Ch. 1 Psych Notes

5. Psychology
• The scientific study of behavior and
mental processes.
oUses scientific research methods.
oBehavior includes all observable
behavior.
oMental processes include thoughts,
feelings and dreams.

8. Example of the 5 Goals:
• You "observe" X doing Y
• Ex: 1 year old Charlie is crying.
– You "explain" this behavior as being a result of him
needing the attention of his mother. (Infants cry when
uncomfortable - i.e. hungry, need to poo etc).
– You predict this behavior (crying) will cease once the
mother feeds Charlie his (milk, baby food) or changes
his diaper.
– You can "control" his crying by having the mother
promptly respond to his needs.

9. To describe, explain, predict, and
control behavior and mental processes
1. Describe: tell what occurred
2. Explain: tells the why
3. Predict: under what conditions is the
behavior/event likely to occur
4. Control: how is the principle applied or what
change in condition is necessary to prevent
unwanted occurrence or to bring about a
desired outcome

11. Section #2
What do psychologists do?

12. Who does what?
• Psychologist: studies patients, tests disorders, talks and
counsels
• Psychiatrist : works inside a branch of medicine dealing
with psychological disorders
• Provides medical (drug) treatment
• http://www.diffen.com/difference/Psychiatrist_vs_Psychologist

20. • http://psychology.about.com/
od/careersinpsychology/tp/ps
ychology-career-trends.htm

23. Section #3
A History of
Psychology

25. Today’s Big Question
• “How can learning to know
yourself help you understand
the world and the people who
live in it?”

28. The Hippocratic Oath is an oath
historically taken by physicians,
physician assistants and other
healthcare professionals swearing
to practice medicine ethically and
honestly.

30. Particularly in Europe during the Middle Ages,
beatings were administered to the mentally ill who
acted out as punishment for the disturbances their
behavior caused and as a means of “teaching”
individuals out of their illnesses.

31. The Middle Ages & Mental Illness
Causes of mental illness included:
■Supernatural causes such as demons and demonic
possession.
■Witchcraft and sorcery.
■Mass hysteria.
■Melancholy and stress.
Treatments for mental illness included:
■Exorcism.
■Shaving the pattern of a cross in the head-hair.
■Believe that those suffering from mental illness could
benefit from hearing mass.
■Drinking ice-cold water.

33. HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON
PSYCHOLOGY
PRINCIPLES IN PRACTICE
33
Chapter 1
Question: How has the study of psychology developed over
time?
PSYCHOLOGY DEVELOPED OVER TIME
 Began in ancient Greece
 Revived during the scientific advances of the 1500s,
1600s and 1700s
 Contributions were made by modern psychologists
such as William James, B.F. Skinner, and Sigmund
Freud
Section 3: A History of Psychology

34. Structuralism Functionalism

35. Structuralism Functionalism
 first school of
psychology
 breaking down mental
processes
 Wilhelm Wundt
 too concerned with
internal behavior (cant
observe)

36. Structuralism Functionalism
o focused on the purpose
of consciousness and
behavior
o emphasized individual
differences
o William James
o Influenced the
educational system

37. Structuralism Functionalism
 first school of
psychology
 breaking down mental
processes
 Wilhelm Wundt
 too concerned with
internal behavior (cant
observe)
o focused on the purpose
of consciousness and
behavior
o emphasized individual
differences
o William James
o Influenced the
educational system

38. Structuralism vs. Functionalism
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW6nm69Z_IE

41. PSYCHOLOGY DEVELOPED OVER TIME
• William James – Functionalism (observation and
introspection – What are the purposes of behavior
and mental processes?)
• John B. Watson – Behaviorism (scientific study of
observable behavior)
• B.F. Skinner – Reinforcement (influences behaviors)

45. Gestalt Psychology
• Learning is active and purposeful
• Problem solving is accomplished by insight,
not mechanical repetition.

48. Sigmund Freud
• Psychoanalysis
• (unconscious motives and internal conflicts)
• Freudian slip

50. Freudian slip
(in Freudian psychology) an accidental mistake
in speech or writing that is thought to reveal a
person's unconscious motives, wishes, or
attitudes.

52. Section #4:
6 Perspectives on Psychology

55. Psychological Perspectives
• Method of classifying a collection of
ideas
• Also called “schools of thought”
• Also called “psychological approaches”
• To view behavior from a particular
perspective

56. Cognitive Perspective
• Focus: On how people think and
process information
• Behavior is explained by how a person
interprets the situation

59. Biological Perspective
• Focus: How our biological structures
and substances underlie a given
behavior, thought, or emotion
• Behavior is explained by brain
chemistry, genetics, glands, etc.

62. Social-Cultural Perspective
• Focus: How thinking and behavior
change depending on the setting or
situation
• Behavior is explained by the influence
of other people present

65. Behavioral Perspective
• Focus: How we learn through rewards,
punishments, and observation
• Behavior is explained by previous
learning

68. Humanistic Perspective
• Focus: How healthy people strive to
reach their full potential
• Behavior is explained as being
motivated by satisfying needs (safety,
hunger, thirst, etc.), with the goal of
reaching one’s full potential once basic
needs are met.

72. Psychodynamic Perspective
• Focus: How behavior is affected by
unconscious drives and conflicts
• Behavior is explained through
unconscious motivation and unresolved
inner conflicts from one’s childhood.
• Modern version of psychoanalytic
perspective.