➢ What is PSYCHOLOGY?
 greek word psyche means soul
 root ology denotes scientific study of
 refers to the scientific study of the mind
and behavior
hypothesis
- propose a tentative
explanation to
explain the
phenomenon
- should fit into the
context of a
scientific theory
scientific theory
- a broad
explanation for
some aspects of
the natural
worlds that is
consistently
supported by
evidence over
time
empirical method
- based on observation (e.g.
experimentation)
MERITS OF AN EDUCATION IN PSYCHOLOGY
 one of the most popular majors on
colleges in the US
 hones critical thinking skills and trained to
use scientific method
 understand the complex factors that
shape one's behavior
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In the 19th century
 Wilhelm Wundt and William James
– credited as founder of psychology as a science
and academic discipline distinct from
philosophy
Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920)
 German scientist—first person
referred as a psychologist
 Principles of Physiological Psychology
(1873)
Introspection
– "internal perception"
– process by which
someone examines their
own conscious
experience objectively
 first stringent
requirement
 second requirement
Use of "trained" or
practiced observers
who could immediately
report a reaction
what he thinks…
– viewed psychology as
a scientific study of
conscious experience
– goal of psychology
was to identify
components of
consciousness and
how those
components
combined to result in
our conscious
experience
Use of repeatable stimuli
that always produced the
same experience in the
subject
Structuralism
 attempt to understand the structure or
characteristics of the mind
however…
– the process remained highly subjective
– very little agreement between individuals
thus…
– structuralism fell out of favor with the passing of
Wundt's student, Edward Titchener, in 1972
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William James(1842-1910)
 first American psychologist
 introduced to Darwin's theory of
evolution of natural selection
leads to organisms that are
adapted to their environment,
including their behavior.
Functionalism
– study the function of behavior in the world
– focused on how mental activities helped an
organism fit into its environment
Sigmund Freud(1856-1939)
 Australian neurologist
 one of the most influential figures in
psychology's history
 fascinated by patients suffering from
"hysteria" and neurosis
theorized that many of his
A repository of
patients' problems arose
feelings and urges
from the unconscious
of which we have
mind
no awareness
accessed through…
• dream analysis
• first words that came to people's minds
• slips of the tongue
Psychoanalytic theory
– role of a person's unconscious, early
childhood experiences
Psychoanalysis
- the patient talking about their experiences
and selves
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Max Wertheimer
(1880-1943)
Kurt Koffka
(1886-1941)
Wolfgang Köhler
(1887-1967)
 German psychologists
Gestalt Psychology
how those sensory
experiences (can be broken
down into individuals parts)
relate to each other as a
whole
describing and
understanding inner
experience
Ivan Pavlov (1846-1936)
 studied conditioned reflex (learning
behavior)
an animal or human produced a reflex (unconscious)
response to a stimulus, overtime, was conditioned to
produce the response to a different stimulus that the
experimenter associated with the original stimulus.
classical conditioning
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John B. Watson (1878-1958)
 American psychologist
 focused on observable behavior
 father of Behaviorism
shifting the focus from the
mind to behavior
Behaviorism
- observing and controlling behavior
- learned behavior and its interactions with inborn
qualities
- commonly used animals in experiments
- used in behavioral and cognitive therapy
B.F. Skinner (1904-1990)
 American psychologist
 concentrated on how behavior was
affected by its consequences
 operant conditioning
reinforcement and punishment as
major factors in driving behavior
Skinner Box
- chamber that isolates the
external environment and has
a behavior indicator such as a
lever or a button
Humanism
- emphasized personal control, intentionality, and
a true predisposition for "good" as important for
our self-concept and behavior
- perspective within psychology that emphasizes
the potential for good that is innate to all humans
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Abraham Maslow (1908-1970)
 American psychologist
 proposed a hierarchy of human
needs in motivating behavior
Carl Rogers (1902-1987)
 American psychologist
 client-centered therapy
– helping clients deal with
problematic issues that resulted in
their seeking psychotherapy
– patients taking a lead role in the
therapy session
three features to maximize the effectiveness:
unconditional positive regard, genuineness, and
empathy
accepts client for who they are, no matter what
he or she might say
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By the 1950s, new disciplinary perspectives in
linguistics, neuroscience, and computer science
were emerging, and these areas revived interest in
the mind as a focus of scientific inquiry.
Noam Chomsky (1928–)
 influential in the early days of the
movement
 American linguist
 dissatisfied with the influence that
behaviorism had on psychology
There is a risk that psychological
theories and data derived from white,
American settings could be assumed to apply
to individuals and social groups from other
cultures and this is unlikely to be true
Since psychologists belonging to specific ethnic
groups or cultures have the most interest in
studying the psychology of their communities,
these organizations provide an opportunity for the
growth of research on the impact of culture on
individual and social psychology.
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American Psychological Association (APA)
 largest professional organization of psychologists
in the world in the United States
 advance and disseminate psychological
knowledge for the betterment of people
major subdivisions within psychology today…
– how our biology influences our behavior
– how the structure of the nervous system is
related to behavior
• study the ultimate biological causes of
behavior
• demonstrate adaptation to its surroundings
• Charles Darwin, co-discover of the theory of
evolution by natural selection
our experience of our world is not as simple as the
sum total of all of the sensory information (or
sensations) together. Rather, our experience (or
perception) is complex and is influenced by where
we focus our attention, our previous experiences,
and even our cultural backgrounds.
focuses on studying cognition, or thoughts, and
their relationship to our experiences and our
actions.
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– study of development across a lifespan
– physical maturation, cognitive skills, moral
reasoning, social behavior, and other
psychological attributes
– focuses on patterns of thoughts and
behaviors that make each individual unique
– personality traits
BIG FIVE
or
Five Factor
model
each of these
traits has been
demonstrated to
be relatively
stable over the
lifespan and is
influenced by
genetics
– focuses how we interact with and relate to others
– applies psychological theories, principles, and
research finding in industrial and organizational
setting
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– focuses on how health is affected by the
interaction of biological, psychological, and
sociocultural factors
biopsychosocial model
health/illness is
determined by an
interaction of these
three factors
– study the psychological aspects of sport
performance, including motivation and
performance anxiety, and the effects of sport on
mental and emotional wellbeing
– focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of
psychological disorders and other problematic
patterns of behavior
Counselling psychology—similar discipline that
focuses on emotional, social, vocational, and
health-related outcomes in individuals who are
considered psychologically healthy
– deals questions of psychology as they arise
in the context of justice system
– may be involved in providing psychological
treatment within the criminal justice system
References
Spielman, R. (2014). Psychology. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/details/books/psychology
Introduction to Psychology Page 10