Psychology Themes and Variations Chapter 1

Evolutionary Psychology

examines behavioral processes in terms of their adaptive value for members of a species over the course of many generations.

B.F. Skinner

According to Skinner , if the stimulus of food is followed by the response of eating, we can fully describe what is happening without making any guesses about whether the animal is experiencing hunger. Wrote: (Beyond Freedom and Dignity)- he exerted in this book that all behavior is fully governed by external stimuli. "Free will is an illusion" "Organisms tend to repeat responses that lead to positive outcomes, and they tend not to repeat responses that lead to neutral or negative outcomes."

Carl Rogers

Argued that human behavior is governed primarily by each individuals sense of self,or "self-concept" - which animals presumably lack. (Humanistic Movement) Developed a new approach to psychotherapy: Client centered therapy

Psychoanalytic Theory

Attempts to explain personality, motivation, and mental disorders by focusing on unconsciousness determinants of behavior.

Structuralism

Based on the notion that the task of psychology is to analyze consciousness unto its basic elements and investigate how these elements are related.

Experimental Research

Is often more productive if experiments can exert considerable CONTROL over their subjects like an animal.

Functionalism

based on the belief that psychology should investigate the function or purpose pof consciousness, rather than its structure.

Clinical Psychology

branch of psychology concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of psychological problems and disorders. - Eventually received "enormous institutional support"

Positive Psychology

Uses theory and research to better understand the positive, adaptive, creative, and fulfilling aspects of human existence.

Wilhelm Wundt

1879's founder of psychology (date of birth) Characterized as the founder of psychology. According to Wundt it was consciousness- the awareness of immediate experience. Formulating that psychology became the scientific study of conscious experience.

Introspection

Careful, systematic self observation of ones own conscious experience.

William James

Chief architect of functionalism- wrote principles of psychology (1890) - thoughts based on Darwin's theory of natural selection. "Psychology should investigate the functions rather than the structure of consciousness"

Sigmund Freud / Unconsciousness

Created procedure known as PSYCHOANALYSIS. He researched the UNCONSCIOUS processes or the thoughts, memories, and desires that are well below the surfaces of consciousness awareness but that nonetheless exert great influence on behavior.

Theme 1: Psychology is Empirical

Empiricism: premise that knowledge should be acquired through observation. Conclusions are based on direct OBSERVATION rather than on reasoning, speculation, traditional beliefs, or common sense.

Theme 4: Behavior is Determined by Multiple Cases

Multifactorial causation of behavior.

Theme 6: Heredity and Environment Jointly Influence Behavior

Nature and Nurture are involved

Theme 5: Behavior is shaped by cultural heritage

Our cultural backgrounds exert considerable influence over our behavior. Culture: refers to the widely shared customs, beliefs, values, norms, institutions, and other products of a community that are transmitted socially across generations. Both differences and similarities in behavior occur across cultures.

Theme 7: People's Experience of the World is Highly Subjective

People sometimes see what they want to see, or expect to see.

John B. Watson

Proposed that psychologists abandon the study of consciousness altogether and focus on behaviors that they could observe directly. (founder of behaviorism)(Supported nurture not nature) "Give me a dozen healthy infants"

Stimulus response (S-R) Psychology

Psychologies mission as an attempt to relate overt behaviors (responses) to observable events in the environment (stimuli). -> to animal research

Theme 3: Psychology Evolves in a Sociohistorical Context

Psychologies past is filled with examples of how social trends have left their imprint on psychology. Ex: WWII and PTS

Behavior

Refers to any overt ( observable) response or activity by an organism.

Cognition

Refers to the mental process involved in acquiring knowledge.

Applied Psychology

The branch of psychology concerned with everyday, practical problems.

Behaviorism

Theoretical orientation based on the premise that scientific psychology should study only observable behavior.

Humanism

Theoretical orientation that emphasizes the unique qualities of humans, especially their freedom and their potential for personal growth.

Theme 2: Psychology is Theoretically Diverse

Theory: System of interrelated ideas used to explain a set of observations. One single theory can not adequately explain everything that is known about behavior. Theoretical diversity is a strength not a weakness