History and History and Approaches of Approaches of PsychologyPsychology

AP PsychologyAP Psychology

History of Psychology:History of Psychology: People have been People have been

studying human studying human behavior for behavior for thousands of years. thousands of years. (Examples: (Examples: Romans, Romans, Egyptians, Indians)Egyptians, Indians)

This was good, but This was good, but was not done in an was not done in an organized manner.organized manner.

Psychology as a Psychology as a science has a very science has a very short history. short history.

Some scientists Some scientists still call psychology still call psychology a “soft” science.a “soft” science.

Roots of Psychology:Roots of Psychology: PsychologyPsychology: The scientific study of : The scientific study of

behavior and mental processes.behavior and mental processes. Let’s break down the definitionLet’s break down the definition BehaviorBehavior – Anything that you do that can – Anything that you do that can

be observed.be observed. Mental ProcessesMental Processes – Internal experiences – Internal experiences

such as: thoughts, feelings, sensations, and such as: thoughts, feelings, sensations, and perceptions.perceptions.

Systematic StudySystematic Study: Systematic collection : Systematic collection and examination of data (empirical and examination of data (empirical evidence) to support or disprove evidence) to support or disprove hypotheses (predictions) rather than hypotheses (predictions) rather than depending on common sense.depending on common sense.

Key Players in the History of Key Players in the History of Psychology:Psychology:

Roots of psychology can Roots of psychology can be traced back 2000 be traced back 2000 years ago to the early years ago to the early philosophers, biologists, philosophers, biologists, and physiologists of and physiologists of ancient Greece.ancient Greece.

HippocratesHippocrates – Greek – Greek Physiologist that thought Physiologist that thought the mind or soul resided the mind or soul resided in the brain.in the brain.

He believed that it was He believed that it was not composed of a not composed of a physical substance.physical substance.

This is called mind-body-This is called mind-body-dualism – dualism – seeing mind seeing mind and body as two different and body as two different things that interact.things that interact.

Key Players in the History of Key Players in the History of Psychology:Psychology:

PlatoPlato (350 B.C.) – (350 B.C.) – Greek philosopher that Greek philosopher that believed that who we believed that who we are and what we know are and what we know are innate (inborn).are innate (inborn).

AristotleAristotle – Plato’s – Plato’s student believed that student believed that that who we are and that who we are and what we know are what we know are acquired from acquired from experience.experience.

He also believed in He also believed in monismmonism – seeing mind – seeing mind and body as different and body as different aspects of the same aspects of the same thing.thing.

Key Players in the History of Key Players in the History of Psychology:Psychology:

About 2000 yrs. later John About 2000 yrs. later John Locke and Rene Locke and Rene Descartes had a similar Descartes had a similar argument.argument.

John LockeJohn Locke – Believed – Believed that knowledge comes that knowledge comes from observation, and from observation, and what we know comes what we know comes from experience. from experience.

He coined the term He coined the term “tabula rasa” – blank “tabula rasa” – blank slate.slate.

““The mind is like a blank The mind is like a blank slate in which the slate in which the environment writes environment writes upon.”upon.”

Rene DescartesRene Descartes – – Believed that what we Believed that what we know is innate.know is innate.

““I think therefore I am.”I think therefore I am.”

Nature vs. Nurture Controversy: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

Nature vs. Nurture (cont.)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 bornWhere do the Spartans fall

into this nature vs. nurture controversy?

Approaches and Schools of Approaches and Schools of Psychology:Psychology:

Not all psychologists look Not all psychologists look at psychology the same at psychology the same way. way.

Some believe that you Some believe that you are who you are purely are who you are purely because of your genetics.because of your genetics.

Some believe that Some believe that experiences play a much experiences play a much bigger factor.bigger factor.

Psychology is a broad Psychology is a broad field that aims to answer field that aims to answer questions from many questions from many different perspectives.different perspectives.

We are going to look at We are going to look at the different schools and the different schools and approaches to approaches to psychology. psychology.

But first….. A quick poll to But first….. A quick poll to wake you up!wake you up!

Approaches and Schools of Approaches and Schools of Psychology:Psychology:

By the late 1800’s, By the late 1800’s, psychology was psychology was beginning to emerge beginning to emerge as a separate scientific as a separate scientific discipline.discipline.

Biologist Charles Biologist Charles Darwin came up with Darwin came up with the theory of natural the theory of natural selection.selection.

Psychology branched Psychology branched into two schools of into two schools of psychology psychology ((structuralismstructuralism and and functionalismfunctionalism) and ) and from there several from there several approaches to approaches to psychology.psychology.

Structuralism: Wilhelm Structuralism: Wilhelm WundtWundt

Wilhelm Wundt – Credited as Wilhelm Wundt – Credited as the founder of scientific the founder of scientific psychology because in 1879 psychology because in 1879 he set up a research he set up a research laboratory in Germany.laboratory in Germany.

The lab was dedicated to the The lab was dedicated to the scientific study of conscious scientific study of conscious experiences and sensations.experiences and sensations.

IntrospectionIntrospection – the process – the process of looking inward to identify of looking inward to identify how one feels, thinks, or how one feels, thinks, or acts.acts.

His research was considered His research was considered effective because he effective because he replicated his studies in replicated his studies in different conditions with different conditions with similar results.similar results.

Other members of the Other members of the structuralist movement were: structuralist movement were: Edward Tichener and G. Edward Tichener and G. Stanley Hall (founded the Stanley Hall (founded the APA)APA)

Functionalism: William Functionalism: William James:James:

William JamesWilliam James was a was a psychologist that felt psychologist that felt that Wundt was asking that Wundt was asking the wrong questions.the wrong questions.

James was more James was more interested in the interested in the functionfunction or or purposepurpose of of behavioral acts.behavioral acts.

FunctionalistsFunctionalists – – Researchers that Researchers that focused on how we focused on how we adapt to our adapt to our environments. (stream environments. (stream of consciousness)of consciousness)

Main GoalMain Goal: Explain : Explain human behaviorhuman behavior

Seven Approaches to Seven Approaches to Psychology: BehavioralPsychology: Behavioral

Behavioral ApproachBehavioral Approach – Focuses on – Focuses on measuring and measuring and recording observable recording observable behavior. (behavior behavior. (behavior results from learning)results from learning)

Pavlov and his dogs, Pavlov and his dogs, Watson and Baby Watson and Baby Albert, Skinner and his Albert, Skinner and his rats. (rewards, rats. (rewards, punishments, and punishments, and associations)associations)

All these men believed All these men believed that psychology should that psychology should be the science of be the science of behavior.behavior.

Seven Approaches to Psychology: Seven Approaches to Psychology: Psychoanalytic / PsychodynamicPsychoanalytic / Psychodynamic

Psychoanalytic Psychoanalytic ApproachApproach – Focuses – Focuses on unconscious on unconscious internal conflicts to internal conflicts to explain mental explain mental disorders, personality, disorders, personality, and motivation.and motivation.

Sigmund FreudSigmund Freud developed this developed this approach and focused approach and focused on unconscious desires on unconscious desires (Freudian slips, life and (Freudian slips, life and death instincts, libido, death instincts, libido, early life experiences.early life experiences.

Psychodynamic Psychodynamic ApproachApproach – Those that – Those that varied Freud’s ideas varied Freud’s ideas but kept with the roots but kept with the roots of psychoanalysis.of psychoanalysis.

Seven Approaches to Seven Approaches to Psychology: HumanisticPsychology: Humanistic

Humanistic Humanistic ApproachApproach – – Emphasizes the Emphasizes the importance of people’s importance of people’s feelings and views feelings and views human nature as human nature as naturally positive and naturally positive and growth seeking.growth seeking.

Abraham Maslow Abraham Maslow (Hierarchy of Needs) (Hierarchy of Needs) and Carl Rogers and Carl Rogers (Unconditional Positive (Unconditional Positive Regard) led the Regard) led the charge.charge.

This approach came This approach came out in the 60’s and out in the 60’s and 70’s. 70’s.

Seven Approaches to Seven Approaches to Psychology: BiologicalPsychology: Biological

Biological Biological ApproachApproach – – Examines how Examines how complex chemical complex chemical and biological and biological processes within processes within the nervous and the nervous and endocrine systems endocrine systems are related to the are related to the behavior of behavior of organisms.organisms.

Much research is Much research is being done today being done today using this approach using this approach – Brain based – Brain based research.research.

Seven Approaches to Seven Approaches to Psychology: CognitivePsychology: Cognitive

Cognitive Cognitive ApproachApproach – – Emphasizes the Emphasizes the importance of importance of receiving, storing, receiving, storing, and processing and processing information.information.

It also focuses on It also focuses on thinking, thinking, reasoning, and reasoning, and using language to using language to understand human understand human behavior.behavior.

CognitionCognition – – thinking and thinking and memory.memory.

Seven Approaches to Seven Approaches to Psychology: EvolutionaryPsychology: Evolutionary

Evolutionary Evolutionary ApproachApproach – –Attempts to explain Attempts to explain behavior patterns behavior patterns as adaptations as adaptations naturally selected naturally selected to increase to increase reproductive reproductive success.success.

This approach uses This approach uses Darwin’s theory of Darwin’s theory of natural selection as natural selection as a basis.a basis.

Darwin wrote Darwin wrote Origin of SpeciesOrigin of Species..

Seven Approaches to Seven Approaches to Psychology: Socio-culturalPsychology: Socio-cultural

As time progressed As time progressed more people were more people were traveling and visiting traveling and visiting other cultures.other cultures.

Psychologists soon Psychologists soon recognized the recognized the difference in cultural difference in cultural gestures, body gestures, body language, and spoken language, and spoken language.language.

Socio-cultural Socio-cultural ApproachApproach – Examines – Examines the cultural differences the cultural differences in an attempt to in an attempt to understand, predict, understand, predict, and control behavior.and control behavior.

Subfields of Psychology:Subfields of Psychology: Psychology is a broad Psychology is a broad

fieldfield There are many jobs There are many jobs

available with a available with a psychology degreepsychology degree

Historically though, this Historically though, this wasn’t always the case.wasn’t always the case.

Psychology saw a huge Psychology saw a huge boom after World War II. boom after World War II.

Many opportunities arose Many opportunities arose in clinical and counseling in clinical and counseling psychology.psychology.

In addition, school In addition, school psychology started to psychology started to become more popular as become more popular as researchers data researchers data indicated that children indicated that children perform better when they perform better when they are taught using their are taught using their respective learning respective learning style(s). style(s).

Subfields of Psychology:Subfields of Psychology: Clinical PsychologistsClinical Psychologists – –

Evaluate and treat Evaluate and treat mental, emotional, and mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. behavioral disorders. (OCD, Schizophrenia)(OCD, Schizophrenia)

Counseling Counseling PsychologistsPsychologists – Help – Help people adapt to change people adapt to change or make changes in their or make changes in their lifestyle. (Analyze This)lifestyle. (Analyze This)

Developmental Developmental PsychologistsPsychologists – Study – Study psychological psychological development throughout development throughout a lifespan. (Piaget)a lifespan. (Piaget)

Engineering Engineering PsychologistsPsychologists – Do – Do research on how people research on how people function best with function best with machines. (assembly machines. (assembly lines)lines)

Subfields of Psychology:Subfields of Psychology: Educational PsychologistsEducational Psychologists

– Focus on how effective – Focus on how effective teaching and learning take teaching and learning take place. (consultants)place. (consultants)

Forensic PsychologistsForensic Psychologists – – Apply psychological Apply psychological principles to legal issues. principles to legal issues. (crimes)(crimes)

Health PsychologistsHealth Psychologists – – Concentrate on biological, Concentrate on biological, psychological, and social psychological, and social factors associated with factors associated with health and illness. (hospitals)health and illness. (hospitals)

Industrial/Organizational Industrial/Organizational PsychologistsPsychologists – Aim to – Aim to improve productivity and the improve productivity and the quality of work life by quality of work life by applying psychological applying psychological principles and methods to principles and methods to the workplace. (Panera)the workplace. (Panera)

Subfields of Psychology:Subfields of Psychology: Neuro-psychologistsNeuro-psychologists – –

Explore the relationship Explore the relationship between brain/nervous between brain/nervous systems and behavior. systems and behavior. (Laboratory research)(Laboratory research)

PsychometriciansPsychometricians – Focus – Focus on methods for acquiring and on methods for acquiring and analyzing psychological data. analyzing psychological data. (research based)(research based)

Rehabilitation Rehabilitation PsychologistsPsychologists – Help clients – Help clients with mental retardation, with mental retardation, developmental disabilities, developmental disabilities, and disabilities resulting and disabilities resulting from neurological injury. from neurological injury. (stroke)(stroke)

School PsychologistsSchool Psychologists – – Assess and counsel students, Assess and counsel students, consult with educators and consult with educators and parents, and perform parents, and perform behavioral intervention when behavioral intervention when necessary. (Mrs. Waikem)necessary. (Mrs. Waikem)

Subfields of Psychology:Subfields of Psychology: Social PsychologistsSocial Psychologists

– Focus on how a – Focus on how a person’s mental life person’s mental life and behavior are and behavior are shaped by interactions shaped by interactions with other people. (can with other people. (can be workplace related)be workplace related)

Sports PsychologistsSports Psychologists – Help athletes refine – Help athletes refine their focus on their focus on competition goals, competition goals, increase motivation, increase motivation, and deal with anxiety and deal with anxiety and fear of failure. and fear of failure. (Professional Athletes)(Professional Athletes)