Introduction to Psychology

What is Psychology?

• The study of mental states, processes, and behavior in humans
• A scientific discipline

School Of Psychology

• Structuralism
  • The first school of psychology
  • Focuses on breaking down mental processes into basic components
  • Key Thinkers: Wilhelm Wundt & Edward Titchener
  • Emphasized introspection, an experimental technique involving trained observers examining their inner responses
• Functionalism
  • Founded by William James
  • Focuses on the functions and roles of mental processes rather than the processes themselves
  • Interested in understanding the purpose of thoughts and behaviors
• Behaviorism
  • Dominant school of thought in the 1950s
  • Focused on observable behavior
  • Key Thinkers: John B. Watson, Ivan Pavlov, B.F. Skinner
  • Argues that all behavior can be explained by environmental cues and not internal forces
• Psychoanalysis
  • Founded by Sigmund Freud
  • Emphasized the impact of the unconscious mind on behavior
  • Proposed three elements of the human mind:
    • Id: Primal urges
    • Ego: The part of personality that deals with reality
    • Superego: Holds ideals and values internalized from society

Levels of Consciousness (According to Freud)

• Conscious mind: Includes all thoughts, memories, feelings, and wishes that we are aware of at a given moment
• Preconscious mind: Contains information that is not currently in consciousness but can be readily accessed
• Unconscious mind: Holds repressed memories, hidden desires, and instincts, only accessed through psychoanalysis

Psychological Assessment

• Psychological Tests
  • Can measure personality types, IQ, depression, etc.
  • Advantages:
    • Easy to construct
    • Inexpensive
    • Allow for large sample sizes
  • Disadvantages:
    • People may lie
    • Not the sole accurate measure for disorders
  • Many participants may disregard them
  • Examples include Beck's Depression Scale

Experimental Method

• An investigation that scientifically tests a hypothesis
• Independent Variable: Manipulated variable (the cause)
• Dependent Variable: Measured variable (the effect)

Types of Experiments

• Laboratory Experiment:
  • Conducted in a controlled environment
  • High standardization
  • May not accurately reflect real-world scenarios
  • The experimenter controls all aspects of the environment, including the independent variable
• Field Experiment:
  • Conducted in a natural setting
  • Allows for more realistic observations
  • The experimenter manipulates the independent variable in a natural setting

Branches of Psychology

• Pure Psychology:
  • Focuses on the theoretical aspects of the discipline
  • Investigates fundamental principles, theories, and concepts
  • Research focuses on the mechanisms of behavior, cognition, and emotion
• Applied Psychology:
  • Applies psychological principles to solve real-world problems
  • Includes areas like clinical psychology, educational psychology, industrial-organizational psychology, and health psychology
  • Aims to improve individual and societal well-being

Relevance of Psychology in Physiotherapy

• Understanding Patient's Mental Condition:
  • Mental well-being plays a significant role in overall health
• Motivation & Goal Setting:
  • Understanding and optimizing motivation is crucial for patient adherence to physical therapy
  • Use of SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound)
• Patient-Therapist Relationship:
  • Based on empathy, trust, and shared goals
  • A strong relationship fosters commitment to treatment plans
• Pain & Anxiety Management:
  • Psychological techniques like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) help patients understand the relationship between their emotions, thoughts, and bodily experiences
  • Therapists integrate relaxation techniques (progressive muscle relaxation, guided visualization, deep breathing) to manage pain responses

Growth and Development

• Growth:
  • Physical increase in quantity over time
  • Includes changes in height, weight, body proportions, and overall physical appearance
• Development:
  • Qualitative changes in an organism as a whole
  • A continuous process involving physical, emotional, and intellectual changes

Infant Development

• Physical Adjustment:
  • Newborns need to adjust to light, breathing, sounds, new temperature, feeding, etc.
  • Family member attitudes are important during this period as attachment starts to form
• Physical Development:
  • Rapid physical growth during the first year
  • Doubling birth weight in six months, tripling it in a year
  • Head and chest expansion, permitting brain, heart, and lung development
  • Bones harden, fontanelles calcify
  • Sleep patterns become more regular
  • Milestones include rolling over, standing, crawling, walking, and speaking first words
  • Children learn to speak through imitation and replication
• Psychological Development:
  • Attachment to caregivers:
    • Based on caregiver dependability and quality
  • Trust development:
    • A sense of security based on reliable care
    • If trust is not developed, fear and a belief in unpredictability may result
    • Trust in infancy sets the stage for future life experiences

Childhood Development

• Early Childhood:
  • Ages 2-4
  • Physical and mental independence increases
  • Social behavior foundations develop
• Middle Childhood:
  • Ages 5-7
  • Social behavior starts to take shape
• Late Childhood:
  • Ages 7-12
  • Develop physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development
  • More organized social life

Childhood Development - Physical

• Growth rate slows:
  • Average growth of 2 1/2 inches in height and 5-7 pounds per year
  • Visible body differences emerge
• Gross and fine motor skill progress:
  • Running, skipping, jumping
  • Turning pages, writing, and drawing
• Permanent teeth replace baby teeth:
  • By the end of childhood, children acquire a more mature body physique for sexual maturity

Childhood Development - Psychological

• Autonomy and self-worth:
  • Children develop feelings of autonomy and self-worth, leading to positive or negative self-evaluations
  • Autonomous children see themselves as valuable and capable, while ashamed children view themselves as worthless and incapable
• Emotional Regulation:
  • Children become better at modifying and expressing emotions to fit contexts
• Interpersonal Relationships:
  • Children form same-sex play groups
  • Competitiveness emerges, contributing to self-esteem when validated

Adolescence

• Age Range:
  • 13-18 years
• Transition Period:
  • A transition between childhood and adulthood, involving changes in mind and body
• Puberty:
  • A vital part of adolescence, but not the entire process
  • Physical changes include growth spurts, development of secondary sex characteristics, and changes in body composition

This quiz explores the fundamental concepts of psychology, including its definition and major schools of thought such as Structuralism, Functionalism, Behaviorism, and Psychoanalysis. Discover key thinkers who shaped the discipline and the methods used in studying mental processes and behavior.