Module 2As Science Evolves: The Past, the Present,
and the Future
Chapter 14 - Pages 15-26 Essentials of Understanding Psychology- Sixth Edition
PSY110 Psychology
© Richard GoldmanSeptember 18, 2006
Psychological Perspectives
Early Structuralism Introspection Functionalism Gestalt Psychology
Contemporary Neuroscience Psychodynamic Behavioral Cognitive Humanistic
Structuralisman Early Perspective
Developed by Wilhelm Wundt Set up first psychology laboratory 1879
Studied with a procedure called Introspection Patients were asked about stimuli Focused on the fundamental mental states of:
Perception Consciousness Thinking Emotions (and other mental states and activities)
Discredited because results were not reproducible
Introspection
Subject is presented with stimulus the psychologist then use the subject’s response to describe the mind
Discredited because it was not reproducible - not scientific
Replaced by Functionalism and Gestalt Psychology
Functionalisman Early Perspective
Lead by William James in the early 1900’s Focused on the purpose of consciousness
and behavior(how it allowed people to adapt to their environment)
Gestalt Psychologyan Early Perspective
Improved understanding of perception by viewing a variety of individual elements as a “whole”
“The whole is different from the some of its parts”.
NeuroscienceA Contemporary Perspective Biologically based – emphasizing
the study of: Brain, Never cell, & nervous system Biochemistry & Hormones Medication Inheritance Instinct
PsychodynamicA Contemporary Perspective
Sigmund Freud – 1900 Behavior is motivated by inner
unconscious forces Psychoanalysis Free Association
Behavioral Behaviorism originated
with the work of John B. Watson, an American psychologist -1920.
Watson believed that psychological data which did not result from direct observation was useless.
Championed by BF Skinner
operant conditioning “Skinner Box”
CognitiveHow people understand and
think
Humanistic People control their own behavior Free will Carl Rogers Abraham Maslow Hierarchy of Needs
Issues & Controversies Nature verses Nurture
Conscious verses Unconscious motivations Free Will verses Determinism Observable Behavior vs. Mental Processes Universal Principals vs. Individual Differences
Nature vs. Nurture Nature:
Behavior is determined by inheritance
NurtureBehavior is determined by
environment
Free Will vs. Determinism Free Will:
Behavior is controlled by freely made choices
Determinism: Inheritance Instinct Environment Training Behavior is not controlled by free will
Observable Behavior vs. Internal Mental Processes Observable Behavior:
Can be seen by an outside observerAllows easy application of scientific process
Internal Mental Processes Critical to understanding mental
processes
Universal Principals vs. Individual Differences Universal Principals:
Behavior and responses that are similar to all humans in all cultures
Individual Differences: Individual differences in humans
within a culture
End