Chapter 1 Introduction To Psychology PDF

PSYC 201 Chapter 1 Introduction To Psychology  A) Why do you study Psychology? It helps you to understand yourself, why do you do things that you do? Understand your relationship with and reaction to other people. Understand the conne...

PSYC 201 Chapter 1 Introduction To Psychology  A) Why do you study Psychology? It helps you to understand yourself, why do you do things that you do? Understand your relationship with and reaction to other people. Understand the connection between your brain and your body. Better understand the world in which we live in.  B) What is Psychology? Psychology’s main concern: Observable behavior and inner thoughts and feelings. That’s why we define Psychology as: The Scientific study of behavior and mental process.  The influence of Philosophy: Philosophers have tried to explain many psychological processes, such as consciousness, perception and motivation. The influence of Physiology: In 1600s, physiologists were becoming increasingly interested in the human brain and its relation to behavior. Physiologists were also beginning to develop scientific explanations for the functioning of the senses such as vision and hearing.  History Of Psychology German physiologist Wilhelm Wundt participates in an experiment in his laboratory as students look on. Courtesy of General Information Center Wilhelm Wundt “The Founder Of Psychology” – Established first psychology laboratory Leipzig, Germany in 1879 - Used experimental methods to study and measure consciousness.  Psychoanalysis Developed by Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) – Trained as a physician – Worked with patients with nervous disorders – Studied the role of unconscious conflicts in determining behavior and personality. – Human behavior was motivated by unconscious conflicts. – Freud believed that when unconscious conflicts became extreme, psychological disorders could result.  Behaviorism School of psychology and theoretical viewpoint that emphasize the study of observable behavior and not the mental process. Ivan Pavlov: Dogs could learn to associate a neutral stimulus, such as the sound of a bell with an automatic behavior such as reflexively salivating to food. B.F Skinner: Used reinforcement or punishment to shape the behavior of rats and pigeons. Physiologist Ivan Pavlov uses a dog to demonstrate the conditioned reflex to students at the Russian Military Medical Academy. © Bettmann/Corbis  Humanistic Psychology Founded by the American psychologist Carl Rogers. Humanistic psychology emphasized the importance of self-determination, free will, and human potential. Abraham Maslow developed a theory of motivation that emphasized psychological  Special Areas in Psychology Developmental Psychology: Studies the physical, social, and psychological changes that occur at different ages and stages over the lifespan. Social Psychology: Studies how people are affected by their social environments. Topics are varied as obedience, prejudice, Special Areas in Psychology Personality Psychology: Examines the individual differences and characteristics that make each person unique. Clinical Psychology: Studies the causes, treatment, and prevention of different types of psychological disorders.  Psychology Is Not Psychiatry Psychology: Psychiatry: Broad field of study Medical specialty Holds a Ph.D Holds an MD (Doctor of (Doctor of Medicine) Philosophy) Training Training in treatment of emphasizes mental and behavioral research methods problems Advanced study in Licensed to prescribe specialization medicines  The scientific Method The scientific Method: Set of assumptions, attitudes and procedures that guide researchers in creating questions to investigate in generating evidence and in drawing conclusions.  Descriptive Methods Descriptive Methods: Observing behavior in order to describe the relationship among behaviors and events. Naturalistic Observation: Observing and recording behaviors as they occur in their natural settings. Case Study: A highly detailed descriptions of a single individual or event. Survey: A questionnaire or an interview designed to investigate the opinions, behaviors or characteristics of a particular group. Thank you