History and Approaches of Psychology

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History and Approaches of Psychology

• Mr. Pippin

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Chapter Preview

• We will be looking at
• 1. How psychology has developed as a science
• 2. The six major perspectives of psychology
• 3. The three major issues that cut across
  psychology
• 4. An overview of the major subfields of
  psychology.

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Chapter Objectives

• Lesson 1 Define psychology and trace its
  historical development.
• Lesson 2 Explain how psychologys different
  perspectives contribute to a complete view of the
  human form.
• Lesson 3 Identify the major subfields of
  psychology.

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History of Psychology

• People have been studying human behavior for
  thousands of years. (Examples Romans,
  Egyptians, Indians)
• This was good, but was not done in an organized
  manner.
• Psychology as a science has a very short history.
  
• Some scientists still call psychology a soft
  science.

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Roots of Psychology

• Psychology The scientific study of behavior and
  mental processes.
• Lets break down the definition
• Behavior Anything that you do that can be
  observed.
• Mental Processes Internal experiences such as
  thoughts, feelings, sensations, and perceptions.
• Systematic Study Systematic collection and
  examination of data (empirical evidence) to
  support or disprove hypotheses (predictions)
  rather than depending on common sense.

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Today, psychology is defined as the

1. Study of mental phenomenon
2. Study of conscious and unconscious activity
3. Study of Behavior
4. Science of behavior and mental processes

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Key Players in the History of Psychology

• Roots of psychology can be traced back 2000 years
  ago to the early philosophers, biologists, and
  physiologists of ancient Greece.
• Hippocrates Greek Physiologist that thought the
  mind or soul resided in the brain.
• He believed that it was not composed of a
  physical substance.
• This is called mind-body-dualism seeing mind
  and body as two different things that interact.

Can anyone lend this guy some facial moisturizer?
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Key Players in the History of Psychology

• Plato (350 B.C.) Greek philosopher that
  believed that who we are and what we know are
  innate (inborn).
• Aristotle Platos student believed that that
  who we are and what we know are acquired from
  experience.
• He also believed in monism seeing mind and body
  as different aspects of the same thing.

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Two historical roots of psychology are the
disciplines of

1. Philosophy and chemistry
2. Physiology and chemistry
3. Philosophy and physiology
4. Philosophy and physics

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Key Players in the History of Psychology

• About 2000 yrs. later John Locke and Rene
  Descartes had a similar argument.
• John Locke Believed that knowledge comes from
  observation, and what we know comes from
  experience.
• He coined the term tabula rasa blank slate.
• The mind is like a blank slate in which the
  environment writes upon.
• Rene Descartes Believed that what we know is
  innate.
• I think therefore I am.

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The 17th century philosopher who believed that
the mind is blank at birth and that most
knowledge comes through sensory experience is

1. Plato
2. Aristotle
3. Descartes
4. Locke

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The Greek philosopher who believed that
intelligence was inherited was

1. Aristotle
2. Plato
3. Descartes
4. Simonides

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Nature vs. Nurture Controversy

• The debate about the extent to which our behavior
  is inborn or learned through experience is called
  the nature vs. nurture controversy.
• Nature Certain elementary ideas are innate to
  the human mind not gained through experience
• Men are born, not made

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Nature vs. Nurture (cont.)

• Nurture Anything that we know, we have learned
  through experience.
• Our mind is like a blank slate (tabula rasa
  Locke) that the environment writes upon
• Men are made, not born

Where do the Spartans fall into this nature vs.
nurture controversy?
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Which of the following exemplifies the issue of
the relative importance of nature and nurture on
our behavior?

1. The issue of the relative influence of biology
   and experience on behavior
2. The issue of the relative influence of rewards
   and punishments on behavior
3. The debate as to the relative importance of
   heredity and instinct in determining behavior
4. The debate as to whether mental processes are a
   legitimate are of scientific study

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Lesson Two Approaches and Schools of Psychology

• Not all psychologists look at psychology the same
  way.
• Some believe that you are who you are purely
  because of your genetics.
• Some believe that experiences play a much bigger
  factor.
• Psychology is a broad field that aims to answer
  questions from many different perspectives.
• We are going to look at the different schools and
  approaches to psychology.

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Lesson 2 Approaches and Schools of Psychology

• By the late 1800s, psychology was beginning to
  emerge as a separate scientific discipline.
• Biologist Charles Darwin came up with the theory
  of natural selection.
• Psychology branched into two schools of
  psychology (structuralism and functionalism) and
  from there several approaches to psychology.

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Structuralism Wilhelm Wundt

• Wilhelm Wundt Credited as the founder of
  scientific psychology because in 1879 he set up a
  research laboratory in Germany.
• The lab was dedicated to the scientific study of
  conscious experiences and sensations.
• Introspection the process of looking inward to
  identify how one feels, thinks, or acts.
• His research was considered effective because he
  replicated his studies in different conditions
  with similar results.
• Other members of the structuralist movement were
  Edward Tichener and G. Stanley Hall (founded the
  APA)

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JOLLY RANCHER INTROSPECTION ACTIVITY

• OOOOOHHHHH candy!

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Functionalism William James

• William James was a psychologist that felt that
  Wundt was asking the wrong questions.
• James was more interested in the function or
  purpose of behavioral acts.
• Functionalists Researchers that focused on how
  we adapt to our environments. (stream of
  consciousness)
• Main Goal Explain human behavior

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Seven Approaches to Psychology Behavioral

• Behavioral Approach Focuses on measuring and
  recording observable behavior. (behavior results
  from learning)
• Pavlov and his dogs, Watson and Baby Albert,
  Skinner and his rats. (rewards, punishments, and
  associations)
• All these men believed that psychology should be
  the science of behavior.

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In psychology, behavior is best defined as

1. Anything a person says, does, or feels
2. Any action we can observe and record
3. Any action, whether observable or not
4. Anything we can infer from a persons actions

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Seven Approaches to Psychology Psychoanalytic /
Psychodynamic

• Psychoanalytic Approach Focuses on unconscious
  internal conflicts to explain mental disorders,
  personality, and motivation.
• Sigmund Freud developed this approach and focused
  on unconscious desires (Freudian slips, life and
  death instincts, libido, early life experiences.
• Psychodynamic Approach Those that varied
  Freuds ideas but kept with the roots of
  psychoanalysis.

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Seven Approaches to Psychology Humanistic

• Humanistic Approach Emphases the importance of
  peoples feelings and view human nature as
  naturally positive and growth seeking.
• Abraham Maslow (Hierarchy of Needs) and Carl
  Rogers (Unconditional Positive Regard) led the
  charge.
• This approach came out the 60s and 70s.

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According to Maslow, these needs must be met
before all others.

1. Safety
2. Love and Belongingness
3. Physiological
4. Esteem Needs

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Seven Approaches to Psychology Biological

• Biological Approach Examines how complex
  chemical and biological processes within the
  nervous and endocrine systems are related to the
  behavior of organisms.
• Much research is being done today using this
  approach Brain based research.

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Seven Approaches to Psychology Cognitive

• Cognitive Approach Emphasizes the importance of
  receiving, storing, and processing information.
• It also focuses on thinking, reasoning, and using
  language to understand human behavior.
• Cognition thinking and memory.

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Seven Approaches to Psychology Evolutionary

• Evolutionary Approach Attempts to explain
  behavior patterns as adaptations naturally
  selected to increase reproductive success.
• This approach uses Darwins theory of natural
  selection as a basis.
• Darwin wrote Origin of Species.

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Seven Approaches to Psychology Socio-cultural

• As time progressed more people were traveling and
  visiting other cultures.
• Psychologists soon recognized the difference in
  cultural gestures, body language, and spoken
  language.
• Socio-cultural Approach Examines the cultural
  differences in an attempt to understand, predict,
  and control behavior.

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This approach to psychology focuses on rewards,
punishments, and associations.

1. Behavioral
2. Socio-Cultural
3. Neuroscience
4. Cognitive

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The way the mind processes, stores, and retrieves
information is the primary concern of this
approach to psychology

1. Evolutionary
2. Socio-Cultural
3. Behavioral
4. Cognitive

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
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This researcher used classical conditioning to
make dogs salivate by the sound of a bell.

1. Skinner
2. Pavlov
3. Watson
4. Freud
5. Basich

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This Humanistic psychologist encouraged his
clients to always focus on the positive.

1. Watson
2. Rogers
3. Skinner
4. Jung
5. Rogers

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Which perspective best explains Andrea Yates?

• Discuss.

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Lesson 3 Subfields of Psychology

• Psychology is a broad field
• There are many jobs available with a psychology
  degree
• Historically though, this wasnt always the case.
• Psychology saw a huge boom after World War II.
• Many opportunities arose in clinical and
  counseling psychology.
• In addition, school psychology started to become
  more popular as researchers data indicated that
  children perform better when they are taught
  using their respective learning style(s).

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Subfields of Psychology

• Clinical Psychologists Evaluate and treat
  mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders.
  (OCD, Schizophrenia)
• Counseling Psychologists Help people adapt to
  change or make changes in their lifestyle.
  (Analyze This)
• Developmental Psychologists Study psychological
  development throughout a lifespan. (Piaget)
• Engineering Psychologists Do research on how
  people function best with machines. (assembly
  lines)

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Subfields of Psychology

• Educational Psychologists Focus on how
  effective teaching and learning take place.
  (consultants)
• Forensic Psychologists Apply psychological
  principles to legal issues. (crimes)
• Health Psychologists Concentrate on biological,
  psychological, and social factors associated with
  health and illness. (hospitals)
• Industrial/Organizational Psychologists Aim to
  improve productivity and the quality of work life
  by applying psychological principles and methods
  to the workplace. (Panera)

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Subfields of Psychology

• Neuro-psychologists Explore the relationship
  between brain/nervous systems and behavior.
  (Laboratory research)
• Psychometricians Focus on methods for acquiring
  and analyzing psychological data. (research
  based)
• Rehabilitation Psychologists Help clients with
  mental retardation, developmental disabilities,
  and disabilities resulting from neurological
  injury. (stroke)
• School Psychologists Assess and counsel
  students, consult with educators and parents, and
  perform behavioral intervention when necessary.
  (Mrs. Waikem)

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Subfields of Psychology

• Social Psychologists Focus on how a persons
  mental life and behavior are shaped by
  interactions with other people. (can be workplace
  related)
• Sports Psychologists Help athletes refine their
  focus on competition goals, increase motivation,
  and deal with anxiety and fear of failure.
  (Professional Athletes)

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Which of the following individuals is also a
physician?

1. Clinical psychologist
2. Experimental psychologist
3. Psychiatrist
4. Developmental Psychologist

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A person working within this subfield of
psychology might work closely with their local
police department to explain the behavior of a
suspect.

1. Health Psychologist
2. Counseling Psychologist
3. Clinical Psychologist
4. Forensic Psychologist