Chapter 1
Intro to Psychology
Why Study Psychology?
What is Psychology?
• Science of the
behavior and
mental process
History of Psychology
• Started with the Greeks and
the great philosophers
• Renaissance – idea of
experimentation through
observation
• Renee Descartes proposed a
link between the body and
mind
History of Psychology
• Phrenology
• Study of the bumps on a
person’s head
Psychology becomes a Science
• 1800s
• Wilhelm Wundt
• Father of Psychology
• First Psychology lab
• Germany
Schools of Thoughts
Historical
• Structuralism
• Functionalism
• Psychoanalysis
Structuralism
• Structuralism
• Wilhelm Wundt and Edward Titchener
• Study the basic elements that make up a
conscious mental experiences.
• Introspection – patients report their
thoughts and feelings
Functionalism
• Functionalism
• William James
• Influenced by Darwin
• Wrote first textbook
• Study how people and
animals adapt to their
environments
• All functions of the
mind help us to survive
Psychoanalysis
• Psychoanalysis
• Sigmund Freud
• Looks at the unconscious mind
• Past experiences (childhood) shapes how a
person feels and behaves
• Dreams are expressions of the unconscious
• Talk therapy
Modern Perspectives
• Behaviorism
• Psychodynamic (Freud)
• Cognitive
• Biological
• Humanistic
• Sociocultural
Behaviorism
• Ivan Pavlov
• B.F. Skinner
• John Watson
• Redefined psych
• “science study of the observable”
• view that psychology should be
an objective science based on
observable and measurable
behaviors.
Cognitive
• Perspective concerned with
• Memories
• How we receive, store and
process
• Think and reason
• Use language
Biological
• Explains human
behaviors, emotions,
and mental processes
as having
physiological or
genetic causes
Humanistic
• Carl Rogers
• Abraham Maslow
• Hierarchy of Human Needs
• Perspective concerned with individual growth and
the role of unique perceptions in growth toward
one’s potential
Humanistic
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
• Priorities from the lower
levels
• Basic biological needs
• Safety and security needs
• Belongingness and love
• Self-esteem needs
• Self-actualization needs
• Lower needs must be met
fulfilled before we can
fulfill the next higher need
Sociocultural
• Perspective
concerned with
how cultural
differences affect
behavior
Welcome to Crash Course
• A series of short
videos that
review over
different parts of
psychology
• CC #1