Unit 1 History & Approaches AP Psychology Mrs. VanCoughnett I. Psychology, Defined Comprised of multiple fields: philosophy, physiology, & biology 1800’s1920’s “science of mental life” “science of observable behavior” 1920’s1960’s TODAY “the science of behavior and mental processes” II. Roots of Psychology A. Pre-Scientific Ideas Figure Knowledge is… Mind & Body are… Other Socrates innate separate Plato innate separate Aristotle experiential connected Rene Descartes innate separate Primitive understanding of nerves John Locke experiential connected “blank slate” III. Schools A. Structuralism 1. Wundt & Titchener a. Introspection b. Needed smart, verbal people c. 1st psychology lab (Wundt, Germany, 1879) B. Functionalism 1. James a. Adaptive nature of mental processes & behavior b. Explored “streams of consciousness” III. Schools C. Gestalt 1. Wertheimer a. “The whole is different from the sum of its parts” b. Primarily deals with perception D. Psychoanalytic 1. Freud a. Abnormal psychology b. Unconscious drives, sex, dreams III. Schools E. Behaviorism 1. Watson & Skinner a. Focus on OBSERVABLE behaviors b. learning III. Contemporary Psychology A. Psychology is growing & globalizing 1. Psychologists in 69 different countries work, teach, and do research 2. Perspectives a. See handout or P. 9 in your text III. Contemporary Psychology B. Subfields of Psychology 1. Basic Researchers: a. b. Seek to increase scientific knowledge Ex: Biological, Developmental, Cognitive, Personality, & Social psychologists 2. Applied Researchers a. b. Study to solve practical problems Ex: Industrial/Organizational psychologists 3. Clinical Psychologists a. b. Studies, assesses, and treats those with psychological disorders with therapy Clinical Psychologists vs. psychiatrists = medical doctors who can provide physical/medicinal treatments IV. BIG Questions! A. Nature vs. Nurture 1. Biology OR experience B. BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL complimentary outlooks V. Science vs. Common Sense A. Hindsight bias – “I knew it all along!” B. Overconfidence C. Science combines 3 attributes 1. Skepticism 2. Curiosity 3. Humility VII. Scientific Method A. Theory: a possible or scientifically acceptable general principle or body of principles offered to explain phenomena B. Hypothesis: testable predictions C. Operational Definitions: precise wording of variables so that study can be replicated (repeated) VIII. Methods of Research A. Descriptive 1. Purpose: To observe & record behavior 2. No manipulation of variables Method Aim Strengths Weaknesses Case Study Examine one, apply to all •Saves resources •Atypical individuals •Emotional stories overwhelm Survey Personal reports on behaviors/opinions •Less in-depth •Larger population •Untrue answers •No responses Naturalistic Observation Record behaviors in natural environment •More genuine •Researcher presence may affect results VIII. Methods of Research 3. Longitudinal Study a) Group of subjects is observed over an extended period of time b) +: same subjects / -: cost and time 4. Cross-Sectional Study a) Examines representative sample of subjects at one specific time b) Not as accurate as longitudinal VIII. Methods of Research B. Correlation 1. Purpose: detect natural relationships and how well one variable might PREDICT another 2. Correlation DOES NOT mean CAUSATION!!! 3. Correlation Coefficient: statistical strength of relations of one variable to another a. +1.00 (positive) -1.00 (negative) b. Closer to +1 or -1, the stronger the correlation Positive Correlation (+1.00) is a direct relationship Negative Correlation (-1.00) is an inverse relationship VIII. Methods of Research C. Experiments 1. Purpose: isolate cause & effect of variables by manipulating some & holding others constant 2. Random Assignment-helps control extraneous (confounding) variables 3. Placebo Effect: reacting as though one was given the treatment when they weren’t Ex: Sugar pills for real medication 4. Single-Blind vs. Double-Blind Experiments 5. Control vs. Experimental Group 6. Independent vs. Dependent Variables VIII. Methods of Research IX. Statistics A. Organization & Analysis of collected data B. Measures of Central Tendency – single score representing group of scores 1. Mean, Median, Mode C. Measures of Variation 1. Range – gap between low/high score 2. Standard Deviation – indiv. scores differ from mean D. Normal Curve (see Appendix A, pg A-3, & handout) E. Statistical Significance (p<.05) IX. Statistics F. How is Data graphically represented? 1. Frequency Distribution 2. Histogram 3. Scatterplot (correlation) X. Ethics A. Informed Consent B. Confidentiality C. No harm or discomfort D. Debriefing Exceptions! – If subject is harming self or others E. Unethical Experiments: – Stanley Milgram Obedience – Tuskegee Syphilis – Stanford Prison Study Every institution (college, university, etc) must have an Institutional Review Board (IRB) which approves all research checking for ethics and methods. XI. Stanley Milgram Teacher gives Student successively higher amounts of electric shock when prompted by researchers.