Defn: Science of mental processes and behavior

1
Psychology as a Science

• Defn Science of mental processes and behavior
• BUT
• Howd we get here?

Evolution of Psychology Psyche
soul/spirit/mind Logos study
Aristotle, Plato mysteries of the mind e.g., De
Memoriam
2
Evolution of Psychological Science

• 2 INGREDIENTS
• Attitude
• Mysteries of mind can be studied like other
  phenomena
• Secular philosophy (17th c.)
• Method
• Empiricism. Beyond speculation/opinion

3
Secular Philosophy

• Big Questions
• How are bodily sensations turned into mental
  awareness of outside world?
• Are our perceptions accurate?
• Do people freely choose their actions?
• 2. Start w/ plausible assumptions and REASON to a
  conclusion

4
Physiology

• Physiology How living organisms function
• By mid-19th c.,
• How the mind receives and organizes sensory
  information
• Muller Nerve cell conduction
• von Helmholtz visual/auditory perception
• Fechner precise measure of mental events
• The Scientific Method Make predictions, observe,
  revise

5
Psychologys Birth(day)

• W. Wundt 1879 1st Psychology lab
• Scientific study of conscious experience
• Trained observers
• Father Wundt
• 1st ? journal
• 53,000 pages of books articles
• Dozens of graduate students (who spread ? in No.
  America)

6
The 1st Battle

• Structuralism vs. Functionalism
• Wundt As w/ Chemistry, or Physics, the
  structures (components) (of conscious experience)
  matter
• Wm. James consciousness is dynamic (stream of
  consciousness). Cant capture consciousness
  statically gt whats function of conscious
  experience?

7
Psychologys growth (1883-1892)

• 24 ? labs in U.S. incl.
• Johns Hopkins, UPenn, U Wis.
• Wundts progeny or Wm. James
• APA (1892) 26 members
• Why such growth in U.S.?
• Youth of U.S. universities (relative to Euro.
  Universities)

8
S. Freud (1856 1939) the Unconscious

• Tx. of mental disorders led Freud to ID
• unawareness of forces guiding bx.
• great impact of sexual urges on bx.
• Freuds ideas
• Slow (but enormous) impact on ?
• Rapid impact in medicine, arts, literature
• 1930s 40s psychologists turned to
  personality, motivation, abnormal bx.

9
Behaviorism Arises

• John B. Watson (1878-1958)
• Redefining ?
• (S-R Psychology)
• observable phenomena only
• discard references to consciousness
• mental events are private, not observable
• cant study thoughts, feelings, desires
• Nurture, not nature
• Animal research (rats, cats, dogs)

10
The Humanistic Revolt(1950s ?)

• Behaviorism Freud dehumanizing
• Humanists emphasized unique human qualities
• free will potential for growth
• drive toward personal growth
• self-concept (sense of self)
• animal heritage/environment not determining
  factors
• Humanists developed innovative tx. for ? pbms
  disorders

11
The Behaviorists Return(1950s 60s)

• B.F. Skinner (1904-1990)
• Return to strict behaviorism
• Cannot study internal states scientifically
• Understand bx. by S-R relationships
• Repeat bxs that lead to positive outcomes dont
  repeat bxs. w/negative outcomes
• No free will

12
Return to ?s Roots (1960 ?)

• Cognition Physiology The biological basis of
  mental events behaviors
• Cognition e.g., memory, thinking, problem
  solving, reasoning, language, imagery
• Information processing Computer metaphor
• Physiology all behaviors, at their root, have a
  biological basis.
• Cognition Physiology Cognitive Neuroscience