Introduction to Psychology

Reporting Results in Psychological Research

• Researchers should report their findings even if they indicate failure, as it helps other researchers know what has already been explored.
• Just because one study doesn't support a hypothesis, it doesn't necessarily mean the hypothesis is incorrect.
• Other researchers can learn from your failures to avoid similar mistakes in future investigations.

Important Landmarks in Psychology

• Wilhelm Wundt established the first psychology laboratory in Leipzig, Germany in 1879.
• William James publishes "Principles of Psychology" in 1890, contributing to behaviorism.
• Ivan Pavlov wins the Nobel Prize in 1904 for developing psychoanalysis.
• The Indian Psychological Association was founded in 1924.
• B.F. Skinner publishes "Science and Human Behavior" in 1953, focusing on conflict and cooperation in economic behavior.

Ethics in Psychology

• Psychologists uphold principles of beneficence, nonmaleficence, fidelity, and responsibility in their professional conduct.
• They strive to promote accuracy, honesty, and truthfulness in their work, avoiding intentional misrepresentation.
• Psychologists respect the rights and dignity of all individuals, considering factors like age, gender, culture, and socioeconomic status.

Applications of Psychology

• Critical thinking in psychology involves making reasoned judgments based on evidence and an open mind.
• Psychology as a science uses systematic methods to observe, describe, predict, and explain human behavior and mental processes.
• Evolutionary psychologists study human behavior as adaptations designed by natural selection.

The Scientific Method in Psychology

• Perceiving the question involves observing interesting phenomena that require an explanation.
• Formulating a hypothesis is an educated guess about the explanation for observed behavior that can be tested.
• Testing the hypothesis can be done through observations, surveys, or experiments.
• Drawing conclusions involves analyzing the results to determine if the hypothesis was supported or refuted.### Goals of Psychology
• Explanation: to build theories to explain human behavior
• Prediction: to predict how individuals might behave in the future
• Control: to modify behavior from undesirable to desirable
• Understanding: to understand human behavior and mental processes

Sub-Fields of Psychology

• Cognitive Psychology: study of ways humans perceive and understand the world
• Physiological Psychology: study of brain functions in behavior
• Developmental Psychology: study of growth and change throughout life
• Social Psychology: study of how people influence and are influenced by others
• School Psychology: testing and evaluating students, analyzing learning problems, and counseling teachers and parents
• Industrial/Organizational Psychology: work on a wide variety of issues in work settings
• Forensic Psychology: work on behavioral issues in the legal, judicial, and correctional systems
• Health Psychology: focus on ways to improve health by altering behavior
• Sports Psychology: study of psychological factors influencing performance in sports and physical activity
• Clinical Psychology: diagnosis and treatment of mental and behavioral disorders
• Counseling Psychology: working with people who have less severe social, emotional, and vocational problems
• Military Psychology: understanding and addressing mental and behavioral health needs of members of the armed forces
• Human Factors and Engineering Psychology: study of how people interact with machines and technology

Psychology in Modern Times: 7 Forces

Psychodynamic Perspective

• Focus on unconscious mind and its influence on conscious behavior
• Emphasis on early childhood experiences and sense of self
• Sub-branches: Neo-Freudians (Carl Jung, Alfred Adler, Karen Horney)

Behavioral Perspective

• Study of only observable and measurable behavior
• Focus on classical conditioning (John Watson) and operant conditioning (B.F. Skinner)
• Emphasis on reinforcement and punishment in modifying behavior

Humanistic Perspective

• Emphasis on importance of people's subjective attitudes, feelings, and beliefs
• Focus on self-actualization and human potential (Abraham Maslow, Carl Rogers)
• Emphasis on non-judgmental and empathetic environment for clients

Cognitive Perspective

• School of psychology devoted to the study of mental processes
• Focus on judgment, decision-making, and complex thought processes
• Emphasis on learning, memory, intelligence, perception, and language

Learn about the scientific approach psychologists use to study human behavior and mental processes. Discover how they use the scientific method to make precise observations and measurements.