Intro to Psychology

History of Psychology, Types of Psychologists

What is Psychology?
Psychology is the science of behavior and

mental processes

Mental processes: what the brain does when we

think, remember, feel, etc. Behavior: outwardly observable acts of an individual, alone, or in a group.

Goals
Describe Explain predict control mental processes and behavior.

The experimental study of behavior and the

practical applications that arise from them A very broad and interdisciplinary field

Brief History of Psychology

Earliest roots: philosophy E.g., Descartes

What is the mind? Is it different from the body? Cartesian dualism studied reflexes

Focus on existence of mind

Toward a Scientific Psychology: Biology

Pierre Flourens - Experimental Ablation Case of Phineas Gage Hermann von Helmholtz Studied neuronal

transmission. Ernst Weber and psychophysics

Scientific Study of Psychology: Structuralism (ca 1870s -1900)

Wilhelm Wundt the father of psychology
Set up the first psychology lab in 1879. Created the approach of structuralism Wanted to know what the structure of the mind was Used introspection

Edward Titchener student of Wundt,

introduced experimental psychology to the USA.

Functionalism (ca 1880s current)

Arose in protest to the private mental events

studied by structuralists Focused on the process of conscious activity Had its roots with evolution. How is a particular behavior adaptive? William James: Not what mind does, but why it does it Became incorporated into all of psychology

Gestalt Psychology
School of thought that emphasized the total

experience of the individual and not just parts of the mind or behavior The whole is greater than the sum of its parts Wanted to stay away from reductionism Lacked scientific rigor and was displaced Major influence in sensation and perception

Psychoanalysis
Sigmund Freud Focused on the causes and treatment of

emotional disturbances, and particularly the unconscious. Assumed that psychological maladjustment is a consequence of unresolved conflict Important in the history of psychotherapy

Behaviorism (ca 1915 current)

Rejected mental events. Psychology should only study observable and

verifiable events. John Watson Father of behaviorism. Simplicity; belief in reductionism.

Stimulus response Used animals (pigeons and rats)

B. F. Skinner Dominated psychology for over 50 years.

The Cognitive Revolution (mid 1970s)

A return to the studies of the mind and how it

worked The computer largely influenced theories of the mind. Study of perception, representation, decision making, memory, etc.

Evolutionary Psychology
Relies heavily on Darwinian evolution. Traits and behaviors exist because they

were selected during evolution.

Individuals who possessed the particular trait had

a reproductive advantage on individuals who did not. Behaviors exist for a reason.

Compare human behaviors with other

animals. Comparative psychology.

Behavioral Neuroscience (1990s especially)

The Decade of the Brain Technological advances Goal is a biological explanation of behavior.

Behavioral Genetics (2000s)

How does our genetic makeup influence our

behavior Encouraged by newer technologies and developments Human genome project Level of analysis is the gene

Types of Psychologists
Experimental vs. Applied
Experimental: Use the scientific method to uncover principles of psychology. Applied: take the principles and apply them to help others

Biological psychology also called physiological psychology, neuroscience, neuropsychology Studies how the brain works. How does it produce the behavior that we show?
How are things learned in the brain? How are emotions generated? Often study animals Often study cases of brain damage Very interdisciplinary

Learning / Animal Behavior Very influenced by behaviorism Study how animals (including humans) learn. Typically use rats, mice, or pigeons Comparative psychology / evolutionary psychology Based around evolution how has behavior evolved. Comparison is of species!

Study many different species

E.g., evolution of emotion E.g., chimpanzees and language E.g., lemur memory

Cognitive psychology study of the mind

emphasizes internal mental processes emphasizes the importance of cognitive processes, such as perception, memory, and thinking

E.g., how does memory work?

Think of your grandmother

Social psychology - study of how people's thoughts, feelings, and actions are affected by others Study attitudes, conformity, helping behavior, etc. E.g., Why does Bob like Coors light? E.g., How does a jury reach a verdict?

Developmental psychology studies how behavior changes over time Studies children lifespan approach How do we change as we age? E.g., when do infants start walking? E.g., what can be done to help children that are not thriving. E.g., is it healthy for teens to vent to their friends?

Applied Psychologists
Clinical PhD in clinical psychology
Tries to help individuals suffering from psychological

maladjustment Uses psychotherapy to treat psychological disorders E.g., treat depression, anger management, etc.

Psychiatry MD or DO branch of medicine

that specializes in psychological disorders

Can prescribe medication to help alleviate a

problem May also use psychotherapy E.g., treat depression, anger management, etc.

Counseling psychology
Very similar to clinical Typically deal with healthier individuals career and vocational assessment

Industrial / Organizational
seek to apply psychological principles to practical

problems of education, industry, marketing, etc. E.g., implement leadership program E.g., Help companies get the most out of employees The two Bobs

School psychologist help children in school Address things like:

Learning disabilities Attention-deficit disorder Behavioral disorders

Sport psychologist applies psychological

principles to improve athletic performance

 Forensic psychologist - applications of

psychological knowledge to the understanding of crime and criminal justice

Study abnormal psychology Personality psychology Social psychology

Ethics
Immoral studies
Experiments in Nazi Germany Other studies in the US and around the world

Research with humans and animals must now

be carefully reviewed. All research must be approved by an institutional review board (IRB).

IRBs consist of both scientists and people in the

community. The IRB considers the risks and benefits of each research proposal and decides if it should be performed.

Requirements with Human Research

1. Must have informed consent. 2. Be advised of the possible risks and benefits

of the procedure. 3. Be told that they can withdraw from the study at any time without being penalized. 4. After the experiment, participants must be debriefed. 5. Deceiving participants is approved only when the participant will not be harmed and knowledge gained outweighs the use of dishonesty.

Research with Animals

All research with animals must have the

approval of an IRB. The IRB ensures that:

1. Animals are housed properly 2. Animals are not mistreated. 3. Researchers may not cause animals pain unless

that is what is explicitly being studied and there are potential benefits to humans of inflicting pain.

Labs may also inspected by USDA, OSCA, and

must have a veterinarian in charge of care. PETA may also have an eye on laboratories.