Chapter 1

What is psychology?

Psychology is about understanding all the things we
do.

Psychologists investigate questions about
human behavior in a scientific way.

By seeking to formulate precise questions about
behavior and then test possible answers through
systematic observation.

Psychology is in the news all the time—
Unfortunately, this coverage is often distorted
or grossly oversimplified, so that
misinformation is commonplace.
Indicate whether you believe each statement is true (T) or false
(F).
Tr
ue
Fals
e
1. People are either left-brain or right-brain
thinkers.
2. Genes only affect people during prenatal
development.
3. For most people, intelligence peaks in their late
30s or early 40s.
4. During sleep, the brain is mostly resting and
inactive.
5. Feeling good can make you smile, but not the
reverse.
6. Expressing pent-up anger reduces feelings of
T
F
T
F
T
F
T
F
T
F
T
F

Psychology developed from the disciplines of
philosophy and physiology (1870s)

Wundt established

first formal laboratory for research in psychology at
the University of Leipzigin, in 1879.

the first journal devoted to publishing research on
psychology, in 1881.

psychology became the scientific study of conscious
experience.

Titchener founded after training in Wundt’s
lab.

Structuralism states the task of psychology is
to analyze consciousness into its basic
elements & investigate how these elements
are related.

The personal observation of our own thoughts,
feelings, and behaviors

Ignore what this object is, and instead, describe your
conscious experience of it

William James (1842–1910)
consciousness consists of a continuous
flow of thoughts.

Functionalism was based on the belief
that psychology should investigate the
function or purpose of consciousness,
rather than its structure.

Source: WikiQuotes

Mary Whiton Calkins (1863-1930)

Founded Psych Lab in America at Wellesley College
in 1891.

1st woman to serve as APA president in 1905.
Margaret Floy Washburn (1871-1939)

1st woman to receive PhD degree in psych in 1894
from Cornell.

Leta Stetter Holllingworth

Pioneer in the fields of adolescent development,
mental retardation & gifted children.

Regularly debunked theories as to why women are
inferior to men.

Sigmund Freud (1856–1939)

Psychoanalytic theory attempts to explain
personality, motivation, and mental disorders by
focusing on unconscious determinants of behavior.

Frued stated that the unconscious contains
thoughts, memories, and desires that are well
below the surface of conscious awareness but
that nonetheless exert great influence on
behavior.

Founded by John B. Watson (1878–1958),
behaviorismis a theoretical orientation based
on the premise that scientific psychology
should study only observable behavior.

Behavior = any overt (observable) response or
activity by an organism.

B. F. Skinner (1904–1990)

All behavior is fully governed by external stimuli. Or
your behavior is determined in predictable ways by
lawful principles, just as the flight of an arrow is
governed by the laws of physics.


Develped in 1950’s
humanism is a theoretical orientation
that emphasizes the unique qualities of
humans, especially their freedom and
their potential for personal growth.

Rogers & Maslow (1954) maintained that to
fully understand people’s behavior, must take
into account the human drive toward personal
growth.

They asserted that people have a basic need to
continue to evolve as human beings and to
fulfill their potentials.

Stimulated by the demands of World War II,
clinical psychology grew rapidly in the 1950s.

Clinical psychology - concerned with the
diagnosis & treatment of psychological
problems and disorders.

Source: www.dreamstime.com

In 1950s & 1960s advances in study of cognition
led to renewed interest in mental processes.

human behavior cannot be fully understood without
considering how people think.


Advances in research on the physiological
bases of behavior.
biological perspective = human & animal
behavior can be explained in terms of bodily
structures & biochemical processes that allow
organisms to behave.


Traditionally, Western
psychologists paid little attention to
how well their theories and research
might apply to non-Western
cultures.
In the 1980s,Western psychologists
developed a greater interest in how
cultural factors influence behavior.

1990s

patterns of behavior seen in a species are
products of evolution in the same way that
anatomical characteristics are.

Early 21st century, positive psychology
movement became an influential force.

Positive psychology seeks to better understand
the adaptive, creative, and fulfilling aspects of
human existence.

Main work settings for contemporary
psychologists are

(1)private practice,
(2)colleges and universities,
(3)hospitals and clinics, and
(4)business and government.

Source: Cenage Learning




Psychology is empirical because psychologists
base their conclusions on observation through
research rather than reasoning or common
sense.

Psychology is theoretically diverse, as there are
many competing schools of thought in the
field. This diversity has fueled progress and is
a strength rather than a weakness.

Psychology also evolves in a sociohistorical
context, as trends, issues, and values in society
influence what goes on in psychology, and vice
versa.

Behavior is determined by multiple causes, as
most aspects of behavior are influenced by
complex networks of interacting factors.

Although cultural heritage is often taken for
granted, it has a pervasive impact on people’s
thoughts, feelings, and behavior.

Lively debate about the relative importance of
nature versus nurture continues, but it is clear
that heredity and environment jointly influence
behavior.

People’s experience of the world is highly
subjective, as they sometimes see what they
want to see or what they expect to see.