History of Psychology

History of Psychology

AP Objective • Recognize how philosophical perspectives shaped the development of psychological thought

The Development of Psychology:Speculation to Science • Ancient Egypt-700BC • 1st “psychology experiment” • 16th Century • “psyche” meaning soul, “logos” meaning reason • Dualism • Body and mind are separate • Body can be studied scientifically, the soul cannot • Operates according to free will, not natural law • Rene Descartes • Link existed between mind and body (creates experiences)

Think, Pair, share… • Why was Descartes’s theory, despite its intuitive appeal, unsuitable for a complete psychology?

The Development of Psychology • Thomas Hobbes • 1st to break Dualism • The spirit or soul is a meaningless concept and that nothing exists but matter and energy • All human behavior can be understood in terms of physical processes in the body, especially the brain. • Conscious thought is a product of the brain’s machinery…AND subject to natural law

Think, pair, share… • How did Hobbes’s view help lay the groundwork for a science of psychology?

Development of Psychology • Prior to 1879 • Emerged out of two traditions • Philosophy and natural science • Seeks to understand the meaning of human experience; questions awareness, motivation, and values • Empiricisim (John Locke) • Human knowledge and thought derive from sensory experience (vision, hearing, touch) • We acquire knowledge of the world around us, and this knowledge allows us to think about the world and behave adaptively • Nativism • Some knowledge and rules of operation are native to the human mind • Inborn and not acquired • No understanding of how they are inborn

THINK… • Why is the ability to learn dependent on inborn knowledge?

Development of Psychology • And then came Charles Darwin… • The Origin of Species (1859) • Evolve gradually, natural selection • Basic forms of human emotional experiences are inherited • Evolved bc the ability to communicate one’s emotions improves one’s chances of survival

Think, pair, share… • How did Darwin’s theory of natural selection offer scientific foundation for explaining behavior by describing its functions?

Development of psychology • Out of the continuity of science and philosophy emerged two theorists • Wilhelm Wundt • William James

Wilhelm Wundt(1832-1920) • Professor of “scientific philosophy” (not classical philosophy) • Studied behavior by examining elementary sensory processes…wanted to analyze higher mental processes through psychology • “Founder” of psychology • Physiological processes to social behavior • Founded first laboratory--studied consciousness

Wilhelm Wundt(1832-1920) • Wanted psych to be modeled after sciences • Primary focus of psych • Consciousness-introspective study of the mind • This theory led to criticism!! • Replaced with psych. of behavior in USA • And Freud’s theory of the unconscious mind in Europe • Studying under Wundt • German and American students • 1883-1893 established 24 labs in North America

William James • Principles of Psychology 1890 • Decided that there is “no such thing as a science of psychology” • Favored how the mind functioned rather than it’s basic parts • Little interest in Wundt’s work • “Trying to understand a house by studying each one of it’s bricks.”

Think, pair, share… • William James emphasized asking good questions over gathering data; Wilhelm Wundt was concerned with gathering data. Which aspect appeals to you? Why?

AP Objective • Describe and compare different theoretical approaches in explaining behavior: • — structuralism, functionalism, and behaviorism in the early years; • — Gestalt, psychoanalytic/psychodynamic, and humanism emerging later; • — evolutionary, biological, and cognitive as more contemporary approaches.

functionalism • William James “father of psychology in US” • Focused on investigating the function or purpose of consciousness • Led to investigation of mental testing, developmental patterns, and sex differences • May have attracted the first woman into the field of psychology • Mary Cofler Whiton

Structuralism • Wilhelm Wundt, Edward Titchener • Focused on analyzing consciousness (what goes on in your mind) into basic elements • Sensations, feelings, images • Introspection-careful, systematic observations of one’s own conscious experience

behaviorism • Behaviorism (early 1900s) • Descendent of functionalism • The mind was a black box which could not be opened or understood • John B. Watson- (1878-1958): United States • Founder of behaviorism • Behavior=observable responses or activities • Radical reorientation of psychology as a science of observable behavior • Study of consciousness abandoned

behaviorism • B.F. Skinner (1950s) – “the rat guy” • Internal mental events cannot be studied scientifically and no need • Can you prove that you have a mind? • Environmental factors mold behavior • “Organisms tend to repeat responses that lead to positive outcomes, and they tend not to repeat responses that lead to neutral or negative outcomes.” • (Trained pigeons to play ping-pong)

Assignment • Quick Lab • 1. Observe and keep careful notes of your behavior on Thursday. • 2. You may want to make a chart listing each action, such as “woke to the alarm clock’s ring,” “ate breakfast,” and “yelled at little brother.” • 3. Beside each behavior you noted, list what caused your behavior. For example, “I woke up at 6:30am because school starts at 7:45, and I hate being late.” • Assessment: • Using the behaviorist approach, describe how rewards and punishments affected the behaviors on your list. • What patterns in your behavior emerged? How can you explain any patterns that you see in your data? • What other methods could you use to study observation?

Bellwork 9/3 • What psychological approach might suggest that forgetting to pick his mother up at the airport was Henry’s unconscious way of saying that he did not welcome her visit? • Which of the following is a statement with which Skinner’s followers would agree? • Most behavior is controlled by unconscious forces. • The goal of behavior is self-actualization. • Nature is more influential than nurture. • Free will is an illusion.

Gestalt • Gestalt • Perception is more than the sum of its parts • “Gestalt” = whole pattern in German

Other schools of thought… • Gestalt • Perception is more than the sum of its parts • “Gestalt” = whole pattern in German • P.18 How do these two images represent the ideas of Gestalt psychology?

Bellwork 9/7 • The concept of dualism refers to the division of all things in the world into • A. Thought and action • B. Body and spirit • C. Structural and Functional • D. Theoretical and Practical • E. Dependent and Independent • Imposing order on individual details in order to view them as part of a whole is a basic principle of which of the following types of psychologists? • A. Behaviorist • B. Psychodynamic • C. Humanistic • D. Gestalt • E. Functionalist

Assignment • Assessment: • Using the behaviorist approach, describe how rewards and punishments affected the behaviors on your list. • What patterns in your behavior emerged? How can you explain any patterns that you see in your data? • What other methods could you use to study observation?

Psychoanalytic/Psychodynamic • Psychoanalytic Psychology • Sigmund Freud (1856-1939): Austria • Emphasis on unconscious processes influencing behavior • Unconscious=thoughts, memories, desires (NOT conscious awareness) • Unconscious conflict related to sexuality plays a central role in behavior • Controversial notions caused debate/resistance • Significant influence on the field of psychology

psychodynamic • Psychodynamic psychology suggests we are motivated by the energy of irrational desires generated in our unconscious minds.

humanism • Abraham Maslow, Carl Rogers • Emphasizes the unique qualities of humans, especially their freedom and their potential for human growth • Humans are not “pawns” of animal heritage or environmental circumstances • Research on animals is irrelevant • Fundamental human drive for personal growth • Not very scientific

Bellwork 9/8 • Psychologists who emphasize the importance of repressed memories and childhood experiences subscribe to which of the perspectives? • The humanistic approach to psychology emphasizes the importance of • A. Childhood experiences • B. Biological predispositions • C. Maladaptive thoughts • D. Free will and conscious awareness • E. Cultural experiences • What psychological approach might suggest that forgetting to pick his mother up at the airport was Henry’s unconscious way of saying that he did not welcome her visit?

Developmental View • The developmental view emphasizes changes that occur across our lifespan. • This is the question of nature vs. nurture.

**Cognitive • 1950s-1960s • Cognition • Mental processes involved in acquiring knowledge (thinking or conscious experience) • Store, process, use • Jean Piaget • Children’s cognitive development • Norm Chomsky • Language • Must study internal mental events to fully understand behavior • Examples: Electrical stimulation of the brain evokes responses; Right and left halves of the brain specialize in different tasks, visual signals to the brain

Bellwork 9/9 • To which perspective are the roles of knowledge, information processing, and their interactions most central? And why did you choose that answer? • A. Psychoanalytic • B. Cognitive • C. Behaviorist • D. Evolutionary • E. Biopsychological

**Biological • The biological view looks at how our physical make up and the operation of our brains influence our personality, preferences, behavior patterns, and abilities. • According to biological view, our behavior is a result of heredity, the nervous system and the endocrine system and environmental impacts such as disease.

**Sociocultural • New interest in culture • Advances in communication, travel, and international trade (brought about global interdependence) • Ethnic makeup of Western world is more diverse • Sociocultural psychologists • Study underrepresented groups to test earlier findings • Study differences and similarities of groups • Study how culture is transmitted through socialization • Study how culture determines one’s view of the world • How people cope with cultural change • Reduce misunderstanding and conflict • How groups are affected by prejudice, discrimination, and racism

Think, pair, share • Why has the focus of Western psychology been so narrow? • Cross-cultural research is costly, difficult, and time-consuming • Cultural comparisons may foster stereotypes of various culture groups • Ethnocentricism-one’s own group is superior

Ap Objective • Distinguish the different domains of psychology: • — biological, clinical, cognitive, counseling, developmental, educational, • experimental, human factors, industrial–organizational, personality, • psychometric, and social.

Jobs in Psychology • Psychologist • People who are trained to observe, analyze, and evaluate behavior • Psychiatry • Branch of medicine that deals with mental, emotional, or behavioral disorders • *Clinical psychology • Diagnoses and treats people with emotional disturbances (mental hospitals and prisons) • *Counseling psychology • Assist with problem of everyday life (schools) • Developmental psychologists • Study physical, emotional, cognitive, and social changes throughout life • Educational psychologists • Help students learn (intelligence, memory, problem solving) • Community psychologist • Mental health or social welfare agency • Industrial/Organizational psychologist • Use psych concepts to make the workplace better • Psychobiologist • Effect of drugs • Forensic psychologist • Profiles of criminal offenders or understand problems of abuse • Health psychologist • Interaction between physical and psychological (stress leads to sickness)

Bellwork 9/10 • For which of the following is Wilhelm Wundt primarily known? • The establishment between mind and body as two separate entities • The establishment of the first formal laboratory for research in psychology • The discovery of how signals are conducted along nerves in the body • The development of the first formal program for training in psychotherapy • G. Stanley Hall is noteworthy in the history of psychology because he: • Established the first American research lab in psychology. • Launched America’s first psychological journal. • Was the driving force behind the establishment of the American Psychological Association. • Did All of the above.

History of Psychology