Chapter 1: Introduction to Psychology Notes
Who is the father of psychology?
Wilhelm Wundt Philosophy + Physiology = Psychology
behaviorist
behavioral responses
experimental
employ human participants and animal subjects to study many topics
Biological
genetics
Aristotle
interested in what the human mind could accomplish
humanistic
making the worst situations positive
psychoanalytic
unconscious (where repressed memories go)
Middle Ages/ Dark Ages
Aristotle
Kant
Both inborn and acquired - mind could not be scientifically studied
1600s/1700s - Enlightenment
Descartes Locke Kant
Research psychology
Describe behavior Explain behavior Predict behavior
Locke
Empiricism: mind is empty at birth - tabula rasa
William James
Functionalist: experiences could not be fragmented into fundamental units/ Consciousness is Fluid Must study mental processes in their natural context Principles of Psychology (1890)
1800s
Helmholtz Fechner Wilhelm Wundt William James
What shapes our perception of psychology?
Media (news, TV, movies, etc.)
Psychology vs. psychiatry
Psychologist: M.A. / Ph.D. / Psy.D. / Ed.D. No medication Psychiatry: M.D. with medication
Helmholtz & Fechner
Sensation and visual abilities of cats - proved that the mind could be studied
Social
study of how people's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others (group settings)
sports
study of how psychological factors affect performance and how participation in sport and exercise affect psychological and physical factors
industrial/organizational
study of human behavior in the workplace and applies psychological theories and principles to organizations
cognitive
thoughts
Who is the father of american psychology?
William James
forensic
applying psychological knowledge to legal matters (child custody, violence, civil law, criminals)
Modern Approaches
biological behaviorist psychoanalytic humanistic cognitive cross-cultural / socio-cultural (evolutionary)
Tabula Rasa
blank slate
Applied psychology
control behavior
cross-cultural/socio-cultural
culture
clinical
diagnosing and treating mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders (more severe than counseling)
school
educational, developmental, and clinical to meet a child's health and learning needs to collaborate with parents and educators (individual)
human factors
focuses on ergonomics, workplace safety, product design, human capability, and human-computer interaction
counseling
maintains a focus on facilitating personal and interpersonal functioning across the life span
Physiological/biological
mind-body connection is explored through scientific research and clinical practice
What are the goals of psychologists?
research psychology applied psychology
developmental
scientific study of how and why humans change over the course of their life
What is psychology?
scientific study of human behaviors and mental processes
educational
scientific study of human learning (more concerned with groups than an individual)
Career Settings
Private practice or therapy setting academic settings (colleges) industrial settings (companies) secondary schools and other settings
What does psychology mean?
Psyche (mind or soul) Logia (study)
Descartes
Rationalism: people were born with the ability to think and reason
Wilhelm Wundt
Structuralist: interested in identifying the smallest structure of the conscious experience Founded the first psychological laboratory in 1879 in Leipzig, Germany
Health
psychological and behavioral processes in health, illness, and healthcare
