psychology

PSY-101: Principles of Psychology

Chapter 1: Introduction to Psychology

PSYCHOLOGY ● The scientific study of the mind and behavior ● Has its origins in Philosophy

○ Our early psychologists were philosophers! ● Became its own discipline when they started

using scientific methods to test their ideas

SUBDIVISIONS ● The general field of Psychology can be broken down into

MANY subdivisions that focus on specific areas ● For example:

○ Clinical Psychology ○ Developmental Psychology ○ Health Psychology ○ Industrial-Organizational Psychology ○ Social Psychology

CAREERS ● Although a graduate degree is required for most

psychological careers, an undergraduate degree in psychology is VERY useful

Workers with

Bachelor’s

Degrees in

Psychology are

EVERYWHERE

PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES ● There are different ways of studying how people think

and behave (i.e., practicing Psychology) ○ We call these different “ways” perspectives

THE MAJOR PERSPECTIVES

THE NEUROSCIENCE PERSPECTIVE ● Considers how people function biologically ● Includes study of heredity and evolution

○ The role of NATURE in development ● Deals with connections of nerve cells, instincts,

and drug treatments for mental disorders ● Fastest growing field given technological

advances

THE NEUROSCIENCE PERSPECTIVE We’ll answer questions such as: ● What does our brain actually do? ● What are the effects of drugs and alcohol on our mind and

behavior? ● What’s happening in the brain to those with mental illness? ● Why can two people experience the same thing in different

ways? ● How do we see, hear, taste, touch, and smell?

THE PSYCHODYNAMIC PERSPECTIVE ● Sigmund Freud’s Psychology ● Suggests that our behavior is motivated by inner

forces of which we have little awareness and control of ○ Our unconscious drive us!

● Examines dreams to understand the unconscious

THE PSYCHODYNAMIC PERSPECTIVE We’ll answer questions such as: ● How does personality develop? ● Why do people suffer from mental illness? ● How can we treat those suffering from a

psychological disorder?

THE BEHAVIORAL PERSPECTIVE ● Focuses on observable behavior that can be measured

○ Argues that we are all just products of our environments

● The role of NURTURE in development

“Give me a dozen healthy infants…and my own specified world to bring them up in and I’ll guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become any type of specialist I might select – doctor, lawyer, artist, and yes, even a thief, regardless of his talents, tendencies, abilities…” (Watson, 1924)

THE BEHAVIORAL PERSPECTIVE We’ll answer questions such as: ● Why do we have phobias? ● Why do we choose (or choose not) to go to work and

school? ● How can we get someone to do something we want

them to do? ● How can we get someone to STOP doing something?

THE COGNITIVE PERSPECTIVE ● Focuses on how people think, understand, and

know about the world ● Suggests that the human mind processes

information like a computer ○ Information processing theories

THE COGNITIVE PERSPECTIVE We’ll answer questions such as: ● How does our memory work? ● What are some strategies to help us learn? ● Is our memory of events reliable? ● Can someone truly be a multitasker? ● Why do we forget things?

THE HUMANISTIC PERSPECTIVE ● Argues that people naturally strive to grow, develop,

and be in control of their lives and behavior ● Emphasizes “free will” not “determinism”

○ Not concerned with biology, the unconscious, or the environment

● This type of psychology aims to enrich people’s lives and help them achieve self-fulfillment

THE HUMANISTIC PERSPECTIVE We’ll answer questions such as: ● What motivates us? ● Can we treat mental illness with love?

SOME OTHER QUESTIONS... ● What does it mean to be intelligent? ● Why do we procrastinate? ● What factors led to your development? ● Why are people prejudiced towards others? ● How can you get someone to be attracted to you? ● Are you a psychopath?

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The material for these slides was adapted from:

Introduction to Psychology An open-access text written and edited

by multiple individuals and organizations

Greg Mullin, 2022 - Licensed CC BY - SA