PSYCHOLOGY
DEFINITION
 The scientific study of behavior &
mental processes
 some psychologists (behaviorists)
focus on observable behavior, while
others focus on fantasies, feelings,
dreams, etc.  all systematic!
SCIENTIFIC METHOD
 Identify problem/question
 formulate hypothesis (educated guess or idea)
 collect data through observation &
measurement
 analyze data to prove/disprove hypothesis 
theory (complex explanation based on numerous
studies)
SOME PSYCHOLOGISTS…
 focus on influencing/ controlling behavior
in a helpful way (counselors, therapists, etc)
 research to better understand behavior in
animals & humans  just curious
(basic science)
Video #1 
Video #2 
 use accepted theories & ideas to
solve problems (applied science)
HISTORICAL INFLUENCES
 16th century Scientific Revolution – Copernicus &
Galileo: planets revolve around the sun – founders of
Scientific Method
 Descartes: idea that mind & body influence one
another to create experiences behavior is linked to
our nervous system
 19th century – Wundt (& James) – founders
of Psychology
WILHELM WUNDT
 1879 – Wilhelm Wundt starts 1st
Laboratory of Psych. to study how
human mind works
 Structuralism: school of psych. devoted to
answering basic questions
 introspection – what happens in the human
mind  http://study.com/academy/lesson/introspection-and-self-awarenesstheory-in-psychology-definition-examples.html#lesson
 Wundt collected reports from human subjects on
why they behaved a certain way or what they were
thinking when they made decisions (NOT
behaviorism b/c can’t be seen)
Video 
WILLIAM JAMES
 1890 – William James wrote Principles
of Psychology to explain conscious
decisions & purpose of behavior
 believed humans behaved the way they
did in order to survive – every behavior
has a goal
OTHER IMPORTANT PSYCHOLOGISTS
 Sigmund Freud – early 1930’s, study
of unconscious mind; psychoanalysis
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Video
 Francis Galton – late 1800’s – study of
individual differences and the effect of heredity
 Ivan Pavlov – early 1900’s – study of how
animals learn certain behaviors; classical
Video 
conditioning
 John Watson – 1920’s – founder of
behaviorism – psychology should concern
itself only with observable behavior
PSYCHOLOGIST VS. PSYCHIATRIST
 A specialist in psychology that usually works for a
company or for a psychiatrist. CANNOT prescribe
medicine.
 Psychiatry is a branch of medicine that focuses more
on the treatment of patients w/emotional/behavioral
disturbances. CAN prescribe medicine.
Review
Video 
 In the beginning, psychology
focused on mental thoughts/consciousness
 In the 1920’s (1st half of the century), the
focus of psychology shifted to observable
behavior
 Today, it’s BOTH!