Intro to Psychology

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Intro to Psychology

• Psychology
• Unit 1

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Key Terms

• Psychology
• Behavior
• Introspection
• Associationism
• Structuralism
• Functionalism
• Behaviorism
• Gestalt Psychology

• Psychoanalysis
• Biological Perspective
• Evolutionary Perspective
• Cognitive Perspective
• Humanistic Perspective
• Psychoanalytic Perspective
• Learning Perspective
• Social Learning Theory
• Sociocultural Group
• Ethnic Group

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Essential Questions

• What are the five goals of psychology?
• What do psychologists do and what are the main
  areas of specialization?
• Describe the seven main contemporary perspectives
  in psychology?

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What is Psychology

• Psychology is the study of behavior and mental
  processes
• Behavior is any action that other people can
  measure
• Cognitive Activities are mental Processes
• Ex Dreams, thoughts and memories
• Also interested in thoughts or behaviors
• Use psychological constructs to talk about
  something we can not see or measure

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The Goals of Psychology

• Observe
• Describe
• Explain
• Predict
• And Control behaviors and mental processes

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Psychology

• Its a soft science

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Psychology as a Science

• Psychology is a social science, but it has
  foundations in the natural sciences
• Youve studied the natural sciences
• Earth Science, Chemistry, Physics
• Social Sciences history, sociology
• Use the scientific method

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Research

• Part of observe
• Methods
• Surveys
• Experimentation
• Human test subjects
• Animals lab rats, monkeys

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Psychological Theories

• Part of explain and predict
• Create THEORIES a statement that attempts to
  explain why things are the way they are and
  happen the way they do
• Theories are based on psychological principles
• Principles a rule or law

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Types Of Psychologists

• Clinical Psychologists
• Help people with psychological problems or
  disorders
• Counseling Psychologists
• Help people with adjustment problems
• School Psychologists
• Help identify and help students with learning
  disabilities
• Educational Psychologists
• Focus on course planning and instructional
  methods

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Types Of Psychologists

• Developmental Psychologists
• Study the changes that occur during a persons
  life span physical, emotional, cognitive and
  social
• Personality Psychologists
• Study personality traits
• Social Psychologists
• Study group interaction
• Experimental Psychologists
• Conduct research

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Types Of Psychologists

• Specialists
• Industrial and Organization Psychologists
• Environmental Psychologists
• Consumer Psychologists
• Forensic Psychologists
• Health Psychologists

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History of Psychology

• Ancient Greece
• Socrates Know thy self
• Introspection looking within
• Aristotle Associationism experiences often
  remind us of similar experiences in the past
• Hippocrates a Greek physician theorized
  disorders were caused by abnormalities of the
  brain

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History of Psychology

• The Birth of modern Science
• Followed the age of discovery
• 1879 Wilhelm Wundt established his lab in
  Leipzig

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Wilhelm Wundt and Structuralism

• Developed the field of Structuralism
• Structuralists were concerned with the basic
  elements of consciousness
• Objective sensations
• Subjective feelings
• Focused on introspection

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William James and Functionalism

• 1890- The principles of Psychology
• Experience is a stream of consciousness
• Relationship between experience and behavior
• Interested in adaptive behavior
• Adaptive actions are repeated and become habit
• Through repetition they become automatic

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John B. Watson and Behaviorism

• Founded behaviorism the study of observable
  behavior

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B.F. Skinner and Reinforcement

• Founded on behaviorism
• Added the concept of reward
• An animal or human is more likely to repeat an
  action if rewarded

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The Gestalt School

• 1920s
• Ideas and perceptions are more than the sum of
  their parts
• Interested in the context in which people
  interpret information
• Concerned with the inner workings of the mind
• Insight helps individual solve problems

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The Freud Dude

• Sigmund Freud
• Founded the school of psychoanalysis emphasized
  the importance of unconscious motives and
  internal conflicts in determining human behavior
• Also called psycho dynamic thinking assumed that
  most of what exists in an individuals mind is
  unconscious
• The first to consult with patients outside of the
  lab
• The father of modern psychology

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Contemporary Perspectives

• The Biological Perspective influences of biology
  on behavior Nature vs. Nurture
• The Evolutionary perspective influences of
  evolution on behavior
• Cognitive Perspective study mental processes
• Humanistic perspective Stresses the human
  capacity for self-fulfillment and the importance
  of consciousness, self-awareness, and the
  capacity to make choices

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Contemporary Perspectives

• Psychoanalytical Perspective Still around
• The Learning Perspective the effects of
  experience on behavior
• Social learning people can change their
  environments or create new ones
• Studies the influences of ethnicity, gender,
  culture, and socio-economic status on behavior
  and mental processes

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A Day in the Life of Mr. Deal

• I am a putz.
• All I want for Christmas is a head of hair.
• Oh, to be 5 7
• I was once a cast member in the Wizard of Oz
• munchkin

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The Scientific Method

• Form a Research Question
• Psychological constructs something that is there
  but can not be measures
• Form a Hypothesis
• An educated guess
• Use If/ Then statements
• Test the Hypothesis
• Gather data

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The Scientific Method

• Analyzing the Result
• What does the data say
• Draw Conclusions
• Replication the study must be repeated to prove
  it true
• New Questions

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Key Terms

• Hypothesis
• Replicated
• Survey
• Target Population
• Sample
• Random Sample
• Stratified
• Bias
• Volunteer Bias

• Case Study
• Longitudinal Method
• Naturalistic Observation
• Experiment
• Variable
• Independent variable
• Dependent Variable
• Placebo
• Informed Consent

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Essential Questions

• List and describe the steps scientists follow in
  conducting an experiment
• What is the difference between an independent
  variable and a dependent variable?
• Explain the benefits of the different types of
  research techniques

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How are research questions formed?

• Form questions based on
• Experience
• Psychological Theory
• Common Knowledge

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Steps In Scientific Research

• Form a Question
• Form a Hypothesis (make an educated guess)?
• Test the hypothesis use to gather evidence
• Analyze the Results
• Draw a conclusion
• Replication must be repeated
• New questions

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Proper Sampling Techniques

• Samples must be selected scientifically to
  ensure that the samples accurately represent the
  populations they are supposed to represent

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The Survey Questions

• Survey a series of questions on a subject
• Target population the whole group you want to
  study
• You want to be sure you are studying the group
  you mean too
• Sample Only part of the population you are
  studying

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Types of Samples

• Random Sample
• Stratified sample subgroups are represented
  proportionally
• Watch for bias
• Volunteer Bias people who volunteer often dont
  represent everyones views

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Methods of Observation

• Testing Method
• Case-Study Method
• Longitudinal Method- a group of participants are
  observed at intervals over an extended period of
  time

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Methods of Observation (cont.)?

• Cross-Sectional Method- researchers compare the
  differences and similarities among people in
  different age groups at a given time
• Naturalistic-Observation- observe the behavior in
  their natural habitats
• Laboratory-Observation-observed in a lab

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Purposes and Elements of Experiments

• Determine cause and effect
• Independent variable what is manipulated
• Dependent variable changed by the
• Experimental group
• Control group
• Placebo effect

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Analyzing the Results

• Correlation measures how closely one thing is
  related to another
• Positive Correlation one variable causes the
  other to go up
• Negative Correlation one variable causes the
  other to go down

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Single and Double Blind Studies

• Single-Blind participants dont know which group
  they belong to
• Double Blind both participants and those who
  measure the effects do not know whose is in what
  group

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Measuring Results

• Mean The average number
• Median The middle number
• Mode The most frequent number
• Standard Deviation Subtract the mean from each
  score
• Positive and negative deviation

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Ethical Issues

• Protect study participants from harm
• Maintain the scientific integrity of the study
• Promote the dignity of the individual
• Fosters human welfare
• Confidentiality
• Informed consent