Psychology is The discipline concerned with behavior and mental processes and how they are affected by an organism s physical state, mental state, and external environment. Symbolized with a Ψ Empirical Relying on evidence gathered by careful observation, experimentation, or measurement The Study of the Mind Psychology is study of behavior and mental processes such as thought and emotion. Masterfile Psychology s Roots?
Thinking critically about Psychology Can you distinguish between psychobabble and empirical? Critical thinking The ability and willingness to assess claims and make objective judgments on the basis of well-supported reasons rather than emotion and anecdote Critical thinking guidelines Ask questions Define your terms Examine the evidence Analyze assumptions and biases Avoid emotional reasoning Don t oversimplify Consider other interpretations Tolerate uncertainty Psychology s Roots? Analyze the respective contributions of philosophy and the physical sciences as the roots of modern. 2
The Roots of Psychology Psychology Questions posed by philosophy Methods borrowed from the physical sciences Norman Pogson/Photos.com Psychology s Roots? Compare and contrast the early movements in structuralism, Gestalt, functionalism, behaviorism, psychodynamic theory, and humanism in terms of leading figures, core principles, and contributions to modern. Wilhelm Wundt and Structuralism Wilhelm Wundt conducted the first documented study. INTERFOTO/Alamy Psychology s Roots? 3
Max Wertheimer and Gestalt Psychology Bettmann/CORBIS Cengage Learning 203 Psychology s Roots? William James and Functionalism Functionalists proposed that the mind was shaped by natural selection; they asked What s this human tendency for? modern evolutionary is one descendant of James ideas. Mary Evans Picture Library/The Image Works Psychology s Roots? The Behaviorist Movement The behaviorists studied observable animal behavior to try to understand human learning. The Alan Mason Chesney Medical Archives of The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions Psychology s Roots? 4
The Cognitive Revolution Ulric Neisser argued that internal cognitive processes could be studied objectively, as well as behavior. Courtesy of Cornell University Psychology s Roots? Sigmund Freud and Psychodynamic Theory Freud emphasized that many important mental processes happen outside conscious awareness. Paul Van Scott/Final Score Products Psychology s Roots? Humanistic Psychology: Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers Humanistic approaches proposed that human nature is inherently good, and people seek to improve. Michael Rougier/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images L04 L05 L06 Psychology s Roots? 5
Psychological Perspectives? Differentiate the seven major perspectives of modern in terms of typical research questions, research methods, and focal causes of behavior. Analyze the ways in which the seven major perspectives can be integrated to address a single psychological process or topic. Biological Psychology Social Elena Shchipkova/Photos.com Evolutionary Cognitive Jacob Wackerhausen/Photos.com Dmitriy Shironosov/Photos.com Norman Pogson/Photos.com Biological Developmental Clinical Personality Elena Snegireva/Photos.com Stockbyte/Photos.com photomak/shutterstock Norman Pogson/Photos.com Psychology s Roots? Clinical psychologists are not Psychotherapists Anyone who does any type of psychotherapy Psychoanalysts Individuals who receive training in psychoanalysis Psychiatrists Medical doctors who diagnose and treat mental disorders 6
Integrating the Perspectives Biological Cognitive Social Developmental Clinical Personality differences Biological: Evolutionary: Cognitive: Social: Developmental: Clinical: Personality: We We are Aggression Aggressive We learn more individuals to aggressive be is people associated more against behavior aggressive tend when with people when we decreases to have are low we anonymous who low very levels see sharply challenge impulse high aggression of serotonin. self-esteem. from and control. our the unaccountable. rewarded. status. mid-20s on. Jupiterimages/Photos.com Evolutionary Cengage Learning 203 L0 L02 L03 L04 L05 L06 Psychology s Roots? What Does it Mean Explain why s role as a hub science allows psychologists to pursue a wide range of career paths with respect to professional specialties and research areas. Psychology as a Hub Science The Backbone of Science, by Kevin W. Boyack et al., 2005, Scientometrics, 64(3). With kind permission from Springer Science+Business Media. Psychology s Roots? 7
Psychology Undergrad s Take Many Different Career Paths The Backbone of Science, by Kevin W. Boyack et al., 2005, Scientometrics, 64(3). With kind permission from Springer Science+Business Media. Psychology s Roots? 8