Topic I Introduction Lecture Notes Psychology PDF

PSYC 1001 Introduction to Psychology 1 Topic I: Introduction and Main Theoretical Currents in Psychology What is psychology? Psychology is the scientific study of human and animal behaviour and mental processes...

PSYC 1001 Introduction to Psychology 1 Topic I: Introduction and Main Theoretical Currents in Psychology What is psychology? Psychology is the scientific study of human and animal behaviour and mental processes (Myers 2014) Psychology is the science of behaviour and the mind. Breaking down the definition: Scientific—objective, reliable, valid, empirical research (HOW). Science refers to objective, reliable, valid, empirical research. It isn’t a body of knowledge; instead, it’s a systematic approach or method to the study of a phenomenon to obtain evidence. Behaviour – observable or measurable actions (smiling, laughing, talking, blinking) (WHAT) Mental processes/mind- (subjective experiences) including thoughts, feelings, sensations, perceptions, memories, dreams, and motives. Goals of Psychology Describe behaviour—what is the nature or cause of this behaviour? This helps us understand what is normal or abnormal. Understand and explain behaviour—why/when does it occur? Why do people do what they do? What factors contribute to social behaviour or development? Predict behaviour – can we forecast when and under what circumstances it will occur? Once we understand more about what happens and why it happens, we can use this information to make predictions about when, why, and how it might happen again in the future. Control behaviour – what factors influence this behaviour? To control or influence behaviour through knowledge to enhance human welfare. History of Psychology Structuralism First theoretical school of thought in psychology. In 1897, Wilhelm Wundt established the 1st “psychology” laboratory in Germany. He is viewed as the founder of psychology. He attempted to uncover the structure of consciousness by breaking down mental processes into their most basic components through introspection. Introspection—training people to report elements of their experiences as they look at an object. However, introspection was unreliable as it varied from person to person and experience to experience. Criticisms The experimental method was too subjective and produced varying responses, and the theory was later dismissed. Must have a wide vocabulary; sometimes, people cannot verbalize their feelings or experiences; do the words chosen or used truly reflect these experiences? Can use one word (nice) to express feelings towards something, but can this level of niceness be comparable? Functionalism William James (1842–1910) was the first American psychologist who posited a different perspective on how psychology should operate. James was introduced to Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection and accepted it as an explanation of an organism’s characteristics. William James argued that consciousness cannot be broken down into elements.  PSYC 1001 Introduction to Psychology 2 He was concerned with the conscious experience and functions of mental processes. This view emphasizes the functions of the mind and behaviour in adapting to the environment. Behaviourism John B. Watson, B.F. Skinner, Ivan Pavlov, Edward Thorndike Human behaviour is a product of one’s social environment. For Psychology to be considered a science, focus should be placed on what is observable, i.e. behaviour. This perspective de-emphasized notions of the mind or consciousness. It heavily influenced the study of learning, classical conditioning, and operant conditioning. Criticisms Left out the internal experiences (thoughts, emotions) and was too one-directional. Psychoanalysis Sigmund Freud (1856–1939) was an Austrian neurologist who was fascinated by patients suffering from “hysteria” and neurosis. Hysteria was an ancient diagnosis for disorders, primarily of women with a wide variety of symptoms, including physical symptoms and emotional disturbances, none of which had an apparent physical cause. Humans are driven by unconscious forces that are innate. The theory focused on the unconscious mind and behaviour. Freud proposed exploring repressed thoughts and feelings into consciousness to free patients from suffering. Methodologies or treatment included hypnosis, dream analysis, and ink blot tests. Criticisms He overemphasized the unconscious, which is difficult to measure, and his theory was based on clinical case studies, making it difficult to generalize to a larger population. Humanistic Psychology Carol Rogers, Abraham Maslow Humanistic psychologists argued that humans are not helplessly controlled by unconscious or environmental forces. Optimistic viewpoint about determining behaviours. Individuals have free will to achieve their goals and the potential to self-actualize. A science focusing on the actual and lived experiences of persons and how these experiences can shape behaviour. Criticisms The theory was too subjective, and their observation was unverifiable. Gestalt Psychology Focused on studying mental processes and behaviours as “wholes” rather than separating them into discrete functions or parts. Held the view that “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” Gestalt psychology was founded by Max Wertheimer Cognitive Psychology John Piaget Behaviour is generated by a set of mental processes; we are active interpreters and process information. It focuses on how we encode, process and store information. Focus on how we perceive, process, and remember information. Focus on memory, reasoning, and problem-solving. The cognitive approach has given new ways we can treat disorders (depression or trauma) Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)  PSYC 1001 Introduction to Psychology 3 Psychology Perspectives Perspective is a way of viewing phenomena. Psychology has multiple perspectives: Neuroscience: functioning of the brain and other systems and how they affect behaviour Evolutionary: principles of natural selection applied to psychological phenomena Behavioural Genetics: genes and environment influence individual differences. Psychodynamic: unconscious forces that influence behaviour Behavioural: observable or learnt behaviours Cognitive: how knowledge is acquired, organized, remembered, and used to guide behaviour Socio-cultural: how our thinking varies across cultures and situations. Who is a psychologist? The American Psychology Association recognizes 56 distinct divisions, each representing a specialized field within psychology. Some of these include: Clinical psychology Health psychology Counselling psychology Developmental psychology School / Educational Psychology Cognitive psychology Psychobiology Experimental Social psychology Personality psychology Industrial and organizational psychology Community psychology Engineering psychology Environmental psychology Forensic psychology Sports psychology  PSYC 1001 Introduction to Psychology 4 Self-Study Here are some exercises to attempt after reading the chapter and the lecture notes. This will help you assess if you have retained the information. Try the exercises without referring to your notes. Multiple Choice Questions 1. What is the primary focus of psychology as a science? a) Historical events b) The scientific study of human and animal behaviour and mental processes c) The study of ancient civilizations d) The analysis of economic trends 2. Which psychologist established the first "psychology" laboratory in 1897? a) Sigmund Freud b) William James c) Wilhelm Wundt d) John B. Watson 3. Which psychological perspective emphasizes observable behaviour over internal experiences? a) Psychoanalysis b) Humanistic psychology c) Behaviourism d) Cognitive psychology 4. Which of the following goals of psychology focuses on identifying the factors that influence behaviour to enhance human welfare? a) Describe behaviour b) Understand and explain behaviour c) Predict behaviour d) Control behaviour 5. Who is known for developing the concept of self-actualization? a) Max Wertheimer b) John Piaget c) Sigmund Freud d) Abraham Maslow True or False Questions 1. True or False: The experimental method in structuralism was criticized for being too subjective. 2. True or False: Functionalism emphasizes breaking down mental processes into their most basic components. 3. True or False: Behaviourism was heavily influenced by the study of learning, classical conditioning, and operant conditioning. 4. True or False: Humanistic psychologists believe humans are helplessly controlled by unconscious or environmental forces. 5. True or False: Cognitive psychology focuses on how we encode, process, and store information.  PSYC 1001 Introduction to Psychology 5 Matching 1. Structuralism 1. Concerned with mental processing. 2. Functionalism 2. Concerned with the structure of our mental processing. 3. Behaviourism 3. Concerned with how environmental factors affect behaviour. 4. Psychoanalysis 4. Concerned with people’s uniqueness and free will. 5. Humanistic 5. Concerned with the perception of information. 6. Gestalt 6. Concerned with how behaviour is determined by the unconscious mind and childhood experiences. 7. Cognitive 7. Concerned with the functioning of our mental processes.