Introduction to Psychology Course Quiz

Introduction to Psychology

• Psychology is the scientific study of the mind (thoughts and emotions) and behaviour.
• It involves empirically examining the mind and behaviour, considering both biology and the environment.

Why Study Psychology?

• When studying mental processes and behaviour, there are four goals:
  • Description: Understanding how babies learn to talk
  • Explanation: Understanding why we get hungry.
  • Prediction: Predicting when we will help a stranger in need.
  • Control: Reducing stress or increasing self-care.

Levels of Analysis

• The Brain: Focuses on neuronal activity, brain structures, and genes.
• The Individual: Examines emotions, thoughts, ideas, consciousness, personality and motivation.
• The Group: Considers friends, family, and broader cultural contexts.

History of Psychology

• Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920): German "father of psychology"
  • Introspection: Objective self-reflection/inspection of one's thoughts.
  • Volunteerism: Free will.
  • Reaction time (RTs) – Measuring how fast people respond to stimuli.
  • Titchner's structuralism: aimed to understand the fundamental components of the mind.
• William James (1842-1910): North American "father of psychology"
  • Functionalism: Focused on the function of mental activities and behaviour.
• Sigmund Freud (1856-1939): Neurologist interested in hysteria.
  • Psychoanalytic theory: Explores unconscious mind, early childhood experiences – dream analysis, "slips of the tongue," free association.
• Gestalt: Wertheimer, Koffka, and Köhler; Emphasizing how we perceive things as a whole (Gestalt = whole).
• Behaviorism: Ivan Pavlov (classical conditioning: learning through association), John Watson (shifted focus to external behavior), B. F. Skinner (operant conditioning: consequences and behavior).
• Humanism: Abraham Maslow (hierarchy of needs, motivators to survive and grow), Carl Rogers (client-centered therapy).
• Cognition: Ulric Neisser (father of cognitive psychology, broadened the scope of mental processes). Noam Chomsky (believed behaviour focus was limited.

Contemporary Psychology

• Biopsychology (Neuroscience) & Evolutionary Psychology: How biology influences behaviours (e.g., sleep, drug use, neural plasticity). Today's behaviors are a product of yesterday's survival challenges.
• Sensation and Perception: Interdisciplinary study of sensory stimuli and experiences.
• Cognitive Psychology: Focuses on mental processes (problem-solving, language, development, therapy).
• Developmental Psychology: Processes of change across a lifespan.
• Personality Psychology: What makes us unique (Big Five personality traits – OCEAN).
• Social Psychology: How we interact and relate to others (Milgram, Zimbardo, Asch).
• Industrial-Organizational Psychology: Applied branch using psychology in workplaces, personnel management, structure, and hiring decisions.
• Health Psychology: Biopsychosocial model (interaction of biological, psychological and social factors in health and wellbeing).
• Sports & Exercise Psychology: Psychological aspects of performance and managing well-being.
• Clinical Psychology: Diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders.
• Forensic Psychology: Application of psychology within the justice system (competency to stand trial, witness testimonies).

Careers in Psychology

• Becoming a Psychologist: Requires a 4-year degree program, with PhD for teaching and research, various branches exist.
• Branches of Psychology: Academic, Clinical/Counseling, Applied psychology. Various careers exists in these branches.