Psychology The Study of the Mind

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Psychology The Study of the Mind

• Why do we act the way we do?
• What do we call our individual Behaviors?

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Psychology- Introduction

• PERSONALITY- The distinct patterns of behavior,
  including thoughts and feelings, that
  characterize a persons adaptation to life.
• Psychology is the scientific study of behavior
  and mental processes
• Behavior is any action that others can observe or
  measure
• Cognitive activities- private mental activities,
  including dreams, thoughts and memories

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Goals of psychology

• Goals of psychology is for scientists to
• Observe
• Describe
• Explain
• Predict
• and control the events they study.
• A better understanding of behaviors, enables
  psychologists to explain , predict, and control
  behavior
• How can we use psychology in the working world?
• How is psychology used in our world?

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Contemporary Psychological Perspectives
Perspective Subject Matter Key Assumption
Biological Nervous System, hormones, genetic factors Biological processes influence behavior and mental process
Cognitive Mental images, information processing, thinking Perceptions and thoughts influence behavior
Humanistic Subjective experience People make free and conscious choices based on their unique experiences
Psychoanalytic Unconscious process, early childhood experiences Unconscious motives influence behaviors
Learning Environmental influences, observational learning Personal experience and reinforcement guide development
Sociocultural Ethnicity, gender, culture, socioeconomic status Sociocultural and biological factors create individual differences