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General Psychology and Methods

This comprehensive guide delves into the scientific study of the mind and behavior, covering historical approaches, methods, and key concepts in psychology. Discover how psychology aims to reach its goals through a variety of approaches and the significance of studying observable and unobservable behaviors. From developmental to cognitive psychology, explore different perspectives and theories that shape our understanding of human behavior and mental processes. Unveil the evolution of psychology through the works of key figures like Wundt, Freud, Watson, and more, and learn about the scientific methods used to investigate psychological phenomena. Delve into the fascinating world of psychology and unravel the complexities of the human mind.

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General Psychology and Methods

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  1. General Psychology and Methods Lap 1

  2. What is Psychology? Psychology: the scientific study of the mind and behavior Chapter 1, Section 1

  3. What does Psychology want to accomplish?

  4. Approaches to Psychology Many different approaches to study behavior each does it differently (the how) Developmental (Lap 5) Cognitive (Lap 5) Neuroscience/ Psychobiology– the brain Socio-cultural/ Social-- interactions Health/ Clinical/ Mental illness Chapter 1, Section 1

  5. How does Psychology reach its goals?By studying behaviors… • Objective • XX is holding a pencil • Facts- detached, balanced, unbiased • Subjective Observations • I like your headband • Opinions- personal, emotional, biased • Observable • Examples: eat food • Unobservable • Examples: hunger, boredom, coping mechanism…

  6. Goals of Psych • Q: What does each indicate is important to psychologists? • Why valuable? • How misused? • Which is most important? • Q: What future behaviors could be predicted based on your own past behaviors?

  7. Historical Approaches to Psychology The Beginning • Wm.Wundt – founder of Psych as a science • First experimental Psych research lab • To scientifically study and collect data on the mind • Structuralism –Study behavior to determine a structure to the thought process • Methods: Systematic Introspection- describe your own experiences/ thoughts with self-observation • Collect data on one’s own conscious experiences/ reactions • Flaws- reporting own feelings is unreliable/ biased Chapter 1, section 2

  8. Historical Approaches to Psychology • William James- Father of Psych (in the US) • Book: The Principles of Psychology • Functionalism- Studied functions of mental processes • Especially when in adapting to the environment • What is the purpose of behavior and mental processes? To adapt and survive (Darwin • Reaction to Structuralism • Methods: improved research methods/ scientific method • Flaws: can this be studied directly??

  9. Historical Approaches to Psychology • Sigmund Freud • Book: The Interpretation of Dreams • Psychoanalysis- Studied the unconscious mind • To explain behavior, personality, and mental/ physical disorders • Thoughts and desires influence our behavior • Expressed in dreams and “slips of the tongue” • CONTROVERSIAL • Methods: Psychothreapy (with Jung) • To collect data and interpret unconscious thoughts • Dream analysis • Free Association- say anything • Flaws- reporting and analysis unreliable/ biased

  10. Newer Approaches to Psychology • Watson and Skinner • Behaviorism- Behavior is a product of prior learning • Behavior without thought… like a reaction/ impulse • A response to Functionalism and Psychoanalysis • Method: study observable behaviors • More in Lap 3!

  11. Wertheimer • Gestalt psychology emphasized perception of “whole pattern” (‘Gestalt’) of behavior • See behavior in its entirety, not in isolation • Reaction to Structuralism, Behaviorists, and Freud • Method: focus on the conscious mind to study how sensations affect perceptions… leads to Humanist and Cognitive Psychology • Flaw:

  12. Sir Francis Galton • Nature vs. nurture • Inheritable Traits- Study genius, ability, character, and personality to determine if they are hereditary • Methods: invented modern personality tests

  13. Newer Approaches to Psychology • Carl Rogers, Abe Maslow • Humanism-the importance of the individual • Emphasizes the inner-self and the importance of feelings, not the unconscious or environment • Behaviors are self-directed • See the whole person • A response to Psychoanalysis, Behaviorists, and Gestalt • Methods: client centered therapy, emphasized subjective meaning • Flaws: unobservable inner experiences– data???

  14. Newer Approaches to Psychology • Piaget, Ellis • Cognitive Psych.- Studied mental processes • Inner mental processes outward, measurable behavior • How do our thoughts determine behavior? • How do we process, store, retrieve, and use info? • How do we perceive, learn, and remember info? • A response to Functionalism, Gestalt, and Behaviorism • Methods: study observable, measurable behavior • Flaws: • More in Lap 3!

  15. The Scientific Method: See Activity #3Chart Chapter 2, Sec 1

  16. Scientific Method • Example Question: Does Bayer Aspirin relieve headaches better than a placebo? • Hypothesis: • Control Group vs. Experimental Group • Independent Variable vs. Dependent Variable • Perform Experiment- systematically gather data • Analyze data and draw conclusions

  17. Scientific Method • Independent Variable (IV) –manipulated by the researcher IF • Ex: If you take aspirin in X dose, will your headache go away? • Dependent Variable (DV) – the behavior or response that is measured THEN • The headache- hopefully, is affected by the aspirin Chapter 2

  18. Scientific Method • Biased sample • Placebo effect • Double Blind Experiment • Correlations • Validity • Reliability

  19. Experiments • Which type of experiment would you do? • Case Study • Survey • Experiment • Naturalistic Observation

  20. Psychology as a Profession • Psychologist • Psychiatry- medical doctor • Clinical psychologist- interprets tests • Councilor – everyday life • Developmental/ Educational • Etc….

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