Introduction to psych v2

1. Introduction
to
Psychology

2. Psychology
You see someone behaving in a certain way.
Maybe it’s a girl: she is loud and always trying to
be the center of attention at parties.
How would you try to explain her behavior?
What approach do you think you might take?

3. Psychology: Definition
The study of mental functions and behaviors.
“The human brain is
by far the most
complex physical
object known to us in
the entire cosmos.”
Owen Gingerich
(Astronomer)

4. Psychology
Topics of focus:
Behavior
Mental Processes
Consciousness
Perception
Personality
Development
Memory
Intelligence
Disorders

5. Psychology
Psychologist: evaluates, diagnoses, treats, and
studies behavior and mental processes. Clinical
and counseling psychologists provide mental
health care.
Psychiatrist: specializes in the diagnosis and
treatment of mental disorders. Psychiatrists are
medical doctors who must evaluate patients to
determine whether their symptoms are the result
of a physical or mental illness.

6. History of Psychology
“Trepanning” (drilling a
hole into a person’s head
to relieve pressure or let
out evil spirits) was
practiced as a treatment
for abnormal behavior in
neolithic times through
the 1700s.
“The Extraction of the
Stone of Madness” (c.1488)

7. History of Psychology
In Ancient Greece, Hippocrates (c. 460 – 370 BC)
introduced the idea of “four temperaments of
personality.” sanguine (optimistic, leader-like),
choleric (bad-tempered, irritable), melancholic
(analytical, quiet), and phlegmatic (relaxed, peaceful).
A person’s personality was determined by by an
excess or lack of body fluids (called "humors"):
blood, yellow bile, black bile, and phlegm.

8. History of Psychology
John Locke (1632-1704)
published the idea that
children are born as
“blank slates” (a “Tabula
Rasa”), and that life
experiences form who
they become as adults.
This idea contradicted the
previous notion that we
are born with some
knowledge and habits.

9. History of Psychology
Franz Joseph Gall
argued that you could
learn about a person’s
intelligence, character,
and personality based
on the size, shape, and
number of bumps on
their head.The study of
Phrenology, popular in
the 1800s, was based on
this theory.

10. History of Psychology
Wilhelm Wundt (1832 - 1920) was the first person to call
himself a “psychologist.” He built the first laboratory for
psychological research in Germany. He provided his subjects
with stimuli, and asked them to describe how it made them
feel. This strategy came to be called “Structuralism.”

11. History of Psychology
Sigmund Freud (1856-1939)
created psychoanalysis (dialogue
between a patient and a
psychoanalyst, thought to bring
relief from psychological
disorders). He also developed
the idea that the conscious
mind (everything we are aware
of) is only the “tip of the
iceberg”, while the unconscious
mind holds the primitive wishes,
impulses, and repressed feelings
that influence our behavior.

12. History of Psychology
Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936) introduced the idea of “conditioning” as
a form of learning and an explanation for certain habits and
behaviors shown by both animals and humans.This study led to
an approach to Psychology called “behaviorism.”

13. History of Psychology
Jean Piaget (1896-1980) published influential theories about human
development from childhood to adulthood. His work increased the
popularity of developmental psychology: the study of how humans
change over the courses of their lives.

14. History of Psychology
In 1954, Abraham Maslow developed
the concept of “self-actualization”: the
motivation to realize one's full
potential. Expressing one's creativity,
the pursuit of knowledge, the desire to
give back to society, and “finding
yourself” are examples of self-
actualization.

15. Psychology Today
Psychology is a diverse field today. Some sub-fields are more
scientific, like neuropsychology or evolutionary psychology.
Others, like cognitive psychology, are more philosophical.
Assignment:
Explore different branches of
Psychology by completing the
assignment on our google
classroom.
Class code: 5447mh