Psychology
Why Study Psychology?
(1:1)
Goals for Chapter 1
To identify the goals of psychology, and
explain how psychology is a science
Describe the work done by psychologists
according to their areas of specialization
Explain the historical background of the study
of psychology
Describe the six main contemporary
perspectives in psychology
Why study psychology?
► Why
is psychology important?
► How does it impact our lives?
► Is the study of psychology useful in daily life
outside the walls of school?
Behavior and Mental Process
► Psychology
- study of behavior and mental
process
► Behavior – any action people can observe or
measure
 Behavior essentially applies to anything your
body does
Behavior and Mental Process
► How
is behavior measured?
► Who is capable of measuring this behavior?
Behavior and Mental Process
► Mental
Process applications:
 Cognitive Activities – private mental processes
►Dreams,
perceptions, thoughts, memories
 Which is more important to the human condition:
behaviors or private mental processes?
Behavior and Mental Process
► Emotions
 Emotions can effect behavior and mental
process
►How
so? Can it be both positive and negative?
►Which is more obvious, behavior or mental process?
Goals of Psychology
► Scientists





Observe
Describe
Explain
Predict
Control
seek to:
Goals of Psychology
► Psychologists
do the same
 Psychologists want a better understanding of
behavior
►This
way they can explain, predict, and control
behavior
 Why study behavior?
 Do we as human beings always need explanations when
directly effected?
Bigger Questions
► Scott
Norwood
 How much of a role, if at all, does fate play in
the outcome of a situation?
 Are things ever really “supposed to happen” or
can it be narrowed down to an explanation
using science?
Science Explains Missed Field Goals
► Observe
and Describe:
 Bodily conditions
 Focus
 Outside influence
Science Explains Missed Field Goals
► Explain
the behavior
 Feelings / Emotions (Anxiety)
►Fear
as a motivator
 Can it be a good thing?
Science Explains Missed Field Goals
► Psychologists
predict what will happen at
certain levels of emotion (anxiety)
 Up to “x” they will succeed, after “x” they will
fail
►True
to every person?
Science Explains Missed Field Goals
► Control
 Psychologists teach ways of keeping emotion on
a tolerable level
►Positive
visualization
 Knowledge application or marionettes?
Psychology as a Science
► Psychology
is classified as a social science
 Psychology is closely related to the natural
sciences
Research
► Surveys
and Experimentation
► The purpose of research?
Psychological Theories
► Theory
– Statement that attempts to explain
why something happened
► Theory is used in prediction