Major Branches of Psychology

Major Branches of Psychology

• Structuralism: Focused on the structure of the mind through introspection; key figure: Wilhelm Wundt.
• Functionalism: Emphasized the function of mental processes in adapting to the environment; key figure: William James.
• Psychoanalysis: Explored the unconscious mind and its influence on behavior; key figure: Sigmund Freud.
• Behaviorism: Studied observable behavior and environmental influences; key figures: Watson, Skinner.
• Humanistic Psychology: Focused on personal growth and self-fulfillment; key figures: Carl Rogers, Abraham Maslow.
• Psychology: The scientific study of behavior and mental processes.
• Ethnography: A qualitative research method central to understanding the world from the standpoint of social relations.

Key Figures in Psychology

• Sigmund Freud: Developed psychoanalysis; theories of the unconscious mind, id, ego, and superego.
• B.F. Skinner: Behaviorist; known for operant conditioning.
• Ivan Pavlov: Discovered classical conditioning through his work with dogs.
• John B. Watson: Founder of behaviorism; conducted the Little Albert experiment.
• Alfred Adler: Focused on individual psychology and the inferiority complex.
• Carl Jung: Explored the collective unconscious and archetypes.
• Abraham Maslow: Proposed the hierarchy of needs.

Key Experiments

• Pavlov’s Dogs: Demonstrated classical conditioning by associating a bell with food to trigger salivation.
• Little Albert: Watson's experiment showing conditioned emotional responses in a child.

Freud's Theories

• Structure of the Mind:
  • Id: Instinctual desires (pleasure principle).
  • Ego: Mediates between id and reality (reality principle).
  • Superego: Moral conscience.
• Psychosexual Development Stages:
  • Oral (0-1 years): Pleasure from sucking/feeding.
  • Anal (1-3 years): Pleasure from controlling elimination.
  • Phallic (3-6 years): Oedipus/Electra complex.
  • Latency (6-12 years): Dormant sexual feelings.
  • Genital (12+ years): Mature sexual interests.
• Pleasure Principle: Drive to seek pleasure and avoid pain.

Behavioral Psychology

• Operant Conditioning: Behavior is shaped by rewards and punishments; key experiments: Skinner's box.
• Classical Conditioning: Associating two stimuli to elicit a response; key experiments: Pavlov's dogs.
• Key Contributions:
  • Watson: Focused on observable behavior.
  • Skinner: Expanded behaviorism through reinforcement.

Humanistic Psychology

• Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs:
  • Physiological: Basic survival needs.
  • Safety: Security and stability.
  • Love/Belonging: Relationships and social connections.
  • Esteem: Self-worth and respect.
  • Self-Actualization: Achieving potential and purpose.
• Key Focus: Helping individuals find meaning and self-fulfillment.

Cognitive Psychology

• Stages of Cognitive Development (Piaget):
  • Sensory-Motor (0-2 years): Learning through senses.
  • Preoperational (2-7 years): Symbolic thinking.
  • Concrete Operational (7-11 years): Logical thinking.
  • Formal Operational (11+ years): Abstract reasoning.
• Role of Cognitive Psychologists: Understanding learning, memory, and problem-solving.

Biological Psychology

• Brain Structures and Functions:
  • Frontal Lobe: Decision-making, planning, emotions.
  • Parietal Lobe: Sensory information, spatial awareness.
  • Occipital Lobe: Visual processing.
  • Temporal Lobe: Hearing, language.
  • Cerebellum: Coordination and balance.
  • Brain Stem: Basic life functions (breathing, heartbeat).
• Role in Behavior: Specific regions influence behavior and mental processes.

Mental Health and Disorders

• Types of Disorders:
  • Schizophrenia: Hallucinations, delusions.
  • Anxiety: Excessive worry.
  • Dementia/Alzheimer’s: Memory loss, cognitive decline.
  • Bipolar Disorder: Mood swings.
  • Eating Disorders: Anorexia, bulimia.
  • Phobias: Irrational fears.
• Neuroses vs Psychoses:
  • Neuroses: Mild mental health issues (e.g., anxiety).
  • Psychoses: Severe mental disorders (e.g., schizophrenia).
• Mental Disorders: Diagnosable conditions that can be controlled with medication and therapy.
• Mental Illness: A disturbance in thoughts and emotions that decreases a person’s capacity to cope.

Psychotherapy

• Basis and Goals: Helping individuals understand and resolve issues; focusing on the "talking cure" to explore thoughts and feelings.
• Key Concepts: Transference: Redirecting emotions toward the therapist.
• Role of Psychologists: Diagnosing and treating mental health issues.

Classical Conditioning

• Key Terms:
  • Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS): Something that naturally makes you react.
  • Unconditioned Response (UCR): The natural reaction.
  • Neutral Stimulus (NS): Something that doesn't cause a reaction initially.
  • Conditioned Stimulus (CS): The previously neutral thing that now makes you react.
  • Conditioned Response (CR): The learned reaction to the CS.
• Example: A dog hears a bell (NS) and sees food (UCS). Over time, the bell becomes a CS and makes the dog salivate (CR).

Operant Conditioning

• Key Ideas:
  • Positive Reinforcement: Rewarding desirable behavior to increase its occurrence.
  • Negative Reinforcement: Removing an unpleasant stimulus to increase desirable behavior.

Observational Learning (Bandura's Four Steps)

• Steps to Learning by Watching:
  • Attention: Paying close attention to the model.
  • Retention: Remembering what was observed.
  • Reproduction: Practicing what was observed.
  • Motivation: Having the desire to perform the behavior.
• Example: A child learns to wave by watching their parent, remembering how, trying it themselves, and getting praise.

Anthropology

• What is the purpose of social science? Social science explains how our society works; it includes the social relations and world beyond our immediate experience.
• Branches of Anthropology: Cultural, Physical, Linguistic, Archaeology. Areas of study include linguistics, primatology, forensic anthropology, paleanthropology, etc.
• Primatology: Study of primate anatomy and behavior.
• Linguistics: Study of language and its influence on social life.
• Forensic Anthropology: Examining human skeletal remains for legal purposes.
• Paleanthropology: Understanding the development of anatomically modern humans.
• Physical Anthropology: Study of human biological and physiological characteristics and development.
• Cultural Anthropology: Studying human societies and cultures and their development.
• Archaeology: Studying ancient and recent human past through material remains.

Important Anthropologists

• Margaret Mead: Ethnographer who concluded that an individual's personality was largely influenced by society.
• Ruth Benedict: Studied cultural influences and linked personality and culture.
• Franz Boas: Studied language and culture of Native Americans; established the link between anthropology and ethnology.
• Bronislaw Malinowski: Founder of social anthropology; studied social organization of indigenous societies.
• Konrad Lorenz: Founder of ethology; believed animal aggressive behavior is motivated by survival.

Cultural Relativism

• Franz Boas promoted cultural relativism; an anthropologist cannot compare cultures due to their internal rules.

Functional Theory

• Every belief, action, or relationship in a culture functions to meet individual needs; interdependence and stability are important.

Cultural Materialism

• Individuals must adapt to new technologies for survival; institutions that aren't beneficial disappear.

Ethnocentrism

• Judging another culture based on the values of one's own culture.

Ethnography

• A qualitative research method to understanding the world from its social relations.

Evolution vs Creationism

• Evolutionary Theory: Organisms evolved over billions of years through natural selection.
• Creationism: Life began due to divine intervention.

Darwin's Evolution

• Proposed a theory of evolution through natural selection; animals and plants best suited for their environment are more likely to survive and pass on their characteristics.

Primatology

• Study of primate anatomy and behaviors; Jane Goodall studied chimpanzees in Tanzania.

Key Terms related to social science

• Institutions: Established laws, practices, and customs in a society.
• Unconditioned stimulus (UCS): A stimulus that naturally produces a response.
• Unconditioned response (UCR): A naturally occurring response to a stimulus.
• Neutral stimulus (NS): A stimulus that initially does not elicit a response.
• Conditioned Stimulus (CS): A previously neutral stimulus that now elicits a response.
• Conditioned Response (CR): A learned response to a previously neutral stimulus.

Explore the major branches of psychology, including Structuralism, Functionalism, Psychoanalysis, Behavioral Psychology, and Humanistic Psychology. This quiz will assess your understanding of key figures who influenced these branches and their theories. Test your knowledge of how these perspectives contribute to the field of psychology.