defination and some theories and studies about psychology

1. HUMAN
PSYCHOLOGY

2. DEFINITION
• Psychology is scientific study of behaviour and mental processes.
• Human behaviour, in general is the potential and expressed capacity for
physical, mental and social activity during the phases of human life.

4. SOME THEORIES AND QUOTES
• According to Sigmund Freud:
“Behaviour is not always consciously explained. “Unconscious” is the major
factor which guides the individual’s behaviour.”
Behaviour depends on three factors:
Id, Ego and Super Ego

6. • Another theory by Munn N. L. says:
“Personality may be defined as the most characteristic, an integration of
individual structures, mode of behaviour, interests, attitudes, capacities, abilities
and aptitude.”
• Burrhus Frederic Skinner (B. F. Skinner) says:
“A person who has been punished is not less inclined to behave in a given way;
at best, he learns how to avoid punishment.”
• Erik Erikson quotes:
“The more you know yourself, the more patience you have for what you see in
others.”

7. Some Psychological studies…
WE ALL HAVE SOME CAPACITY FOR
EVIL.
• In 1970, Philip Zimbardo set up a mock prizon
in the basement of the Stanford psych building
and selected 24 undergraduates to act as
prisoners and guards.
• The result was “The guards escalated their
aggression against the prisoners, stripping them
naked, putting bags over their heads and then
finally had them engage in increasingly
humiliating sexual activites”.

8. DELAYING GRATIFICATION IS HARD
• In 1960s a test was conducted
which tested preschool children’s
ability to resist lure of instant
gratification.
• 4 yr olds were put in a room by
themselves with a marshmallow on
a plate in front of them and told
that they could either eat the treat
now or if they waited till the
researcher returned 15 minutes
later, they could have two
marshmallows.

9. A CLASS DIVIDED
• Jane Elliott divided her class into separate
groups: blue-eyed students and brown-
eyed students.
• On the first day, she labelled the blue-
eyed group as the superior group and
gave them extra privileges.
• Results showed that the blue-eyed
students performed better academically
and even began bullying their brown-eyed
classmates.
• The brown-eyed group experienced lower
self-confidence and worse academic
performance.

10. ASCH CONFORMITY STUDY
• In 1951, Dr. Solomon Asch did a study that was
designed to evaluate a person’s likelihood to
conform to a standard pressure to do so.
• Group of participants were shown pictures
with lines of various lengths and asked a simple
question: Which line is longest?
• Each group had only one true participant and
remaining were actors and were told to give
wrong answers.
• Strangely, the one true participant almost agreed
with the majority, even when he know he was
giving the wrong answer.

11. BOBO DOLL EXPERIMENT
• Albert Bandura conducted the Bobo Doll
Experiment to prove that human behaviour is
largely based upon social imitation rather
than inherited genetic factors.
• He showed one child a video of an adult
showing aggressive behaviour towards a
Bobo doll; another a video of passive adult
playing with the Bobo doll and then sent to
respective rooms.
• It was observed that children who watched
the aggressive video behaved in the same
manner while children who watched the
passive one showed little aggressiveness.

12. HAWTHRONE EFFECT
• In 1955, Henry Landsberger
conducted a study which shows
humans change their behaviour simply
because they are being studied.
• The company officials supervised the
employees for 3 days during their work
time by being present at the spot.
• As a result, the productivity simply
increased to a great extent because the
workers were aware that they were
under supervision.

13. LEARNED HELPLESS EXPERIMENT
• In 1967, Martin Seligman’s experiment
involved ringing of a bell and then
administration of a light shock to a dog.
• After a number of pairings, the dog
reacted to the shock even before it
happened at the sound of the bell.
• Even though there was enough place for
the dog to jump out of the box, the dog
never reacted to it instead laid down
feeling helpless.
• This shows a human or animal does not
attempt to get out of a negative
situation because the past had taught
them that they are helpless.

14. THANK YOU!
- ANKITA MUNDHRA