Introduction to Psychological Science

Introduction to Psychological Science

• Psychology is the scientific study of mental processes (thinking, remembering, feeling) and behavior.
• Goals include developing critical reading and writing skills, understanding theoretical frameworks, and APA referencing.
• Key perspectives in psychology include:

Key Perspectives in Psychology

• Psychodynamic: Conscious and unconscious forces; iceberg metaphor (Freud).
• Behaviorist: Behavior controlled by stimuli and learning (Pavlov, Skinner).
• Humanistic: Focus on personal growth and self-actualization (Maslow).
• Cognitive: Mental processes like memory and problem-solving; mind as a computer.
• Evolutionary: Behaviors evolved for survival and reproduction.

Motivation and Emotion

• Motivation: Drives behavior toward goals, including biological and psychosocial needs.
• Perspectives:
  • Psychodynamic: Internal drives like sex and aggression.
  • Behaviorist: Driven by rewards and punishments (drive reduction theory).
  • Cognitive: Expectancy-value theory and intrinsic/extrinsic motivation.
  • Humanistic: Maslow's hierarchy of needs.
  • Evolutionary: Motivations linked to survival and reproduction.
• Emotion: Components: Physiological arousal, subjective experience, expression.

Biological Bases of Behavior

• Nervous System:
  • Neurons: Sensory, motor, interneurons; transmit signals via neurotransmitters.
  • Divisions:
    • CNS: Brain and spinal cord.
    • PNS: Somatic (voluntary) and autonomic (involuntary).
  • Brain Structures: Hindbrain (medulla, cerebellum), Midbrain (tectum, tegmentum), Forebrain (thalamus, hypothalamus, limbic system, cerebral cortex).
• Neuroplasticity: Brain changes through learning and injury repair.

Sensation and Perception

• Sensation: Detecting environmental stimuli via sensory receptors.
• Perception: Organizing and interpreting sensory input.
• Processes:
  • Thresholds: Absolute (minimum stimulus) and difference (smallest detectable change).
  • Context, schemas, and motives influence perception.

Psychological Disorders

• Mental Health: Well-being and coping ability.
• Mental Disorders: Clinically significant patterns causing distress or dysfunction.
• DSM-5: Diagnostic manual categorizing mental disorders.
• Common Disorders:
  • Schizophrenia: Delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thought.
  • Depression: Persistent low mood, cognitive distortions.
  • Bipolar Disorder: Alternating mania and depression.
  • Anxiety Disorders: Irrational fears, panic, OCD.
  • Eating Disorders: Anorexia, bulimia.

Treatment of Psychological Disorders

• Therapies:
  • Psychodynamic: Uncover unconscious conflicts.
  • Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Change thoughts and behaviors.
  • Humanistic: Emphasis on self-awareness and growth.
  • Group and Family Therapy: Focus on social dynamics and support.
• Biological Treatments: Medications (antidepressants, antipsychotics); ECT (Effective for severe depression).

Developmental Psychology

• Focus: How people change over time (cognition, socialization, attachment).

Key Theories

• Piaget: Cognitive development stages.
• Vygotsky: Social interaction and Zone of Proximal Development.
• Attachment: Types (secure, avoidant, ambivalent, disorganized).

Learning

• Definition: Enduring change in behavior from experience.
• Classical Conditioning: Associating stimuli (Pavlov).
• Operant Conditioning: Behavior shaped by consequences (Skinner).
• Social Learning: Observing and imitating others (Bandura).

Attitudes and Social Cognition

• Attitudes: Cognitive, affective, and behavioral components.
• Predict behavior when attitudes are specific, strong, and implicit.
• Social Cognition: How we process information about ourselves and others.
• Schemas, stereotypes, and attributions (internal vs. external).

Interpersonal Processes

• Attraction: Influenced by proximity, similarity, and physical attractiveness.
• Prejudice: Stereotypes, discrimination, and in-group bias.
• Reducing Prejudice: Intergroup contact and shared goals.

Explore the fundamentals of psychological science, including key perspectives like psychodynamic, behaviorist, humanistic, cognitive, and evolutionary. This quiz will help you understand the principles of motivation and emotion within these frameworks. Perfect for anyone looking to deepen their knowledge of psychological theories and practices.