The History of the The History of the Study of PsychologyStudy of Psychology

Pages 14-22Pages 14-22

Historical Background for Historical Background for PsychologyPsychology

Philosophers had been debating the Philosophers had been debating the role of the brain for centuries. (Locke, role of the brain for centuries. (Locke, Descartes, etc.)Descartes, etc.)

Scientific discoveries in the 1800’s Scientific discoveries in the 1800’s (discovery of cells, elements, atoms, (discovery of cells, elements, atoms, etc.) cause many natural scientists to etc.) cause many natural scientists to study complex phenomena by study complex phenomena by simplifying them.simplifying them.

1879 - Wilhelm Wundt started the first 1879 - Wilhelm Wundt started the first psychology laboratory.psychology laboratory.

Wilhelm WundtWilhelm Wundt Founder of Modern Founder of Modern

Psychology, Founder of Psychology, Founder of Experimental Experimental Psychology.Psychology.

Took aspects of Took aspects of physiology and physiology and philosophy to make philosophy to make psych a separate psych a separate discipline.discipline.

Main method used was Main method used was introspection.introspection.

Structuralism – study of Structuralism – study of the basic elements that the basic elements that make up conscious make up conscious mental experiences.mental experiences.

http://www.psych.upenn.edu/history/wundt.jpg

IntrospectionIntrospection

People were trained to look into their People were trained to look into their own minds to determine the contents own minds to determine the contents of their own minds.of their own minds.

If a stimulus was presented to them, If a stimulus was presented to them, they would think about how they were they would think about how they were processing the stimulus. How they processing the stimulus. How they processed the color, the form, etc.processed the color, the form, etc.

Main experimental method for a few Main experimental method for a few decades.decades.

Case StudyCase Study

We’re going to introspect for a few We’re going to introspect for a few minutes.minutes.– I will show you a stimulus, you will think I will show you a stimulus, you will think

for a minute. And then you will try to for a minute. And then you will try to script all of your thoughts for a minute.script all of your thoughts for a minute.

– Can you see some problems with this Can you see some problems with this method?method?

William JamesWilliam James Father of American Father of American

PsychologyPsychology Taught first psychology class Taught first psychology class

at Harvard in 1875.at Harvard in 1875. Was the first functionalist – Was the first functionalist –

concerned with the function concerned with the function (role) of consciousness (role) of consciousness rather than its structure.rather than its structure.

Wrote Wrote Principles of Principles of PsychologyPsychology. Widely used . Widely used textbook for years.textbook for years.

Until Behaviorism and Until Behaviorism and Psychoanalysis come along Psychoanalysis come along (early 1900’s), most (early 1900’s), most psychologists were psychologists were interested in either interested in either structuralism or structuralism or functionalism.functionalism. http://www.unav.es/gep/JamesPrincipal.html

Mary CalkinsMary Calkins William James admitted her William James admitted her

into his graduate seminar, into his graduate seminar, causing all the other students causing all the other students to drop. to drop.

James tutored her alone and James tutored her alone and she scored better on the she scored better on the examination than any other examination than any other student.student.

Harvard refused to give her the Harvard refused to give her the degree and offered her one degree and offered her one from Radcliffe College, which from Radcliffe College, which she refused.she refused.

She became a psychology She became a psychology professor at Wellesley College professor at Wellesley College and became the first female and became the first female president of the APA (American president of the APA (American Psychological Association).Psychological Association).

http://www.macalester.edu/~warren/Images/femalephil/Gilman4copy.jpg

BehaviorismBehaviorism

Argued that we cannot determine the Argued that we cannot determine the contents of our own mind.contents of our own mind.

The only thing that we should focus on The only thing that we should focus on is observable behavior.is observable behavior.

Much of their research is focused on Much of their research is focused on animals because they cannot control animals because they cannot control their conscious thought.their conscious thought.

Behaviorism becomes the main form Behaviorism becomes the main form of psychological research until the of psychological research until the 1960s.1960s.

Key BehavioristsKey Behaviorists Ivan Pavlov – Ivan Pavlov –

Experiment with Experiment with conditioning dogs to conditioning dogs to salivate at the ringing of salivate at the ringing of a tuning fork leads to a tuning fork leads to behaviorist school of behaviorist school of thought.thought.

Psychologists believe Psychologists believe that behavior is based that behavior is based on prior experiences. on prior experiences. Therefore, people are Therefore, people are different because of the different because of the different ways they different ways they learned.learned.

http://www.homestead.com/flowstate/skinner.html

John WatsonJohn Watson

Believed that Believed that psychology should psychology should only concern itself only concern itself with observable with observable facts of behavior.facts of behavior.

Believed that all Believed that all behavior is a result behavior is a result of conditioning.of conditioning.

Famous case study Famous case study on Little Alberton Little Albert

http://psych.wisc.edu/henriques/resources/watson.gif

Components of Classical Components of Classical ConditioningConditioning

Unconditioned stimulus (UCS) that Unconditioned stimulus (UCS) that automatically produces an unconditioned automatically produces an unconditioned response (UCR)response (UCR)

Conditioned Stimulus (CS)– a previously Conditioned Stimulus (CS)– a previously neutral stimulus that is paired repeatedly neutral stimulus that is paired repeatedly with an unconditioned stimulus (UCS) that with an unconditioned stimulus (UCS) that automatically evokes an unconditioned automatically evokes an unconditioned response, until the conditioned stimulus response, until the conditioned stimulus itself produces a conditioned response itself produces a conditioned response (CR).(CR).

Example of Classic Example of Classic ConditioningConditioning

Using Pavlov’s experienceUsing Pavlov’s experience– The noise of his machine, or bell in later The noise of his machine, or bell in later

experiments is a conditioned stimulus experiments is a conditioned stimulus (neutral). (neutral).

– However, the noise continuously came However, the noise continuously came before the dogs were presented the meat before the dogs were presented the meat powder (Unconditioned stimulus) leading powder (Unconditioned stimulus) leading to the dogs salivating (Unconditioned to the dogs salivating (Unconditioned response).response).

– Over time, the conditioned stimulus (bell) Over time, the conditioned stimulus (bell) will result in the dog salivating, thus will result in the dog salivating, thus becoming a conditioned response.becoming a conditioned response.

Case Study TwoCase Study Two

Little AlbertLittle Albert– As an 11 month old, Albert is presented As an 11 month old, Albert is presented

with a little white lab rat (CS). Then a with a little white lab rat (CS). Then a loud noise is made behind the child loud noise is made behind the child (UCS). The child will come to show fear (UCS). The child will come to show fear and after repetition he will fear the rat and after repetition he will fear the rat (CR) like he fears the noise (UCR).(CR) like he fears the noise (UCR).

– The child has been conditioned to fear The child has been conditioned to fear the rat.the rat.

http://www.neuroanatomy.wisc.edu/selflearn/Conditioning.htm

Some outcomes of Classical Some outcomes of Classical ConditioningConditioning

Acquisition – the process of acquiring a controlled Acquisition – the process of acquiring a controlled response. (i.e. the fear of rats, salivating at the response. (i.e. the fear of rats, salivating at the sound of a bell)sound of a bell)

Extinction – Process after acquisition, if the Extinction – Process after acquisition, if the controlled stimulus is repeatedly presented alone, controlled stimulus is repeatedly presented alone, the controlled response will gradually decrease to the controlled response will gradually decrease to zero. (ex. Boy is exposed to rats without the loud zero. (ex. Boy is exposed to rats without the loud sound, over time he no longer fears the rats).sound, over time he no longer fears the rats).

How can this be used in therapy?How can this be used in therapy? Spontaneous Recovery – After extinction, if time Spontaneous Recovery – After extinction, if time

passes and the controlled stimulus is presented, passes and the controlled stimulus is presented, the old response may occur. the old response may occur.

Stimulus Generalization – the conditioned Stimulus Generalization – the conditioned response may occur not only to the specific response may occur not only to the specific conditioned stimulus, but also to objects similar conditioned stimulus, but also to objects similar to it.to it.

AssignmentAssignment Write at least 2 paragraphs on an Write at least 2 paragraphs on an

experience that you have had with experience that you have had with conditioning. conditioning.

Examples: Why you may have an Examples: Why you may have an irrationalirrational fear, certain mannerisms that fear, certain mannerisms that you have, certain associations that you you have, certain associations that you may have. If you cannot think of any, may have. If you cannot think of any, explain why you think you maybe do explain why you think you maybe do not have any strong conditioned not have any strong conditioned characteristics or use the example of characteristics or use the example of conditioning with a pet.conditioning with a pet.