Psychology - Mr. Duez UNIT 1: Evolution of Psychology History, Approaches, Subfields Psychology hopes to predict & control human behavior. But, it does so within different approaches. There is not a single agreed upon method.
I. History & Approaches (2 4%) Psychology has evolved markedly since its inception as a discipline in 1879. There have been significant changes in the theories that psychologists use to explain behavior & mental processes. In addition, the methodology of psychological research has expanded to include a diversity of approaches to data gathering.
AP students in psychology should be able to do the following: Recognize how philosophical & physiological perspectives shaped the development of psychological thought. Describe & compare different theoretical approaches in explaining behavior: structuralism, functionalism, & behaviorism in the early years; Gestalt, psychoanalytic/psychodynamic, & humanism emerging later; evolutionary, biological, cognitive, & biopsychosocial as more contemporary approaches. Recognize strengths & limitations of applying theories to explain behavior. Distinguish the different domains of psychology (e.g., biological, clinical, cognitive, counseling, developmental, educational, experimental, human factors, industrial organizational, personality, psychometric, social). Identify major historical figures in psychology (e.g., Mary Whiton Calkins, Charles Darwin, Dorothea Dix, Sigmund Freud, G. Stanley Hall, William James, Ivan Pavlov, Jean Piaget, Carl Rogers, B. F. Skinner, Margaret Floy Washburn, John B. Watson, Wilhelm Wundt).
What is Psychology? Psychology in the Past. Approaches to Psych today. "Psychology has a short history & a long past."
Pre-Scientific Psychology How are ideas formed? Some Ideas are Inborn: Socrates & Plato The Mind is a Blank Slate: Aristotle & Locke
Philosophy: Foundation for Psychology Descartes: natural instincts in physical world. However, believed humans were different & they have a mind to guide body. Hobbes: no mind/soul & that only energy & matter exists & that everything is shaped by brain machinery.
YouTube: Psych 101 -- Modern Roots of Psychology
First Wave: Introspection - Kickin it old school Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920) The Father of Psychology & Birth of Psychology German professor, mounted campaign to make psychology an independent discipline (rather than a portion of philosophy + physiology) 1879: Wundt established 1st formal laboratory for research in psychology at U. of Leipzig William Wundt s concept: introspection became... Structuralism: Identify the parts that make up consciousness & the mind Declared psychology should be a science Used empirical methods Focus for Wundt: consciousness (awareness of immediate experience) Wundt: Tremendous following- N. America
Wave Two: Functionalism - Kickin it old school William James (1842-1910) 1st American Psychologist Wrote: The Principles of Psychology & Focused on Functionalism Criticized Wundt s ideas for being too narrow. Influenced by Darwin, interested in understanding how consciousness (like thoughts & feelings) functioned to help people adapt to their environments.
Structuralism vs. Functionalism Structuralism task of psychology is to analyze consciousness into its basic elements & how they relate. (Titchener continued Wundt's Work) Dependent on introspection careful, systematic self-observation of one s own conscious experience. Favored lab experiments Functionalism Psychology should investigate the function or purpose of consciousness, rather than its structure. Edward Titchener (James) Influenced by Charles Darwin s natural selection heritable characteristics that provide a survival or reproductive advantage are more likely than alternative characteristics to be passed on to subsequent generations and thus come to be selected over time. Favored how people adapt to real world situations Generally thought that functionalism won out and then spawned the more modern: Applied Psychology & Behaviorism William James
YouTube: Psych 101 - Wundt & James - Structuralism & Functionalism
Psych as a Science: Gestalt Psychology The whole is greater/different than the sum of its parts. Max Wertheimer revolted against Wundt. (1923) Believed consciousness was best understood by observing the whole experience, rather than breaking it down into a cluster of component elements. We will see much more of this in the next unit when we study Sensation & Perception.
Psych as a Science: Modern Era - Psychoanalysis 1st to focus on abnormal behaviors Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) Psychoanalysis Believed all behavior & mental processes are directed by unconscious forces: which we are not fully aware. Problems arise from unresolved conflict in the unconscious mind. Used Free Association & Dream Analysis to explore the unconscious. Freud s ideas were (and still are) controversial, yet have had a great influence on the field of psychology & popular interest. We will see much more of this in when we study Personality soon.
Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) - Psychoanalysis Austrian physician & one of the most controversial intellectual figures of modern times. Developed psychoanalysis as an approach to delve into the mind of those with irrational fears, obsessions, and anxieties. Freud: The unconscious contains thoughts, memories, & desires that are well below the surface of conscious awareness but that nonetheless exert great influence on behavior. Freud noted that seemingly meaningless slips of the tongue would provide insight into someone s true feelings. Psychoanalytic theory attempts to explain personality, motivation, and mental disorders by focusing on unconscious determinants of behavior. Very controversial for his observations on the importance of sexuality towards human behavior Freud focused on personality, motivation, and abnormal behavior and those concepts were later incorporated into mainstream psychology.
YouTube: Schallhorn Perspectives Review
Psych as a Science: Modern Era - Behaviorism John B. Watson (1878-1958) takes the focus on behaviors to another level. Scientific psychology should study only observable behavior. Proposed abandoning the study of consciousness altogether Focus on Observed behaviors: any overt/observable response or activity by an organism Watson also shined a light on nature versus nurture Behaviorists look for stimulus any detectable input from the environment. Behavior approach is often referred to as (S-R) Stimulus-Response
Psych as a Science: Modern Era - Behaviorism B.F. Skinner (1904-1990) - Championed a return to the Watson strict focus on observable behaviors Organisms tend to repeat responses that lead to positive outcomes & they tend not to repeat responses that lead to neutral or negative outcomes. Working with lab rats & pigeons, he conducted experiments to show how he could control behaviors of the animals. **Trained pigeons to play Ping-Pong!** Wrote Beyond Freedom and Dignity (1971) asserted that all behavior is fully governed by external stimuli. People are controlled by their environment, not by themselves. Free Will is an Illusion? Skinner is often thought to be the most or one of the most influential contributors to psychology. **much more on behaviorism in the chapter on Learning.
The Skinner Box
Give me a dozen healthy young infants I will take any one and create a doctor, a lawyer, and yes, even a beggar man thief. - John B. Watson 1913 According to Watson, set up environmental conditions & give rise to the desired behavior. Rewards => Reinforcements Skinner took Watson s ideas to new heights.
YouTube: Psych 101 - Skinner Box
Psych as a Science: Modern Era - Biological Approach To understand human behavior, the physiological underpinnings must be understood. Neuroscientific Perspective: Cellular, Neuron, Brain & Central Nervous System Role of drugs, Use animal models as means to understand human behavior. How are messages relayed throughout the body? What role do our senses play? Endocrine system glands, hormones The Fight or Flight Response is an example.
Psych as a Science: Modern Era - Cognitive Approach The Cognitive Approach believes memory, language, thought and attention cognitive measures are worth examination. Semantic relatedness connectedness of ideas in memory. When given two words to say out loud, a person will say 2 words that are related much faster than 2 that are unrelated Very popular today social, developmental, personality, & clinical psychology. In order to understand the individual, one must understand the way people think, remember, process information, & reason about the world.
Psych as a Science: Modern Era - Evolutionary Psychology Examines psychological traits such as memory, perception, and language from a modern evolutionary perspective. Seeks to identify which human psychological traits are evolved adaptations that is, the functional products of natural selection or sexual selection. Argue that much of human behavior is the output of psychological adaptations that evolved to solve recurrent problems in human ancestral environments. The adaptationist approach is steadily increasing as an influence in the general field of psychology.
Psych as a Science: Modern Era - Humanism 1950s opposition to behaviorism and psychoanalytic theory Humanism theoretical orientation that emphasizes the unique qualities of humans, especially their freedom and their potential for personal growth. More optimistic view of human nature. Carl Rogers (1902-1987) & Abraham Maslow (1908-1970) prominent humanists in psychology
Psych as a Science: Modern Era - Humanism People are goal related & driven Self-actualization: someone who has reached his or her own unique potential. (Maslow) Free will & motivation We are in complete control In therapy, attempt to help individuals see the misconceptions they hold in their subjective view of reality. If those views are corrected, the individual will feel better about themselves.
Psych as a Science: Modern Era - Socio-Cultural Focuses on the diversity of the human experience Context (developmental) Influence of groups (social) Applied aspect (forensic psychology) Human behavior does not occur in a vacuum & groups, cultures, and situations all have impact on human behavior. Behavior can be predicted by the presence or absence of another person.
YouTube: Schallhorn on Psychology Approaches
YouTube: Paul Bloom - The Psychology of Everything (48 min)
Growth of Psychology Wars of 20th Century: (WWI, WWII, Vietnam, Korea, etc.) created huge demand for mental testing of military recruits. 50s & 60s: Advances in study of cognition led to renewed interest in mental processes. 80s: saw a growth in cultural factors influencing behavior. Trend sparked by growing global interdependence & cultural diversity. 90s: Emergence of new theoretical perspective: evolutionary psychology. Patterns of behavior are the product of evolutionary forces & natural selection favors behaviors that enhance reproductive success. 2000s: Emergence of Positive Psychology : study of strengths & virtues that enable individuals & communities to thrive. The psychology of positive human functioning, which achieves scientific understanding to find a fulfilling life.
Psychology Today: Vigorous & Diversified Psychology: Science that studies behavior & physiological & cognitive processes that underlie it. Psych. is a profession that applies the accumulated knowledge of this science to practical problems. Contemporary psychology is multifaceted & spread throughout mainstream society that has seen rapid growth.