What is Psychology?

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• Chapter 1
• What is Psychology?

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Chapter Preview

• Defining Psychology
• Historical Foundations of Psychology
• Contemporary Approaches to Psychology
• Specializations and Careers in Psychology
• Application Health and Wellness

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Psychology Defined

• The scientific study of behavior and
• mental processes
• Key components of this definition
• Science
• Behavior
• Mental Processes

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Psychology and Common Sense

• Is psychology simply common sense?
• Sometimes yes, but sometimes no
• Hindsight Bias
• Unexpected Findings

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Positive Psychology

• Psychology has traditionally focused on the
  negative aspects of human experience, but the
  discipline is concerned with much more than
  disordered behavior!
• Positive Psychology Movement
• Experiences people value
• Traits associated with optimal functioning
• Positive group and civic values

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Historical Approaches

• Western Philosophy
• Biology and Physiology
• Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920)
• First Psychology Laboratory (1879) established at
  the University of Leipzig

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Structuralism

• Wundt Identify structures of the mind
• Research described dimensions of feeling
• Pleasure / Displeasure
• Tension / Relaxation
• Excitement / Depression
• Methodology Introspection

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Functionalism

• William James and Pragmatism
• Identify the functions of the mind
• Focused on interactions with environment
• Adaptive significance Why?
• Flow of thought Stream of consciousness

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Psychology and Evolution

• Charles Darwin (1859)
• Natural Selection
• There exists a constant struggle for resources
• Nature will favor those traits that promote
  reproduction and survival
• Environmental changes alter evolutions course

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Contemporary Approaches

• Seven Current Psychological Perspectives
• Biological
• Behavioral
• Psychodynamic
• Humanistic
• Cognitive
• Evolutionary
• Sociocultural

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The Biological Approach

• Focuses on the brain and nervous system
• Central to understanding behavior, thought, and
  emotion
• Neuroscience
• Structure, function, development, genetics,
  biochemistry of the nervous system
• Chapter 3 Biological Foundations of Behavior

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The Behavioral Approach

• Focuses on the environmental determinants of
  observable behavior
• Notable Behaviorists
• John Watson, B.F. Skinner
• Early conflicts with cognitive psychologists
• Chapter 7 Learning

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The Psychodynamic Approach

• Emphasizes unconscious thought, conflict between
  internal drives and society, and early family
  experiences
• All influence behavior, thought, and emotion
• Notable Psychodynamic Theorists
• Sigmund Freud, Erik Erikson, Alfred Adler
• Chapter 11 Personality

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The Humanistic Approach

• Focuses on positive human qualities, capacity for
  self-actualization, free will
• Developed in response to the behaviorist and
  psychodynamic approaches
• Notable Humanistic Theorists
• Carl Rogers, Abraham Maslow
• Chapter 11 Personality

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The Cognitive Approach

• Emphasizes the importance of mental processes to
  problem solving, learning and memory
• Mental processes control behavior through
  memories, perceptions, and thinking
• Chapter 9 Thinking, Language, and Intelligence

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The Evolutionary Approach

• Emphasizes the relevance of evolutionary theory
  to all behavior and mental processes
• Current function reflects changes that occurred
  in response to ancestral environments
• Notable Evolutionary Psychologists
• David Buss, Leda Cosmides, John Tooby
• Chapter 3 Biological Foundations of Behavior

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The Sociocultural Approach

• Examines how social and cultural environments
  influence behavior and mental processes
• In contrast to the evolutionary approach
• Studies differences between ethnic and cultural
  groups within a country
• Chapter 12 Social Psychology

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Contemporary Approaches

• Seven Current Psychological Perspectives
• Biological
• Behavioral
• Psychodynamic
• Humanistic
• Cognitive
• Evolutionary
• Sociocultural

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Critical Controversy Altruism

• Altruism Defined
• Voluntary behavior intended to help others
• Not motivated by expectation of personal gain
• Altruism The Evolutionary Approach
• Kin selection and inclusive fitness
• Altruism The Sociocultural Approach
• Social relationships unfold over time

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Areas of Specialization

• Specializations are not mutually exclusive
• Highlighted by Intersections in the text
• American Psychological Association
• Abbreviated APA
• Currently 56 divisions / specializations

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Areas of Specialization

• Physiological Psychology
• Behavioral Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology
• Sensation and Perception

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Areas of Specialization

• Cognitive Psychology
• Learning
• Motivation and Emotion
• Personality Psychology

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Areas of Specialization

• Social Psychology
• Industrial and Organizational Psychology
• Clinical and Counseling Psychology
• Health Psychology

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Areas of Specialization

• Community Psychology
• School and Educational Psychology
• Environmental Psychology
• Psychology of Women

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Areas of Specialization

• Forensic Psychology
• Sport Psychology
• Cross-Cultural Psychology

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Intersection Culture and Emotion

• Complete the Happiness scale in the text
• Sum your ratings and divide the total by 5
• Higher scores higher perceived happiness
• Despite numerous cultural differences, most
  people report being happy
• But culture can impact perceived happiness

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Intersection Culture and Emotion

• Individualistic Cultures
• Individuals viewed as unique and distinct from
  their social group
• Value independence
• Collectivistic Cultures
• Emphasize social group and the individuals role
  within that group
• Value interdependence

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Careers in Psychology

• What do psychologists do? And where?
• Business
• Social and Human Services
• Research
• Education
• Research Laboratories
• Clinical and Private Practice Settings

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Careers in Psychology
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Careers in Psychology
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Psychology Health and Wellness

• Psychology is concerned with Mind-Body
  Connections
• The mind impacts the body
• Examples?
• The body impacts the mind
• Examples?

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Chapter Summary

• Explain what psychology is and describe the
  positive psychology movement.
• Discuss the roots and early scientific
  foundations of psychology.
• Summarize the main themes of seven approaches to
  psychology.
• Evaluate areas of specialization and careers in
  psychology.
• Describe the connections between the mind and the
  body.

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Chapter Summary

• Defining Psychology
• The scientific study of behavior and mental
  processes
• Historical Foundations of Psychology
• Origins in philosophy and physiology
• Structuralism Wilhelm Wundt
• Functionalism William James
• Evolutionary Theory Charles Darwin

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Chapter Summary

• Contemporary Approaches to Psychology
• Seven current approaches complementary
• Specializations and Careers in Psychology
• Business, social and human services, research
• Education, research, clinics and private practice
• Application Health and Wellness
• The mind-body connection is a two-way street