AP Psychology
Unit 1: Psychology’s History &
Approaches
Prescientific Psychology

The study of psychology began with early philosophers who began to ask a
series of reflective questions to learn more about the world, humans, and
their environment.
 Buddha (India) –collecting data from our senses and the ability of the mind to
process that data and form a perception
 Confucius (China) – the influence of ideas and a knowledgeable mind
 Hebrew scholars – linked thought processes and emotions to bodily actions
 Socrates & Plato (Greece) – mind and body are separable; the mind exists
after the body dies; we are born with pre-existing knowledge
 Aristotle (Greece) – believed in collecting data via observation; knowledge is
NOT pre-existing, but grows as experiences occur
Pair – Partner Reflection
In what ways did these philosophers
agree or disagree?
Later Scientists…
1. Rene’ Descartes (French) 1595-1650
Mind and body are separate
Mind exists even after death
Animal spirits reside in bodily fluids, which influences the body to move
2. Francis Bacon (British) 1561-1626
Experimentation is KEY!
Knowledge is built from personal experience
3. John Locke (British) 1621-1704
Mind is a blank slate (Tabula rasa) at birth
Knowledge is gained as the baby has experiences
Science should be based on observation and experimentation (empiricism)
Modern Psychology is Born…
Wilhelm Wundt (German) 1879 – established the 1st
psychology lab and conducted the 1st experiment at the
University of Leipzig.
Functionalism-explain the
function of the brain via mental
and behavioral processes
Behaviorism – observation of
behavior
Experimental Psychology –
exploration of behavior and
cognition via research
Cognitive Psychology – the
influence of mental processes
on behavior
Schools of Psychology
Schools of Psychology
Structuralism – learn structure
of the brain via introspection
Gestalt Psychology – Study the
sum of the parts (whole)
Evolutionary Psychology –
Nature vs. Nurture; which has
the most influence on
behavior?
Humanistic Psychology – all
humans desire success; guide
humans to reach their
potential
Psychoanalysis – study of how
deeper levels of consciousness
affect behavior
Pair-Partner Reflection
How do you think psychology might change as
more people from non-Western countries
contribute their ideas to the field?
Which event defined the founding of modern
scientific psychology?
Evolutionary Psychology:
The contemporary study of psychology

Psychology’s biggest question is:
 Which
as the most influence on a person’s behavior: NATURE
(genetics) or NURTURE (environment)?

Charles Darwin proposes that the evolutionary process of natural selection heavily influence
the likelihood of an organism to survive and thrive in an environment.

A Few Questions to Consider:

Are gender differences biologically predisposed or socially developed?

How are intelligence levels and personality influenced by genetics and environment?

Are sexual behaviors motivated by instinct (genetics) or by culture (environment)?
Levels of Analysis
(The Biopsychosocial Approach)
1.Biological
influences
2.Psychological influences
3.Social-cultural influences
Psychology Careers
 Developmental
psychologists
 Educational
psychologists
 Personality
psychologists
 Social psychologists
 Industrialorganizational
psychologists
 Human
factors
psychologists
 Counseling
psychologists
 Clinical psychologists
 Psychiatrists
 Sports psychologists
 Forensic psychologists
Pair Partner Discussion:
In what ways might it benefit the study of psychology by
using the 3 levels of analysis?
2. Basic Research vs. Applied Research: What might be some
similarities and differences between these two types of
research?
3. Psychology has a variety of complementary yet incomplete
perspectives that help us understand behavior. How might
each of the following perspectives explain aggression?
 Biological
 Cognitive
 Evolutionary
 Social-cultural
1.