A Career in Psychology PDF

A Career in Psychology What is a What Do Psychologists Where Do Psychologists Work? Psychologist? Do? A psychologist studies They engage in research, Some psychologists work primarily how we think, feel and practice and teaching as researchers and...

A Career in Psychology What is a What Do Psychologists Where Do Psychologists Work? Psychologist? Do? A psychologist studies They engage in research, Some psychologists work primarily how we think, feel and practice and teaching as researchers and faculty at behave from a across a wide range of universities and at governmental topics having to do with and non-governmental scientific how people think, feel organizations. viewpoint,and applies and behave. this knowledge to help Others work primarily as people understand, practitioners in hospitals, schools, explain and change clinics, correctional facilities, their behaviour. employee assistance programs and private offices. Many psychologists are active in both research and practice.  CAREERS IN PSYCHOLOGY DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGIST CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST COUNSELLING PSYCHOLOGIST EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGIST Wilhelm Wundt (1832–1920) was a German scientist who was the first person to be referred to as a psychologist. His famous book entitled Principles of Physiological Psychology was published in 1873. Wundt viewed psychology as a scientific study of conscious experience, and he believed that the goal of psychology was to identify components of consciousness and how those components combined to result in our conscious experience. Wundt used introspection, a process by which someone examines their own conscious experience as objectively as possible. Wundt’s version of introspection used only very specific experimental conditions in which an external stimulus was designed to produce a scientifically observable (repeatable) experience of the mind. INTROSPECTION IS INTROSPECTION SCIENTIFIC? The observation of your Self reported method own mental processes Participant might not report all of in order to gain their private thoughts understanding. The data is NON observable by outsiders Results of introspection vary greatly from person to person (each individual views and interprets things differently.  PERSPECTIVES IN PSYCHOLOGY There are many different Perspective: is how you view ways of thinking about human behavior. the behavior and, Psychologists utilize a approach: is how psychology variety of perspectives will tackle/deal with a when studying how people problem. think, feel, and behave. This can also be called approaches.  Why are there different approaches in psychology? Each approach looks at human behaviour from a different perspective. Combined, these different perspectives provide a more thorough understanding of human behaviours. PSYCHOANALYTIC BEHAVIORIST FREUD PAVLOV PERSPECTIVES IN PSYCHOLOGY Psychoanalytic/dynamic Perspective: This view of psychology and human behavior emphasizes the role of the unconscious mind to explain human behavior and to treat people suffering from mental illnesses.  PERSPECTIVES IN PSYCHOLOGY Psychodynamic/ Psychoanalytic: Behavior is determined by your past experiences that are left in the unconscious mind and childhood experiences are crucial in shaping adult personality.  PERSPECTIVES IN PSYCHOLOGY CONSCIOUS MIND: UNCONSCIOUS MIND: information that we are information processing in always aware of our mind that we are not Our conscious mind aware of; performs the thinking According to Freud, it holds when we take in new our unacceptable thoughts, information feelings, and memories Freud theorized that the psyche (mind) is divided into three parts: id, ego, and superego. ID: Unconscious Seeking gratification and PLEASURE satisfaction of human needs. level EGO: Conscious Goal is to satisfy demands of REALITY the ID in a safe and socially level acceptable way. SUPEREGO: unconscious/ Responsible for ensuring MORALITY moral standards are followed. conscious motivates us to behave in a levels socially responsible and acceptable manner The basic dilemma (problem) of all When there is a conflict between the human existence is that each part of the goals of the id and superego, the ego psyche (mind) makes demands upon us must act as a referee and mediate that are incompatible with the other two. this conflict. For example, the ID goes against Freud proposes that this internal superego and visa versa, etc. struggle causes anxiety and stress in the Ego (individual).When the stress Inner conflict is inevitable. and anxiety caused by the three For example, the superego can make a parts fighting becomes too much, person feel guilty if rules are not your Ego can feel like it’s under followed. constant attack. When there is a conflict between the The ego adopts what Freud labelled goals of the id and superego, the ego defense mechanisms to protect the must act as a referee and mediate this ego when it is under too much stress conflict. to prevent it from becoming overwhelmed.  Defense mechanisms are used UNCONSCIOUSLY, Defense mechanisms protect us from being These are different to coping consciously aware of a thought or feeling strategies which are specific which we cannot tolerate. techniques purposefully used to address specific issues. This is The defense only allows the unconscious thought or feeling to be expressed indirectly in something YOU DECIDE to do a disguised form. when feeling stressed. We all use defense mechanisms to cope with the stresses of everyday living, but in mental Defense mechanisms: disorders these defenses become chronic, something that you are doing intensified, and rigid. without really thinking about it to try and manage the conflict For these reasons, the topic of defense between the three parts of your mechanisms is both fascinating and important brain. in teaching psychology  DEFENSE MECHANISMS: MECHANISM NAME: DEFINITION: EXAMPLE: Refusing to accept reality. John likes Jane, but when Jeff asks Him Denial about this He said “She’s not even my type”. Blocking difficult thoughts from entering into John was traumatized when Jane broke Repression consciousness by PRESSING them down up with Him and now He doesn’t even into the unconscious. remember who Jane is. Attributing/ placing blame about one’s John has been cheating on Jane but Projection unacceptable feelings or desires on to insists that Jane is the one cheating. someone else. Reverting to the behavior or emotions of Jane broke down crying in fetal Regression an earlier developmental stage. We position after breaking up with John. return/REGRESS to immature behaviour. Channeling unacceptable urges into a Ex. Jane was upset about the break up Sublimation productive outlet, such as work or a hobby. with John so she decided to take painting classes and enrolled at a gym.  While the information in the unconscious mind is outside of awareness, it continues to have an influence on a person's behavior. Some of the ways the unconscious can affect behavior include: Negative thoughts Self-defeating thoughts and behaviors Feelings of anger Compulsive behaviors Childhood behavioral problems HOW THE UNCONSCIOUS Difficulties in relationships MIND AFFECTS Distressing patterns in romantic relationships BEHAVIOUR Attitudes about others Unhealthy habits Distressing dreams First impressions of other people Prejudice and stereotypes Learning through Consequences Learning is an active process: human and animal behavior is shaped by the way they respond to their environments Our behaviour can be conditioned. The way that behaviour can be conditioned: Positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, and punishment. Reinforcements (positive or negative) strengthen behaviour and punishments weakens behaviour Overview of Behavioral Learning Theory Behavioral Perspective: Behaviorists and the behavioral Behavioral learning theory emerged in the perspective, in general, is heavily based early 20th century as a reaction against on observable behaviors and actions; introspective psychology, which relied on unlike some of the other perspectives, subjective reports of mental states and the behavioral perspective does not pay processes. attention to mental/cognitive processes Behaviorists argued that psychology because they are not observable. should be a science of observable and measurable events and behaviors, and that The behavioral perspective explains mental states were irrelevant or behavior through conditioning (learning) Behaviorists proposed that environmental stimuli and consequences shape behavior Essentially, a behavioral psychologist and that learning occurs through a process will say that all behavior is learned. of operant conditioning. What is operant conditioning? Operant conditioning is a form of learning in which behavior is modified/changed through the use of rewards and punishments. ❏ Desired behaviors are reinforced through rewards ❏ while undesired behaviors are discouraged through punishments. For example: If a student gets praised for answering a question correctly, they are more likely to repeat that behavior in the future. On the other hand, if a student gets scolded for talking out of turn, they are less likely to repeat that behavior in the future.  PAVLOV’S DOG In the early part of the 20th Pavlov realized that the dogs were century, Russian physiologist Ivan salivating (drooling) because they Pavlov (1849-1936), was studying knew that they were about to be the digestive system of dogs when fed he noticed an interesting the dogs had begun to associate behavioural phenomenon: the arrival of the technicians with the food that soon followed their the dogs began to salivate appearance in the room. (drool)when the lab technicians who normally fed them entered the room, even though the dogs had not yet received any food. Classical conditioning, also known as associative learning, is With his team of researchers, Pavlov began an unconscious process where an studying this process in more detail. He automatic, conditioned response conducted a series of experiments in which, becomes associated with a specific stimulus. over a number of trials, dogs were exposed to a sound immediately before receiving food. Initially the dogs salivated only when they The animals had learned saw or smelled the food, but after several to associate the sound pairings of the sound and the food, the dogs with the food that began to salivate as soon as they heard the followed. sound.  WHAT IS PERSONALITY? You can think of personality as an individual’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that remain the same over time and across situations. We refer to these stable characteristics as personality traits  NATURE & NURTURE The nature versus nurture Nurture (Environment): debate is one of the oldest issues in psychology Refers to all the environmental Nature (Genes): Refers to all of the genes and hereditary variables that impact factors that influence who we are—from our physical who we are appearance to our personality characteristics  EPIGENETICS NATURE & NURTURE Epigenetics: The study of how Trauma: an event that the environment and other changes you. factors can change the way that Parental life experiences genes are expressed can modify their own body Focuses on physical chemistry. changes that affect how the genes are These modifications/ “expressed”—whether a changes can be transferred particular gene is active or to their children as well. not What is Trauma The precise definition of trauma is contested among mental health professionals, but almost all of them can agree that trauma is: a deeply distressing and overwhelming experience that has an impact on an individual’s well-being, mental and physical health. Understanding Individual Responses: Trauma is not just about the event itself, but how the individual perceives it. In other words, trauma is largely in the eye of the beholder. Two people could experience the same event, but process the event very differently. Acknowledging varying responses helps us understand why two individuals exposed to similar circumstances may have  Categorizing Trauma ACUTE CHRONIC COMPLEX Refers to a single traumatic event Involves prolonged or repeated Exposure to multiple varied traumatic or a relatively short-term exposure exposure to traumatic events or experiences often during childhood to a traumatic event. environments over an extended over an extended time period. period. include events such as car ongoing domestic violence, Complex traumas typically involve accidents, natural disasters, long-term child abuse, or even interpersonal relationships where there sudden loss of loved ones, or verbal attacks that inflicted should have been trust and care, such violent attacks that elicit an psychological trauma over time. as parental neglect or child sexual emotional response from the abuse by trusted adults in their lives. person who experienced it. particularly damaging as they has profound effects on the disrupt the individual’s sense of development process, affecting safety and stability, leading to cognitive abilities, emotional regulation potentially severe mental health skills, self-concept, physical, and issues. mental health. It also increases the risk of developing disorders, including depression, substance use disorder, and personality disorders later in life  The Impact of Trauma on Personality The impact of trauma on an individual is far-reaching and profound. One of the often-overlooked aspects of trauma is its potential to alter personality traits, typically considered relatively stable over time. While it is commonly accepted that our experiences shape who we are, it is vital to understand the complex ways trauma can influence our personality. How Trauma Changes Personality Research has shown that traumatic experiences can lead to significant personality changes, primarily through the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD can manifest in various ways, including heightened vigilance or alertness, increased anxiety, and emotional dysregulation, all of which can contribute to noticeable personality changes. For example, an individual who was previously outgoing and cheerful might become withdrawn and serious after experiencing trauma. They might also exhibit increased irritability, emotional instability, or risk-taking behaviors. Such changes can be distressing for the individual and those around them, further contributing to the impact of the trauma. Healing and Personality Reintegration Although trauma can cause substantial shifts in personality, it does not signify a permanent alteration. With appropriate support and intervention, individuals can recover from trauma and regain their pre-trauma personality traits or develop new, healthier ways of being. Therapeutic approaches such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) can be highly effective in treating trauma-related disorders. These therapies help individuals process their traumatic experiences, manage their symptoms, and re-establish control and safety.