Myers PSYCHOLOGY (7th Edition

The Story of Psychology

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The story of Psychology

Task 1: Note taking

All notes must be taken in one of the following formats: Cornell notes format, 2 column, or outline

All notes must be kept in binder.

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Psychology’s RootsPrescientific Psychology

Is the mind connected to the body or distinct? Ancient Greeks speculated about the source of human knowledge, the nature of the mind and soul, the relationship of mind to body, and the possibility of scientifically studying these things.

Are ideas inborn or is the mind a blank slate filled by experience?

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Empiricism

knowledge comes from experience via the senses

science flourishes through observation and experiment

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Wilhelm Wundt

Wilhelm Wundt opened the first psychology laboratory at the University of Leipzig (c. 1879).

Wundt believed Psychology should study consciousness and focused on structuralism, the structure of the human mind.

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Structuralism

Structuralism used introspection (looking in) to explore the elemental structure of the human mind

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Functionalism

Functionalism focused on how behavioral processes function- how they enable organism to adapt, survive, and flourish

William James suggested considering the function of thoughts and feelings rather than the structure. For example, smelling is what the nose does and smelling developed because it is adaptive.

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Early Psychologists

Sigmund Freud: (1856-1939): Discovered the unconscious mind and developed Psychodynamic theory, a theory of development and a theory of personality.

John B. Watson: Felt the study of consciousness or the unconscious mind was a waste of time and that psychology should only study overt behavior. B.F. Skinner developed operant conditioning and the functional analysis of behavior.

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Psychology’s Roots

British Psychological Society membershipCCS: Text Types & Purposes W11-12.1

Psychology is currently defined as:

A. the study of individual experience.

B. the scientific study of behavior and mental processes.

C. the study of mental life.

D. the scientific study of observable behavior.

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Contemporary Psychology

Psychology the science of behavior (what we do)

and mental processes (sensations, perceptions, dreams, thoughts, beliefs, and feelings)

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Nature vs. Nurture

Nature-Nurture Controversy the longstanding controversy

over the relative contributions that genes and experience make to development of psychological traits and behaviors

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Human Diversity and Psychology

Women hold 44% Psychological doctorate degrees, and earn 67% of new doctorates each year.

Sociocultural variables such as social identity, ethnicity, gender, social class and culture are considered important in the study of psychology and the treatment of individuals. Individualist vs. Collectivist Cultures

Gilbert Haven Jones: African American who received his Ph.D. in psych. In Germany 1909

J. Henry Alston: Engaged in research on perception of heat and cold and was the first African American psychologist to be published in a major psych journal (1920).

Mary Whiton Calkins: Refused a degree from Radcliffe (Harvard’s University for women) when she graduated Harvard with a doctoral degree in the late 1800s. First female President of the APA in 1905.

Margaret Washburn: Left Columbia University because of discrimination and became the first woman to earn a doctorate in Psycholgy from Cornell.

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Psychological Perspectives

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John B. Watson is most likely to say:A. “A person needs unconditional love and

acceptance in order to reach her true potential.”

B. “A person’s behavior reflects unconscious conflicts and emotions that result from early childhood experiences.”

C. “Emotional responses reflect biological processes such as hormones and brain chemistry.

D. “Science must be rooted in observation of behavior, rather than introspective processes.”

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Subfields of psychology

There are three categories of jobs in Psychology:Applied: Use principles of psychology to improve

schools, organizations and industry.Therapeutic: Meet with clients to help improve

psychological functioningResearch/Experimental: Conduct research on any

topic in psychology.Pure research: for its own sakeApplied research: intended to address a specific problem

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Applied subfields of Psychology:

Community: work to obtain services for underserved client groups and prevent psychological problems by working for changes in social systems.

Industrial-Organizational: Help improve the performance of people in business and organizations.

Sports : Help improve the performance of people in sports. Educational: Develop programs to improve learning for entire

schools or school systems. Engineering (Human factors): Make technical systems more

user-friendly Health: Use behavioral principles to improve health Forensic: Work with the criminal justice system Consumer: Study the behavior of shoppers

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Therapeutic Subfields of Psychology

Clinical: Ph.D.: Treat people with psychological disorders

Counseling: MA or Ph.D.: Treat people with adjustment problems and relationship issues.

Psychiatric: MD: Can prescribe medication. Treat people with psychological disorders

School: Work with individual children to improve learning.

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Experimental Subfields of Psychology

Research can be conducted on any topic in psychology. Examples include:Cognitive: thinking and mental processesBiological: physiological, neuroscientistsPersonalityDevelopmentalQuantitative: Develop statistical methods for

analyzing psychological dataSocial: Study the behavior of people in social

situations

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Dr. Frye conducts research investigations on memory, with the

intent of contributing to what is known about human memory processes. Dr.

Frye conducts:A. professional service.

B. applied research.

C. basic research.

D. psychiatry.

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Tips for Studying Psychology

SQ3R survey - Take a look at the module before you begin

to study it.  Notice how it is organized. question -Form a question that you will answer by

studying the module or section of the book. read -Search for the answer to your question.  Don't

read more than you can absorb in a single sitting. rehearse - in your own words, what you have read.  review -re-read your notes and review the module or

section.

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How To Succeed in Mrs. Rayfield’s Class:

ATTEND CLASS EVERY DAY! Learn to think critically – Think while you learn by analyzing

and questioning what you are being asked to believe. In class, listen actively - Do the reading  -BEFORE you come

to class.  PRINT OUT THE NOTES AND USE THEM AS A GUIDE WHILE YOU READ.  Rely on the notes during lecture so you can actively participate in class.

Overlearn – Most people over-estimate their learning. Distribute your time (Don't wait until the night before a test to

begin studying) Be a smart test-taker – Don’t use too much time on one

question. RELAX – remember that a single test is unlikely to make or break your grade.

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