Approaches to Psychology: Understanding Human and Animal Behavior and Mental Processes, Lecture notes of Psychology

Download Approaches to Psychology: Understanding Human and Animal Behavior and Mental Processes and more Lecture notes Psychology in PDF only on Docsity! Unit 1: Chapters 1 and 2 How do we study the mind? Are today’s approaches to psychology adequate? Unit I Approaches to Psychology Cognition  The mental processes involved in acquiring knowledge. Psychoanalysis  Theory developed by Freud that attempts to explain personality, motivation, and mental disorders by focusing on unconscious determinants of behavior. Humanistic Approach  A psychological approach that stresses that humans are free, intelligent creatures trying to achieve personal growth. Sociocultural  Behavior is influenced by rules and expectations of social groups, families or cultures. Evolutionary Theory that examines behavior in terms of its adaptive value for humans over time. A Psychologist  A person who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental problems and disorders. The American Psychological Association Founded in 1892, it is the major psychological association in the United States and is made of more than 50 divisions, or areas of psychology DEFINITION CHARACTERISTICS EXAMPLES Non-EXAMPLES PSYCHOLOGY WHAT IS PSYCHOLOGY? The scientific study of human and animal behavior and the mental processes. The Goals of Psychology  Describe – gathering information about a behavior.  Explain – WHY people and animals act the way they do  Predict – use the knowledge gathered to predict an outcome  Influence – finding out more through research and application of research  Basic Science (Research) v. Applied Science (Use of Research findings to solve problems)  Prior to 1879 studying behavior was a hobby of physiology and philosophy  Physiology + Philosophy = Psychology  Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920) University of Leipzig, Germany  Established the first laboratory for the study of psychology in 1879  Wundt known as “Father of Psychology” Psychology was born Psychology: Birth of a New Science  Leipzig becomes the place to study psychology  Graduates of Wundt’s program set up new labs across Europe and North America  William James is the Father of Psychology in the USA as he began teaching the first psychology course at Harvard  Psychology was BORN in Germany, But RAISED in the USA  Why would Psychology take off in the USA as opposed to Europe??? Psychology Goes International  Two intellectual schools of thought regarding the science of psychology:  Structuralism – led by Wilhelm Wundt  Structuralists focused on analyzing consciousness into basic elements  Introspection – careful, systematic observations of one’s own conscious experience  Functionalism – led by William James (at Harvard)  Functionalists focused on investigating the function or purpose of consciousness Who do you think won??? Why? The Battle of the “Schools” in the U.S.: Wundt vs. James  John B. Watson (1878-1958): United States of America  Founder of Behaviorism  Psychology = scientific study of behavior  Behavior = overt or observable responses or activities Radical reorientation of psychology as a science of observable behavior ONLY!  Watson’s famous quote--Doctor, Lawyer, Beggar- man, Thief  Behaviorism: Nature or Nurture??? Behaviorism: The 1st Child of Functionalism  Sigmund Freud (1856-1939): Austria  Founded Psychoanalytic school of thought  Emphasis on unconscious processes influencing behavior  Unconscious = outside awareness  Behavior is influenced by the unconscious  1) Childhood Experiences  2) Sexual Aggressions and Urges  3) Unknown Motivators Psychoanalysis: Nature or Nurture?? Freud: the Unconscious Mind  B.F. Skinner (1904-1990): United States of America  Following Freud’s work of the early 1900s, Skinner Revived Watson’s Behavioral Theory and brought psychology back to OBSERVABLE BEHAVIOR ONLY!  Environmental factors determine behavior  Responses that lead to positive outcomes are repeated  Responses that lead to negative outcomes are not repeated Operant Conditioning Behaviorism Revisited: B.F. Skinner  Biological Perspective = behavior explained in terms of physiological processesFocus on the chemical changes in the brain and the psychical changes of the body  James Olds (1956)  Electrical stimulation of the brain evokes emotional responses in animals  Roger Sperry (1981)  Left and right brain specialization Neurobiological: Nature or Nurture?? (Nuero)Biological Psychology: The Biological Basis of Behavior  EVOLUTIONARY PSYCH: natural selection occurs for behavioral, as well as physical, characteristics  Looks at human behavior in terms of its adaptive value  80’s and 90’s theorists revived the theories of Darwin and his followers  Studied natural selection of mating preferences, jealousy, aggression, sexual behavior, language, decision making, personality, and development Evolutionary: Nature or Nurture?? Evolutionary Psychology: Functionalism Revisited  Sociocultural Approach: Focuses on the role religion, ethnicity, culture, SES, etc. have on the human mind and behavior  1980’s – increased interest in how cultural factors influence behavior  growing global interdependence  increased cultural diversity  CON: Ethnocentrism – viewing one’s own group as superior and as the standard for judging  NOT A MELTING POT, but a SALAD BOWL!!!!  Sociocultural: Nature or Nurture??? Sociocultural Psychology: Cultural Diversity ee een == ae Dennis Rodman Explanations  Biological: He has a high level of estrogen that makes him feel as though he should wear women’s clothing.  Psychodynamic: He was traumatized as a child when he was not permitted to have a Halloween costume. He has repressed his memory but dresses in outrageous clothing to compensate for his loss as a child.  Behavioral: His father and grandfather were both cross-dressers and frequently dyed their hair. He is imitating their behavior.  Cognitive: He interprets his role in the NBA as needing to create attention for his team. As a result, he thinks that cross- dressing, dying his hair and tattooing his body will create the attention his team needs. Want to major in psychology? OK, so what can you do with this degree??? Other Areas of Psychology Application  Developmental Psychology  Educational Psychology  Community Psychologist  Industrial/Organization al Psychologist  Forensic Psychologist  Psychobiologist  Experimental Psychology  School Psychologist  Sports Psychology  OTHER: Hotline advisor; salesperson; life coach; HR; Mental Health Assistant ain areas psychologists work Elementary Other and secondary 8% schools Business and 4% government 6% Private practice 33% Colleges and universities 27% Hospitals andi clinics 22%  at areas do psycho research? Developmental 24.6% Experimental 14.1% Other 11.5% Social 21.6% Cognitive 8.0% Personality 4.8% Psychometrics 5.5% Physiological 9.9%