Introduction to Psychology Unit I PDF

INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY UNIT I DEFINITION The scientific study of behavior and mental processes and how they are affected by an organism’s physical state, mental state, and external environment. Derived from Greek...

INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY UNIT I DEFINITION The scientific study of behavior and mental processes and how they are affected by an organism’s physical state, mental state, and external environment. Derived from Greek words: Psyche meaning soul or mind & logos meaning word Literally psychology is study of the mind and soul Behavior:  Is anything an organism does-any action we can observe and record (e.g., yelling, smiling, blinking, talking) Mental Processes:  Are the internal subjective experiences we infer from behavior – e.g. sensation, perceptions, dreams, thought, beliefs and feelings.  HISTORY & VARIOUS SCHOOLS OF PSYCHOLOGY  Psychology’s roots can be traced to the beginning of recorded history.  However it emerged as a formal academic discipline only during 1800’s. From speculation to science: The Birth of Modern Psychology IN ANCIENT GREECE  Socrates (469-399 B.C.) and Plato (428-348 B.C.); concluded that:  Mind is separate from body and continues after the body dies, and  Knowledge is innate – born within us. PSY 203 PSYCHOLOGY FOR HEALTHCARE Socrates Plato 5 From speculation to science: The Birth of Modern Psychology ARISTOTLE (384-322)  Aristotle’s love of data distinguished him from Socrates & Plato.  Aristotle derived principles from careful observations.  His observations told him that:  “the soul is not separate from the body, and the same holds good of particular parts of the soul”,  Moreover, he said: “knowledge is not preexisting (sorry, Socrates and Plato); instead, it grows from the experience stored in our memories. 6 PSY 203 PSYCHOLOGY FOR HEALTHCARE  PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE IS BORN Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920)  Father of Psychology  established the first psychology laboratory at the University of Leipzig, Germany.  Believed in reductionism.  That is, consciousness could be broken down (or reduced) to its basic elements  Used Introspection to analyze/ discover basic elements of mind.  Introspection means self reflection or self observation of one’s own conscious experience PSY 203 PSYCHOLOGY FOR HEALTHCARE 7   Later psychology became organized into different schools of thought, each promoted by pioneering thinkers.  These schools included:  Structuralism  functionalism  Behaviorism,  Psychoanalysis  Gestalt Psychology  Humanism 8 PSY 203 PSYCHOLOGY FOR HEALTHCARE  THINKING ABOUT THE MIND’S STRUCTURE Edward Bradford Titchener (1867-1927):  Wundt’s student  Introduced structuralism.  Structuralism established Psychology as a science.  introspection was used to explore the structure of the human mind. PSY 203 PSYCHOLOGY FOR HEALTHCARE 9  WILLIAM JAMES  Was a Functionalist.  Encouraged explorations of emotions, memories, will power, habits, and moment-to-moment stream of consciousness.  Assumed that thinking, like smelling, developed because it was adaptive – as, it contributed to our ancestors’ survival. 1 PSY 203 PSYCHOLOGY FOR HEALTHCARE 0  FUNCTIONALISM  Functionalism is a school of psychology that focuses on:  how mental and behavioral processes function  how they enable the organism (human being) adapt, survive, and flourish.  According to functionalism, Consciousness flows in a continuous stream.  Consciousness serves as function which enables us  to consider our past,  adjust to our present circumstances, and  plan our future. 1 PSY 203 PSYCHOLOGY FOR HEALTHCARE 1  STRUCTURALISM VS. FUNCTIONALISM Structuralism Analyze consciousness into basic elements and study how they are related 12 Wilhelm Wundt Functionalism Investigate the function, or purpose of consciousness rather than its structure William James (1842-1910)  The Rebellion of 20th Century  At the beginning of the 2oth century, however, a new generation of psychologists rebelled against this “soft” approach.  The leader of the challenge was American psychologist John B. Watson.  He established Behaviorism in 1913. 1 PSY 203 PSYCHOLOGY FOR HEALTHCARE 3  BEHAVIOURISM Psych :the Science of Behavior  Behaviorists view observable measurable behavior as the only appropriate subject matter John Watson for Psychology.  If you cannot locate or measure something, it cannot be an object of scientific study.  It also emphasizes role of environment as key determinant of behavior. Three theories: B F Skinner Classical conditioning - Pavlov. Operant conditioning - skinner. 1 4 Behaviorist theory - Watson. Ivan Pavlov BEHAVIOURISM.  Theories are based on experiments done by proponents. Watson’s experiment Pavlov’s experiment Skinner box  SIGMUND FREUD: PSYCHODYNAMIC PERSPECTIVE  Of all psychology’s pioneers, Sigmund Freud is by far the best known & the most controversial.  Freud a doctor (a neurologist) by profession was fascinated by the central nervous system.  His theory of personality as well as his therapy for psychological disorders is called psychoanalysis.  According to this theory an individual’s thoughts feelings & behavior are determined primarily by the unconscious. 1 PSY 203 PSYCHOLOGY FOR HEALTHCARE 6 PSYCHODYNAMIC PERSPECTIVE  Major concepts are:  Thoughts, memories & desires exist below conscious awareness and exert an influence on our behavior  Unconscious is expressed through dreams & “slips of the tongue”  Psychoanalytic Theory attempts to explain personality, mental disorders & motivation in terms of unconscious determinants of behavior.  HUMANISTIC PSYCHOLOGY Abraham Maslow 1908-1970 Carl Rogers 1902-1987  COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY Gustav Fechner 1801-1887 Cognitive psychology sees the individual as a processor of information, in much the same way that a computer takes in information and follows a program to produce an output. Noam Chomsky GESTALT PSYCHOLOGY “The whole is different than the sum of its parts.” Max Wertheimer 1880-1943 Is a school of psychology based upon the idea that we experience things as unified wholes. 2 0  GESTALT PSYCHOLOGY 2 1  GESTALT PSYCHOLOGY Context influences people’s interpretation of information 2 2 SPECIALTIES IN PSYCHOLOGY SPECIALTIES IN PSYCHOLOGY  THE BIG ISSUE IN PSYCHOLOGY NATURE V/S NURTURE QUESTION  To what extent are our traits already set in place at birth (our “Nature”)?  And to what extent do our traits develop in response to our environment/ experience (our “Nurture” )? Nature + Nurture We share a common origin We have that gives us an differences that inborn human are shaped by nature in our environment 2 5 common.  SO WE ARE BIOLOGY + ENVIRONMENT..  These together constitute psychology’s three levels of analysis.  The “biopsychosocial” levels of analysis.  The deepest level is Biology including genes, brain, neurotransmitters, survival, reflexes, sensation etc.  In the middle level lies Psychology which includes thoughts, emotions, moods, choices, behaviors, traits, motivations, knowledge, perceptions etc.  The outer level is the Environment including the social Influences, culture, education, relationships etc. 2 “Nurture works on what Nature endows.” 6  THE THREE LEVELS AS INFLUENCES ON ANY PSYCHOLOGICAL PHENOMENON Examples of mental processes can be Intelligence, Enjoying a sport, shyness or even a mental illness like depression 2 PSY 203 PSYCHOLOGY FOR HEALTHCARE 7