What is Psychology?

The scientific definition of
Psychology:
Psychology is the scientific study of
behavior and mental processes.

Why study Psychology?
The study will give you new ways to look
at and interpret your world and the
people who inhabit it.
What is Psychology?
September 9, 2011
Learning Objectives
 Be able to define “Psychology”
 Know what Psychologists study
 Understand the history and evolution of
Psychology
 Review for Tuesday’s Test
Behavior and Mental Processes
Behavior is any action that other people
can observe or measure.
Mental Processes (cognitive processes)
are mental processes that are not directly
observable. They include dreams,
perceptions, thoughts, memories, etc.
Psychology also studies emotions
(feelings) Emotions affect both
behavior and mental processes.
Goals of Psychology

In general, scientists seek to observe, describe,
explain, predict, and control the events studied.

Psychologists observe, describe, explain, predict and
sometimes even control behavior and mental
processes to better understand the human psyche.
Psychology as a science


Psychology is a social science with foundations in philosophy
and natural science.
*Social sciences include history, anthropology, sociology,
economics, political science, linguistics, psychology, etc.
However, like all scientists, psychologists study behavior and
mental processes using the scientific method to test ideas
(i.e., conducting experiments, collecting and analyzing data,
and drawing conclusions) and then form new or reshape preexisting theories.

Psychology is anchored by both scientific research and theory.

Research is the testing of ideas (hypotheses and theories)
through various research methods.

Psychology continually tests theories, hypotheses, ideas and
therefore is considered an empirical science.
Psychology as a science



Theory is a statement or set of statements that
attempt to explain why things are the way they
are and happen the way they do.
A useful psychological theory allows psychologists
to predict, explain, and/or treat/control behavior
and mental processes.
It is a continual cycle where established theories
drive research which in turn changes the theories
and again directs further research.
What Psychologists Do!




All psychologists share a strong interest
in behavior and mental processes, AND
in the value of scientific research.
Some psychologists are mainly interested
in research -> investigating factors that
explain behavior and mental processes.
Other psychologists consult (or provide
direct social services). These
psychologists apply their knowledge by
providing some form of psychotherapy to
help people.
Yet other psychologists teach – sharing
their knowledge.
What Psychologists Do!
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
Clinical
Psychologist
Counseling
Psychologist
School/Educational
Psychologist
Developmental
Psychologist
Social/Personality
Psychologist
Experimental
Psychologist
Industrial/Organizati
onal Psychologist
Other
Psychological
Perspectives


Although all psychologists agree and are committed to
empiricism and scientific research, they approach the
study of behavior and mental processes from different
points of view.
Psychologists try to understand the relationships,
causes, and effects of behaviors and mental activities.



For example, a psychologist might be interested in
understanding the behavioral and mental processes that explain
drug abuse. (Why does one person become addicted, while
another person does not?)
How will the psychologist approach this inquiry?
The psychologist needs an approach, a perspective, to begin
researching this inquiry. Depending on the perspective, it will
dictate the set of assumptions, questions, and methods that
he/she will use to understand the behavioral and mental
processes of drug addiction.
Psychological Perspectives

First perspective: Psychodynamic
 Rooted in Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalysis.
 Assumes that all behavior and mental processes
reflect the constant and mostly unconscious
psychological struggles within the individual
 Freud believed that unconscious conflicts
stemmed from unresolved childhood conflicts.

Today, this perspective has been transformed and is
reflected in a number of contemporary theories
explaining personality, psychological disorders, and
psychotherapy.
What might a psychoanalyst say is the
reason someone who always needs to
chew gum?
Psychological Perspectives

Second perspective: Cognitive
 Understands behavior and mental processes
by focusing on how individuals sense,
mentally represent, and store mental
information.
Cognitive Perspective
 Focuses
on how we
think (or encode
information)
 How do we see the
world?
Meet girl
 How did we learn to
act to sad or happy
events?
 Cognitive Therapist
attempt to change the
Or get back on the
way you think.
horse
Get Rejected
by girl
Did you learn to
be depressed
Psychological Perspectives

Third perspective: Behavioral




Antecedent is Behaviorism (only study observable
behavior)
Assumes that behavior and mental processes are
primarily the result of learning
Modern-day behavioral approach has changed to a
Cognitive-behavioral Approach.
Now, psychologists working from this perspective
study measurable mental processes in addition to the
traditional emphasis on observable behaviors.
Behavioral Perspective
If you bit your
fingernails when you
were nervous, a
behaviorist would not
focus on calming you
down, but rather
focus on how to stop
you from biting your
nails.
Psychological Perspectives

Fourth perspective: Humanistic
 Developed by Carl Rogers (trained in the psychoanalytic
tradition, began humanistic approach through his theories
on personality and his psychotherapy methods)
 Studies behavior and mental processes primarily by
studying each individual’s uniqueness and capacity to think
and act
 A humanistic psychologist would argue that to fully
understand a person’s behavior and mental processes you
must appreciate the individual’s perceptions and feelings
experienced.
 Today, the humanistic perspective has limited influence in
psychological research mainly because humanistic theories
tend to be too broad and therefore difficult to test
scientifically. Humanistic psychology is primarily an
approach in psychotherapy.
Humanistic Perspective

Focuses on positive growth
 Attempt to seek self-actualization
 Therapists use active listening and unconditional
positive regard.
Mr. Rogers would have
made a great
Humanistic Therapist!!!
Psychological Perspectives

Fifth perspective: Biological
 Assumes that behavior and mental processes
are largely shaped by biological processes
 Understands behavior and mental processes
by studying hormones, genes, and the activity
of the nervous system especially the brain.
If you could not remember
the names of your parents
and went to a psychologist
who adheres to the biological
perspective, what might they
say?
Psychological Perspectives

Sixth perspective: Sociocultural
 Here, psychologists focus on the influence of cultural
factors on the individual’s behavior and mental
processes.
 Seeks to understand human behavior and mental
processes by studying such cultural factors as
gender, culture, ethnicity, race, and socioeconomic
status, and so forth.
Even in the same
high school,
behaviors can
change in
accordance to the
various
subcultures.
Psychological Perspectives

Seventh perspective: Evolutionary (related to
Biological perspective)
 Assumes that behavior and mental
processes are a result of evolution through
natural selection.
 Understands behavior and mental
processes by focusing on the adaptive value
of behavior, biological mechanisms that
make adaptation possible, and the
environmental conditions therein.
Evolutionary Perspective

Focuses on
Darwinism.
 We behave the way
we do because we
inherited those
behaviors.
 Thus, those behaviors
must have helped
ensure our ancestors
survival.
How could this
behavior have ensured
Homer’s ancestors
survival?
Philosophical Roots of Psychology

Ancient Greek philosophers, among other things,
speculated on the concept of dualism (body & mind
or body & spirit).

Dualism is the notion that the world is divided into two
parts: body and spirit.

Early Greek philosophers like Socrates, Plato and
Aristotle asked psychological questions about the body
and the mind and sought answers.

The Renaissance ushered in the Age of Reason and the
Enlightenment (the scientific revolution) (15th-16th
century), great discoveries in biology, astronomy, and
other sciences & movements in literature and the arts –
human nature began to be the subject of scientific
inquiry.
Philosophical Roots of Psychology

French philosopher Rene Descartes (1596-1650)
theorized about the nature of man and dualism.

Descartes hypothesized that the mind and body
interact; and that the mind controls the body while the
body provides the mind with sensory input.

The British philosopher John Locke (1632-1704)
expanded on Descartes work.

Locke introduced a new branch of philosophy known
as Empiricism – the acquisition of truth through
observations and experiences.

Locke suggested that all knowledge is learned NOT
innate – that all knowledge is derived from experience.
Empiricism v. Nativism

Empiricism – John
Locke
1.
2.
3.
4.
Our senses are passive.
There are no innate
ideas.
Tabula Rasa (Blank
Slate) = we are born
with a blank mind.
Knowledge comes from
experience implies that
all of what we know
comes from sensory
information AND by
making associations.

Nativism – Immanuel
Kant (German Philosopher)
1. Alternative to empiricism,
perceptual experience
depends on the
organism’s active role in
understanding and
acquiring knowledge.
2. This ability to actively
process sensory
information is innate.
3. Knowledge is not from
sensory input alone; there
must be pre-existing
abilities/structures to
organize and process
sensory information.
History of Modern Psychology: Wave
One – Introspection
 The beginning of modern psychology is 1879.
 In that year, Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920) established the first
psychological laboratory at the University of Leipzig, Germany.
 Wundt studied on the psychological phenomena – introspection =
asking subjects to record their cognitive reactions to simple
stimuli. Wundt was examining basic cognitive structures.
 He eventually developed the theory of Structuralism – the idea
that the mind operates by combining subjective emotions and
objective sensations.
 In 1890, William James (1842-1910) published the first psychology
textbook: The Principles of Psychology.
 James studied how these “structures” Wundt identified “function”
in life. James was more interested in studying and understanding
the function of mental processes. This theory is called
Functionalism.
History of Modern Psychology: Wave
Two – Gestalt Psychology
 Gestalt psychologists like Max Wertheimer
(1880-1943) argued against dividing human
thought and behavior into discrete structures;
instead, they examined a person’s whole
experience because the way we experience the
world is more than just an accumulation of
various perceptual experiences.
 Gestalt psychology = to study the whole is more
important than just the sum of its part.
History of Modern Psychology: Wave
Three – Psychoanalysis
 Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) revolutionized
psychology with his psychoanalytic theory.
 While treating patients with psychosomatic
complaints, Freud theorized about what he
called “the unconscious mind”- a part of our
mind that we are not conscious of and that ,in
part, influences our thoughts and behave.
 Freud believed that to understand human
behavior and thought we must examine the
unconscious mind through psychoanalytic
therapy.
History of Modern Psychology: Wave
Four – Behaviorism
 Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936) (in Russia) pioneered
conditioning experiments.
 After studying Pavlov’s work, American John Watson
(1878-1936) advanced the notion that for psychology to
be considered a science it must limit itself to studying
observable phenomena only, and not unobservable
constructs such as the unconscious mind.
 Watson among others established behaviorism as the
dominant paradigm of American psychology in the first
half of the 20th century.
 Behaviorists argued that psychology should study only
behavior and the causes of behavior – stimuli and
responses.
 Another famous behaviorist, B.F. Skinner (1904-1990),
expanded upon his predecessors to include the idea of
reinforcements’ impact on shaping behavior (he
introduced Operant Conditioning).
History of Modern Psychology: Wave
Five – Multiple Perspectives
 With the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s in
the United States, psychology began to consider
the many different cultural perspectives when
considering human behaviors and mental
processes.
 Psychologists began to study human behavior
and thought from the different existing
perspectives (called eclectic approach) and to
consider the multiple sociocultural factors.
History of Modern Psychology: Wave
Six – Neuropsychology
 Today, with all the advances in modern
technology the past 30 years, psychology
has turned more towards neuroscience
and the molecular study of the nervous
system in understanding human
behavior and mental processes.
 The subfield of neuropsychology has
grown tremendously in the last twenty
years.
Psychology’s BIG Debates!!!
Nature vs. Nurture – Are human
traits and psychological
characteristics inborn OR do they
develop over time through
experience?
2. Rationality vs. Irrationality – What
is rational and what is not?
3. Stability vs. Change – Are certain
human traits stable or do they
change?
1.