outlooks. • Often looking at a problem from one outlook does offer a complete solution. BIOLOGICAL COGNITIVE Behavior / Mental Processes SOCIAL-CULTURAL

  21. Cognitive Influences • learned fears and other learnt expectations • emotional responses • cognitive processing and perceptual interpretations Biological influences • genetic predispositions • genetic mutations • natural selection of adaptive physiology and behaviors • genes responding to environment Behavior or mental process Social-cultural Influences • presence of others • cultural, societal, and family expectations • peer and other group influences • compelling models (such as media) Levels of Analysis Approach(Biopsychosocial Approach)

More Related