Psychology Introduction

Goals of Psychology

• Description: understanding human behavior and mental processes
• Explanation: identifying underlying causes and mechanisms of behavior
• Control: influencing or changing behavior through interventions
• Application: applying psychological knowledge to real-world problems

Types of Research

• Basic research: seeks knowledge for its own sake
• Applied research: aims to solve specific, practical problems

Levels of Analysis

• Biological level: examines the role of genetics, brain, and nervous system
• Psychological level: focuses on mental processes, such as cognition and emotion
• Environmental and social level: considers the impact of social and environmental factors

Perspectives on Behavior

Mind-Body Dualism

• The mind is a spiritual entity separate from the physical body
• Descartes: the mind and body interact through the pineal gland

Monism

• The mind and body are one, and the mind is not a separate entity

British Empiricism

• All ideas and knowledge are gained through the senses

Psychophysics

• The study of how psychologically experienced sensations depend on physical stimuli

Darwin's Theory of Evolution

• The mind is a product of biological continuity between humans and other species

Structuralism

• The analysis of the mind in terms of its basic elements
• Wundt and Titchener: used introspection to study the mind

Functionalism

• Psychology should study the functions of consciousness rather than its elements
• William James: emphasized the importance of functionalism

Psychodynamic Perspective

• Seeks to understand behavior by exploring the inner workings of the personality
• Sigmund Freud: emphasized the role of unconscious processes
• Psychoanalysis: the analysis of internal and primarily unconscious psychological forces
• Defence mechanisms: psychological techniques to cope with anxiety and traumatic events
• Repression: a primary defence mechanism that protects us by keeping unacceptable impulses, feelings, and memories in the unconscious

Behavioral Perspective

• Focuses on the role of the external environment in governing behavior
• John Locke: the human mind is a tabula rasa upon which experiences are written
• Ivan Pavlov: learning occurs through association of events
• Edward Thorndike: learning occurs through consequences of actions
• Law of effect: responses followed by satisfying consequences become more likely to recur
• Behaviorism (J.B. Watson): emphasizes environmental control of behavior through learning
• B.F. Skinner: social engineering and radical behaviorism
• Cognitive behaviorism: learning experiences and environment influence thoughts, which in turn influence behavior

Humanistic Perspective

• Emphasizes free will, personal growth, and finding meaning in life
• Abraham Maslow: self-actualization
• Positive psychology movement: emphasizes human strengths, fulfillment, and optimal living

Cognitive Perspective

• Examines the nature of the mind and how mental processes influence behavior
• B.F. Skinner: language is acquired through basic principles of learning
• Noam Chomsky: humans are biologically pre-programmed to acquire language
• Cognitive neuroscience: uses brain-imaging techniques to examine brain activity during cognitive tasks

Sociocultural Perspective

• Examines how social environment and cultural learning influence behavior, thoughts, and feelings
• Cross-cultural psychology: explores how culture is transmitted and examines psychological similarities and differences among diverse cultures

This quiz covers the basics of psychology, including the goals of psychology, types of research, levels of analysis, and perspectives on behavior.