INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY

AP PsychologyMs. Brown

Myers - Prologue

“I have made a ceaseless effort not to ridicule, not to bewail, not to scorn human actions, but to understand

them.”

Benedict SpinozaA Political Treatise (1677)

On a scrap sheet of paper…•Write down 5 adjectives for each:

•On the back, write the names of as many past or current psychologists as you can.

Scientist Psychologist

What is Psychology?•The scientific study of behavior and mental processes•Scientific – set of questions, observations, hypotheses, studies, findings, and analyses

•Behavior – external actions that are observable

•Mental processes – internal processes (dreams, emotions, thoughts, beliefs, etc)

THE BIRTH OF PSYCHOLOGY“Man can alter his life by altering his thinking.”

William JamesFounder of Functionalism

Structuralism•Wilhelm Wundt – Father of Psychology•1879, Germany•First psychological experiment

•Founded STRUCTURALISM - early school of psychology that used introspection to explore the elemental structure of the human mind

• Introspection – “looking inward” • based on self-reflection and self-

reporting• “How do you experience smelling a

rose?”• “How do you feel when hearing a

metronome?”

Downfall of Structuralism•Studying the mind’s structure…

•Required smart, verbal people•Unreliable - answers vary from person to person and people may not know why they feel what they feel.

•Not credible - self-reporting is subjective

Functionalism•William James – Father of American Psychology• Turn of 20th century• Wrote Principles of Psychology- “Psychology is the

science of mental life.”•Founded FUNCTIONALISM - a school of psychology that focused on how mental and behavioral processes function and enable the organism to adapt, survive, and flourish

•Studied evolved functions of the brain and body• “How does the nose smell?”• “How does the brain think?”

•Claimed that all behaviors and mental processes have evolved due to adaptation so that they all serve a FUNCTION

•Structuralism vs. Functionalism

CONTEMPORARY PSYCHOLOGY

“To know Psychology is no guarantee that we shall manage our minds rightly.”

William GloverKnow your own mind

Biopsychosocial Approach•integrated view of the mind and behaviors that incorporates various levels of analysis and perspectives, and offers a more complete picture, includes biological, psychological, and socio-cultural influences

•Any human phenomenon can be assessed using the biopsychosocial approach.

Biopsychosocial Approach

Behavior or

Mental Proces

ses

BIOLOGICAL INFLUENCES- genetic predispositions

- genetic mutations- natural selection of adaptive physiology

and behaviors- genes responding to the environment

SOCIO-CULTURAL INFLUENCES- presence of others

- cultural, societal, and family expectations

- peer and other group influences- compelling models (eg: media)

PSYCHOLOGIAL INFLUENCES- learned fears and other learned

expectations- emotional responses

-cognitive processing and perpetual interpretations

Biopsychosocial Approach Example

PAIN

BIOLOGICAL INFLUENCES- Genetic differences in endorphin

production- Activity in spinal cord

- The brain’s interpretation of central nervous system activity

SOCIO-CULTURAL INFLUENCES

- presence of others- Empathy for others’ pain

- Cultural expectations

PSYCHOLOGIAL INFLUENCES- Attention to pain

- Learning based on past experiences- Expectations of pain

Contemporary Psychological Perspectives

Perspective Focus Sample QuestionsNeuroscience/Biological

Bio

How the body and brain enable emotions, memories, and sensory experiences.

How are messages transmitted through the body?How is blood chemistry linked with moods and motives?

Evolutionary

Bio

How the natural selection of traits promotes the perpetuation of one’s genes.

How does evolution influence behavior tendencies?

Behavior genetics

Bio

How much our genes and our environment influence our individual differences.

Nature vs. Nurture

Different perspectives can complement each other, individually each one has limits.

Current Psychological Perspectives

Perspective Focus Sample QuestionsPsychodynamic

Psycho

How behavior springs from unconscious drives and conflicts.

How can someone’s personality traits and disorders stem from the unconscious?

Behavioral

PsychoSocio

How we learn observable responses.

How do we learn to fear particular objects or situations? What is the most effective way to alter our behavior?

Cognitive

Psycho

How we encode, process, store, and retrieve information.

How do we use information in remembering? Reasoning? Solving problems?

Social-cultural

Socio

How behavior and thinking vary across situations and cultures.

How are we alike as members of one human family? As products of different environmental contexts? How do we differ?

Psychological ResearchBasic Research

• pure science that aims to increase the scientific knowledge base• Biological psychologists – explores

links between mind and brain

• Developmental psychologists – studies changing abilities from birth to death

• Cognitive psychologists – experiments with how we perceive, think, and solve problems

• Personality psychologists – investigates our persistent traits

• Social psychologists – explores how we view and affect one another

Applied Research

•scientific study that aims to solve problems• Biological psychologists – explores links

between mind and brain to help treat Alzheimer's disease

• Developmental psychologists – studies changing abilities from birth to death to assess when someone is best suited to develop language

• Cognitive psychologists – experiments with how we perceive, think, and solve problems to help teachers and students in the classroom

• Personality psychologists – investigates our persistent traits to see which may be indicators of future criminal behavior

• Social psychologists – explores how we view and affect one another to assess racist feelings among Americans

Psychologists vs. Psychiatrists

Psychologists

• PsyD or PhD in Psychology • 5-7 yrs• 2 yr internship

• May “counsel” patients• CANNOT prescribe medication

Psychiatrists

• MD in Medicine• 7+ yrs – medical school and

residency, plus additional training

• May “counsel” patients• CAN prescribe medication

DSM 5•Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

•Published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA)

•Provides the common language and standard criteria for the classification of mental disorders

•Used by clinicians, psychologists, psychiatrists, researchers, insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, the legal system, and policy makers

•5 Axes – analyze the entire health of an individual (physical and mental)

•Most current version – DSM-5 (May 18, 2013) very controversial

“Insane”•The term “insane” is a legal term, not a psychological or clinical term.

•Calling a sufferer of a mental disorder “crazy” or “insane” is offensive. We often use these terms when we feel uncomfortable or unfamiliar with a person’s behaviors or thoughts.

•Crash Course – Intro to Psychology

You Be the Psychologist•Pick any famous person with one or more eccentric tendencies.

•Choose one of the behaviors and analyze it’s origin based using the biopsychosocial approach.•Bio – neuroscience, evolutionary, behavioral genetics•Psycho – psychodynamic, behavioral, cognitive•Social – behavioral, sociocultural

•On the paper provided, write your subject’s name and analyzed behavior at the top. Write your 3 analyses below.

•Use your notes and page 11 in the book.