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© 2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Chapter 1What is Psychology?
© 2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Chapter Preview
Defining Psychology
Psychology in Historical Perspective
Contemporary Approaches to Psychology
What Psychologists Do
Science of Psychology and Health and Wellness
© 2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Psychology: Defined
Psychology is the scientific study of
behavior and mental processes.
Three Key Components
science – systematic methods
behavior – what can be directly observed
mental processes – thoughts, feelings, motives
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Science of Psychology
Critical Thinking
Skepticism
Objectivity
Curiosity
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Use of Systematic Method
Usually asks and answers questions about
why people think, act, and feel as they do
reduces the chances of coming to false
conclusions
Blind man and elephant story
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The Goals of Psychology
Description
Explanation
Prediction
Influence
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Description
Describe or gather information about the
behavior being studied and present what is
known
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Explanation
Are not content with the facts
They seek to explain why people or animals behave
Hypothesis- an assumption or prediction about behavior that is tested through scientific research
Theory- a set of assumptions used to explain phenomena and offered for scientific study
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Prediction
Use knowledge and predict what organisms
think and feel in various situations
By studying past behaviors, psychologists
can predict future behaviors
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Influence
Psychologists seek to influence behavior in
helpful ways
Basic Science- the pursuit of knowledge
about natural phenomena for its own sake
Applied Science- discovering ways to use
scientific findings to accomplish practical
goals
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Scientific Method
1) Question
2) Hypothesis
3) Experiment
4) Results
5) Conclusions
6) Theory
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Psychology – A General Science
Psychology is not limited to the study
of psychological disorders.
Freud’s view of human nature
positive psychology
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Narcissism Epidemic
Narcissism…unusually self-confident,
self-assertive, and self-centered.
Generation born since 1980s
“More narcissistic than early generations”
vs.
“Attitudes have been stable over time”
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History of Psychology
Western Philosophy
Biology and Physiology
Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920)
1879 – established 1st psychology lab
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The Origins of Psychology
5th and 6th Centuries
Greeks studied human behavior and decided
people were rational and not dominated by gods
Greeks set the stage for the development of
sciences
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The Origins of Psychology
1500 and 1600s
Copernicus- published idea that the earth was
not the center of the universe, the sun was.
Galileo Galilei- used a telescope to confirm the
predictions of Copernicus
Descartes- proposed a link between the body
and mind
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Marmaduke Sampson
Studied “why crime occurs”
Believed behavior was the result of the shape of the head
Phrenology- the practice of examining bumps on a person’s skull to determine that person’s intellect and character traits
Inspired scientists to consider the brain instead of the heart as responsible for human behavior
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Wilhelm Wundt’s
Structuralism
identified structures of the mind
introspection
systematic, detailed self-reports
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Williams James’
Functionalism
identified the functions and purposes
of the mind
stream of consciousness
human interactions with outside world
why is human thought adaptive?
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Inheritable Traits
Sir Francis Galton
Wanted to understand how heredity influences a
person’s abilities, character, and behavior.
His study focused on genius being a hereditary
trait
Did not consider that distinguished families
may also have exceptional environments and
socioeconomic advantages
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Inheritable Traits
Scientists recognized flaws in Galton’s
research
They came up with the theory that “a
person’s heredity and environment interact
to influence intelligence”
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Gestalt Psychology
German Psychologists
Max Wertheimer
Wolfgang Kohler
Kurt Koffka
Disagreed with the principles of structuralism and behaviorism
Believed perception was more than a sum of its parts
Studied how sensations are assembled into perceptual experiences
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Psychology and Evolution
Charles Darwin
On the Origin of Species, 1859
Natural Selection
competition for resources
genetic characteristics that promote
reproduction and survival are favored
environmental changes alter course of
evolution
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Contemporary Approaches
Current Psychological Perspectives
Biological
Behavioral
Psychodynamic
Humanistic
Cognitive
Evolutionary
Sociocultural
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Biological Approach
The biological approach focuses on the
brain and nervous system.
Neuroscience
study of the structure, function, development,
genetics, biochemistry of the nervous system
thoughts and emotions have physical basis in brain
allowed psychologists to better understand the brain
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Behavioral Approach
The behavioral approach focuses on the
environmental determinants
of observable behavior.
Notable Behaviorists
John Watson
B.F. Skinner
rejected thought processes
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Psychodynamic Approach
Psychodynamics emphasizes
unconscious thought
conflict between biological drives and
demands of society
early childhood family experiences
Psychoanalysis - Freud
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Humanistic Approach
Humanists emphasize
positive human qualities
capacity for positive growth
free will
Humanistic Theorists
Carl Rogers
Abraham Maslow
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Cognitive Approach
The cognitive approach emphasizes the
mental processes involved in knowing.
Information Processing
…how humans interpret incoming info, weigh it,
store it, and apply it
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Evolutionary Approach
The evolutionary approach uses ideas such
as adaptation, reproduction, and natural
selection to explain human behavior.
Evolutionary Psychologists
David Buss
Leda Cosmides
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Sociocultural Approach
examines how social and cultural
environments influence behavior and mental
processes
studies differences between ethnic and
cultural groups within and across countries
Section 3
Psychology as a Profession
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What is a Psychologist?
Psychologists- is a scientist who studies the
mind and behavior of humans and animals
Psychiatry- is a branch of medicine that
deals with mental, emotional, or behavioral
disorders
These two professions are usually confused
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Subfields of Psychology
Clinical psychologist- is a psychologist who
diagnoses and treats people with emotional
disturbances
Counseling psychologist- is a psychologist
who usually helps people deal with
problems of everyday life
School psychologist
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Subfields of Psychology
Developmental psychologist- a psychologist who studies the emotional, cognitive, biological, personal, and social changes that occur as an individual matures
Educational psychologist- a psychologist who is concerned with helping students learn
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Subfields of Psychology
Community psychologist- a psychologist who may work in a mental health or social welfare agency
Industrial or organizational psychologist- a psychologist who uses psychological concepts to make the workplace a more satisfying environment for employees and managers
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Subfields of Psychology
Environmental psychologists- work in a
business or with the government to study
the effects of the environment on people
Psychobiologists- study the effect of drugs
or try to explain behavior in terms of
biological factors
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Subfields of Psychology
Forensic psychologists- work in legal, court, and correctional systems
Health psychologists- study the interaction between physical and psychological health factors
Experimental psychologists- is a psychologist who studies sensation, perception, learning, motivation, and/or emotion in carefully controlled laboratory conditions
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Careers in Psychology
Practice / Applied
Research
Teaching
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Areas of Specialization
Physiological Psych / Behavioral Neuroscience
Sensation and Perception
Learning
Cognitive Psychology
Developmental Psychology
Motivation & Emotion
Psychology of Women & Gender
Personality Psychology
Social Psychology
Industrial / Organizational Psychology
Clinical & Counseling Psychology
Health Psychology
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Areas of Specialization
Also (but not addressed in text beyond this chapter)
Community Psychology
School & Educational Psychology
Environmental Psychology
Forensic Psychology
Sport Psychology
Cross-Cultural Psychology
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Career Settings in Psychology
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Influence of Culture
Individualistic Cultures
individuals viewed as unique and distinct
from their social group
value independence
Collectivistic Cultures
emphasize social group and the individual’s
role within that group
value interdependence
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Influence of Culture
Individualistic subjects
prefer to work on tasks that they have had
previous success with
like to emphasize their successes
Collectivistic subjects
prefer to work on tasks that they have
difficulty with
self-critical view
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Science of Psychology and
Health and Wellness
Mind-Body Connections
how the mind impacts the body
how the body impacts the mind
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Chapter Summary
Explain what psychology is and how it differs from an every-day, informal approach to understanding human nature.
Discuss the roots and early scientific foundations of psychology.
Summarize the main themes of the seven approaches to psychology.
List some of the areas of specialization and careers in psychology.
Describe the connections between the mind and the body.
© 2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Chapter Summary
Defining Psychology
scientific study of behavior and mental processes
Historical Foundations of Psychology
origins in philosophy and physiology
structuralism – Wilhelm Wundt
functionalism – William James
evolutionary theory – Charles Darwin
© 2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Chapter Summary
Contemporary Approaches to Psychology
current approaches – complementary
Specializations and Careers in Psychology
practice, research, teaching
academic, clinic, private practice, industry, school
Science of Psychology and
Health and Wellness
mind-body connection is a “two-way street”
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