Lecture Slides for Ch01: Introduction to Psychology

1. Psychological Foundations

2. What IS Psychology?
Psychology: the science of
brain, behavior and mental processes
1. Scientific Study: uses empirical research
2. Behavior: how organisms act or react in
different situations
3. Mental Processes: affect & cognition
Psychology’s Roots: Philosophy & Physiology

3. Key Figures in Psychology
Aristotle Hippocrates

4. Key Figures in Psychology

5. LEONARDO DA VINCI
Key Figures in Psychology
5

6. RENE DESCARTES
Key Figures in Psychology
6

7. Key Figures in Psychology
Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920)
• Established 1st
psychological lab in 1879
• Structuralism: attempts to analyze the
mind into its simplest possible
components
Method: introspection – “looking inward”
to analyze your own sensations,
perceptions & feelings

8. Key Figures in Psychology
William James (1842 – 1910)
• Published the first English language
Psychology textbook in 1890
• Functionalism: attempted to
understand the purpose of the human
mind
Method: introspection & rational though

9. Key Figures in Psychology
Sigmund Freud (1856 – 1939)
• Unconscious mind
• Invented talk therapy
• Psychoanalytic Theory: focuses
on the role of the unconscious
and childhood experiences on
behavior
Method:
– hypnosis
– free association
– dream interpretation

10. Key Figures in Psychology
• Gestalt Theory: the whole is greater
than the sum of the parts
– Perception is subjective and
context-dependent
– Influenced the study of vision and human
personality
• Gestalt Psychologists:
– Max Wertheimer
– Kurt Koffka
– Wolfgang Kohler

13. Key Figures in Psychology
John Watson (1878-1958)
• Behaviorism: study only what is
measurable
• Focus on Stimulus → Response
relationships
Method: scientific

14. Key Figures in Psychology
B. F. Skinner (1904-1990)
• Behavior is shaped by the
consequences
• Mental processes are of
no scientific value
Method: scientific

15. Key Figures in Psychology
Humanistic Psychology:
• Rejected pessimism &
determinism
• Focus on potential for good &
growth
Humanistic Psychologists:
• Carl Rogers
• Abraham Maslow

17. Key Figures in Psychology
Cognitive Psychology: study how we
gather and store information from
the environment
Method: scientific
Cognitive Psychologists:
• George Miller
• Ulric Neisser
• Noam Chomsky

18. Who Is Missing?
Martha Bernal, PhD
Margaret Floy Washburn, PhD
Mary Whiton Calkins

19. Who Is Missing?
Psychology is WEIRD!
• Western
• Educated
• Industrialized
• Rich
• Democratic

20. Key Figures in Psychology
Cultural Psychology: emphasizes the impact of
cultural factors on behavior & mental processes

21. Modern Perspectives in Psychology
Biological Psychology: assumes
behavior is determined by the
physiology & chemistry of the brain
Method: scientific

22. Modern Perspectives in Psychology
• Evolutionary Psychology:
seeks to understand the
ultimate biological causes of
behavior
• Assumes that behavior:
– Is impacted by genetics
– Developed through adaptation
to the environment

23. Modern Perspectives in Psychology
Sensation & Perception: explores the
physiological aspects of the sensory systems and
the psychological experience of sensory
information

24. Modern Perspectives in Psychology
Developmental Psychology:
studies physical, cognition,
social, & emotional
development from conception
to death
Developmental Psychologists:
• Jean Piaget
• Lev Vygotsky

25. Modern Perspectives in Psychology
Personality
Psychology: studies
the patterns of
thought and
behavior that make
each individual
unique

26. Modern Perspectives in Psychology
Social Psychology: how are behavior and
mental processes shaped by the presence
of other people
Founders:
• Kurt Lewin
• Solomon Asch
• Floyd Allport
Method: scientific

27. Modern Perspectives in Psychology
Industrial-Organizational Psychology: applies
psychology to workplace settings to increase
employee productivity and efficiency

28. Modern Perspectives in Psychology
Health Psychology: studies
how health is affected by the
interaction of biological,
psychological, and
sociocultural factors
Sport & Exercise Psychology:
applies psychology to
improve athletic
performance

29. Modern Perspectives in Psychology
Clinical Psychology: focuses on the diagnosis &
treatment of psychological disorders
Counseling Psychology: focuses on emotional,
social, vocational, and health-outcomes in
people who are psychologically healthy

30. Modern Perspectives in Psychology
Forensic Psychology: applies psychology in the
context of the criminal justice system
Examples:
• Competency to stand trial
• Consulting on sentencing, custody cases,
• Advising on issues of eyewitness testimony, false
confessions, and children’s testimony
• Provides treatment to justice-impacted individuals

31. The Five PIllars of Psychology

32. Which Perspective is Right?
Biopsychosocial Model:
biological, psychological,
& social factors are
interconnected

33. Careers in Psychology

34. Careers in Psychology

35. Careers in Psychology

36. Subfields in Psychology
• Neuroscience
• Cognitive psychology
• Developmental
psychology
• Personality psychology
• Social psychology
• Cultural psychology
• Clinical psychology
• Counseling psychology
• School psychology
• Industrial and
organizational
psychology
• Forensic psychology
• Sports psychology
• Health psychology

37. Learning Check
During his career, Dr. Rodriguez had the goal of
describing the basic parts of the conscious mind.
His approach is most similar to that of
A. structuralism.
B. cognitive psychology.
C. functionalism.
D. Gestalt theory.

38. Learning Check
During his career Dr. Rodriguez had the goal of
describing the basic parts of the conscious mind.
His approach is most similar to that of
A. structuralism. ✔
B. cognitive psychology.
C. functionalism.
D. Gestalt theory.

39. Learning Check
Ana witnessed a violent crime in her home when she was
young. As an adult, she does not remember the event but is
terrified to be home alone. The most appropriate method
for understanding Ana’s unconscious conflict is
A. introspection.
B. natural selection.
C. psychoanalysis.
D. reaction time.

40. Learning Check
Ana witnessed a violent crime in her home when she was
young. As an adult, she does not remember the event but is
terrified to be home alone. The most appropriate method
for understanding Ana’s unconscious conflict is
A. introspection.
B. natural selection.
C. psychoanalysis. ✔
D. reaction time.

41. Learning Check
Todd believes there is no point in trying to studying mental
activity. He says psychologists should instead study how
stimuli in the environment make us behave the way we do.
Todd’s beliefs are most similar to that of
A. cognitive psychology.
B. social psychology.
C. functionalism.
D. behaviorism.

42. Learning Check
Todd believes there is no point in trying to studying mental
activity. He says psychologists should instead study how
stimuli in the environment make us behave the way we do.
Todd’s beliefs are most similar to that of
A. cognitive psychology.
B. social psychology.
C. functionalism.
D. behaviorism. ✔