Introduction to Psychology

INTRODUCTION TO
PSYCHOLOGY
Definition
History
Branches
Methods of Research
Issues/Controversies
damacatangay@yahoo.com.ph
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What is the science of ?
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Defined
PSYCHOLOGY – is the s________ study of b________ & m________
processes, w/c includes biological activities,
f_____, p________, memory, r_______ and
thoughts.
“Psyche” “Logos”
Mind Study
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History 101
Origins of Psychology
Contemporary Views of Psychology
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Origins of Psychology VS.
Contemporary Views in Psychology
BRIEF HISTORY
 Trephination & e_______ (via “shaman” or priests) – to coax
evil spirits (5000 BC)
 Ancient Greeks who considered contents of the m_____
 Other arguments from different philosophers
 John Locke VS. Plato & René Descartes
 John Locke  children were born into the worlds with “b____ s_____”
(Latin: tabula rasa);
 Plato & Descartes  some knowledge were i_____ in humans
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It was just like the bad SAW movie!!!

(Film-related examples)
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Early Schools in Psychology
(The ways on how people think before)
FORMAL BEGINNING OF PSYCHOLOGY
 There were early schools in psychology:
 Structuralism
 Functionalism
 Gestalt Psychology
 STRUCTURALISM
 Focuses on uncovering mental components like c_______, t______, and
other kinds of mental states & activities
 Uses introspection  studying mind through detailed description of
person’s experiences when exposed to a stimulus
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Lets Try: Introspect
 What do you experience when you see the word…
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 FUNCTIONALISM
 Emerged from the dissatisfaction of introspection method (‘coz of tendency
to be bias when doing introspection)
 Focused on what the mind d____ and how behavior f______ (instead of
mind’s structure)
 Allows people to consciously adapt to their env’t
 Allows people to consciously satisfy their needs
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 GESTALT PSYCHOLOGY
 Emerged from the dissatisfaction from structuralism
 Focused on how p_________ is organized
 “The whole is different from the sum of its parts”
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Our perception or understanding of objects is greater and
more meaningful than the individual elements that make up
our perceptions

CONTEMPORARY VIEWS IN PSYCHOLOGY
 NEUROSCIENCE – views behavior from
the perspective of b_____ functioning
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Let us imagine for a second that
your dog died (sad but it will
happen). You become depressed.
You stop eating and sleeping.
What would a psychologist from
this neuroscience view say about
what’s going on and how might
he/she help you?

 PSYCHODYNAMIC – believes that behavior is motivated by inner un_____
forces over w/c a person has little control
A young man has
intimacy issues and
cannot form
relationships with
others. How would a
psychologist adhering
to psychodynamic
perspective explain
this issue?
Perhaps the
psychologist may
delve into the man’s
unconscious and
discover that the
young man was
bullied when he was
a lot younger. The
bullying may have
caused fear in
getting close to
others.

 BEHAVIORAL – focuses on observable (overt) behavior
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NOTE:
Overt – observable
behavior
Covert – unobservable
behavior
 Focuses on observable
behaviors while putting feelings
to the side.
 We behave in ways because we
have been c_____ to do so.
 To change behaviors, we have
to recondition the client.
Pretend that you fail
psychology class. You
become depressed. In turn,
you begin to binge and gain
weight.
What do you think a
behaviorist may do?
The behaviorist would probably
ignore the fact that you are
depressed and he would just
focus on your overeating.
Maybe make you run a mile every time you eat over 2000 calories.

 COGNITIVE – examines how people u_________ and t____
about the world
Focuses on how we think (or encode information)
How do we see the world?
How did we learn to act to sad or happy events?
Cognitive Psychotherapist attempt to change the way you
think
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 COGNITIVE – examines how people u_________ and t____
about the world
You meet a girl…
Hopes are high!!!
She rejects
you…don’t
even get her
mobile
number
How do
you react
to the
rejection?
Some learned to
get back on the
track and try to
court again
another girl.
Some learned
to give up and
live a lonely
life of
solitude.

 HUMANISTIC – postulates that people can c____ their behavior
and they naturally try to reach their own p________
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Subfields of Psychology
Areas of Specialization in Psychology
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Common Subfields of Psychology
 Behavioral neuroscience – examines b______ basis of behavior
 Clinical psychology – deals w/ the study, Dx and Rx of
psychological disorders
 Cognitive psychology – focuses on the study of higher m_______
processes
 Educational psychology – concerned with t______ and l_______
processes
 Forensic psychology – focuses on l____ issues like child custody,
witness testimony, marriage annulment
 Social psychology – the study how people’s thoughts, feelings &
actions are affected by o______
 Sports psychology – application to a_____ activity & e_____ damacatangay@yahoo.com.ph
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Methods of Research
Since psychology is a science…It requires research.
Scientific Method
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The Scientific Method
 Used by psychologists in order to systematically
acquire knowledge and understanding about
behavior and other psychological phenomena.
 STEPS:
1. Identify questions of interest
2. Formulate explanation
3. Carry out research that can either support or
negate the explanation
What are
the methods?
Theory &
Hypothesis
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Methods of Research in Psychology
 Naturalistic observation – investigator simply observes naturally occurring
behavior and does NOT make a change in the situation
 Survey research – a sample of people from a large population are asked series
of questions about their behavior, thoughts or attitudes
 Case study – an in-depth, intensive investigation of an individual or small
group of people
 Correlational research – relationship between 2 variables is examined to
determined if they are associated or “correlated”
 CANNOT establish cause-and-effect relationship
 Experimental research – investigating 2 or more variables in controlled
situation and analysing cause-and-effect relationship between the variables
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Issues and Controversies in
Psychology
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Free Will
Determinism
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No. 1

Nature
Nurture
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No. 2
Heredity Environment

Conscious
Unconscious
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In terms of determinants of behaviors…
We have…
No. 3

Introduction to Psychology

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