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Introduction to the Science of Psychology
LEARNING OBJECTIVES Tuesday: 8/18/2020
CHAPTER 1: Introduction to the Science of Psychology
Read/overview the chapter using the learning objectives as a guide
1 seq NL_a \r 0 \h . Define psychology. (see “The World of Psychology: An Overview”)
2 seq NL_a \r 0 \h . Name the various subfields of psychology. Describe the activities and interests of psychologists in each subfield. (see “Subfields of Psychology”) p. 3 – 6
3 seq NL_a \r 0 \h . Explain how the subfields of psychology can overlap. Describe how the field of psychology is linked to other disciplines.
4 seq NL_a \r 0 \h . seq NL_a \r 0 \h Define empiricism. (see “A Brief History of Psychology”) p. 9-10
5 seq NL_a \r 0 \h . Discuss the history of psychology. Compare the goals, methods, and beliefs associated with structuralism, Gestalt psychology, psychoanalysis, functionalism, and behaviorism. P. 9-11 table (in review) p. 12
6 seq NL_a \r 0 \h . Compare and contrast the basic assumptions of the following approaches to psychology: biological, evolutionary, psychodynamic, behavioral, cognitive, and humanistic. Define eclectic. P. 12-15
7 seq NL_a \r 0 \h . Explain why psychologists are interested in the influence of culture on behavior and mental processes. Define and give examples of sociocultural variables. Compare and contrast individualist and collectivist cultures. P. 17-
8 seq NL_a \r 0 \h . Define critical thinking. Be able to assess claims by using the five-step process presented in the text. P. 20-21
For Discussion: Dr. Shapiro’s case example. p. 20-21
9 seq NL_a \r 0 \h . Define and give an example of a hypothesis, operational definition, and variable. (see “Critical Thinking and Scientific Research”) p. 22
10 seq NL_a \r 0 \h . Discuss the importance of reliability and validity in evaluating the quality of evidence.
11 seq NL_a \r 0 \h . Describe the evolution of a theory. (see “The Role of Theories”) p. 22-23
12 seq NL_a \r 0 \h . List the four main goals of scientific research in psychology. P. 21-
13 seq NL_a \r 0 \h . Describe the following research methods, and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each: naturalistic observation, case studies, and surveys. P. 23-24
14 seq NL_a \r 0 \h . Define correlation. Give an example of a positive correlation and a negative correlation. Explain how correlation coefficients are interpreted. Explain why correlations do not imply causation. P. 25-27
15. Define and give an example of an experiment. Explain why experiments can establish cause-and-effect relationships, but other research methods cannot. (see “Experiments: Exploring Cause and Effect”) p. 28-
16 seq NL_a \r 0 \h . Define and explain the role of independent and dependent variables, and of experimental and control groups in an experiment.
17 seq NL_a \r 0 \h . Define confounding variable. Discuss the problems associated with the following confounding variables: random variables. P. 30-32
For Discussion: Focus on research – Studying EMDR. P. 28-29
Chapter 1
Introduction to the Science of Psychology
(Part 1)
Thursday, 8/20/20
Course Time Schedule (Tuesday, Thursday: 9 – 10:15 a.m.)
August 18, Class begins (syllabus, ch. 1 Learning
Objectives/reading guide)
Today: Thur, 8/20 Introduction to the science of psychology Ch. 1
(Lecture Notes, Part 1 posted)
25, 27 Part 2, Review
September 1, 3 Test 1
Biology and Behavior Ch. 2
Read/Study the lecture notes
View the three videos
While you are learning/studying the notes, refer to the textbook (relevant part of the chapter) for further information.
Questions We Will Be Addressing
in This Chapter (see Learning Objectives for more details)
- What is psychology, and how did it grow?
- Why don’t all psychologists explain behavior in the same way?
- How does your cultural background influence your behavior?
- How can critical thinking save you money?
- How do psychologists learn about people?
Questions We Will Be Addressing
in This Chapter (cont’d.)
- What does it mean when scientists announce that a research finding is “significant”?
- Do psychologists deceive people when they do research?
I. The World of Psychology:
An Overview
What is psychology, and how did it grow?
What Is Psychology?
- The science that seeks:
- To understand behavior and mental processes
- To apply this understanding in the service of human welfare
- Psychology is the science that seeks to understand behavior and mental processes, and to apply that understanding in the service of human welfare.
Subfields of Psychology
- Cognitive
- Biological
- Personality
- Developmental
- Quantitative
- Clinical, Counseling, and Community
- Educational
- School
- Social
- Industrial/ Organizational
- Health
- Sport
- Forensic
- Engineering
- Environmental
- Subfields of Psychology
Psychologists in different subfields of psychology study different topics.
- Cognitive psychologists study basic mental processes and their relationship to behavior in areas such as sensation, perception, learning, memory, judgment, decision making, and problem solving.
2. Biological or physiological psychologists or neuroscientists study how biological structure and function affect behavior and mental processes.
mental processes over the life span.
- Personality psychologists study individuality—the uniqueness of each person—and whether some combinations of personality traits predict patterns of behavior.
- Developmental psychologists study and describe changes in behavior and mental processes over the life span.
- Social psychologists study the ways that people influence one another.
6. Quantitative psychologists use statistical methods to describe, analyze, and interpret data collected by psychologists in other subfields.
7. Clinical psychologists generally have a Ph.D. in psychology, provide therapy, and many study the causes of disorders.
8. Counseling psychologists have either a Ph.D. or a master’s degree in psychology and work as mental health counselors.
Applied subfields of Psychology
9. Community psychologists try to help prevent stressful conditions that lead to disorders. Psychiatrists are medical doctors who specialize in abnormal psychology.
10. Educational psychologists conduct research and develop theories about teaching and learning.
11. School psychologists specialize in testing and diagnosing learning disabilities, and establish programs to improve student achievement and success.
- Industrial-organizational psychologists study factors that affect the efficiency, productivity, and satisfaction of workers and the organizations that employ them.
- Engineering psychologists or human factors psychologists, study interactions between human and the computers/machines (e.g., the design of computer keyboards, Internet web sites, aircraft instrument panels) that make them more logical, easier to use, and less likely to cause errors..
Others include health psychologists, sports psychologists, forensic psychologists, environmental psychologists.
Research methods in Psychology
A Brief History of Psychology
- Roots in philosophy dating back to the time of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle
- In 1700s (p. 9: 1600s was incorrect), Locke, Berkeley, and Hume advocated philosophical view known as empiricism—the idea that knowledge comes to us only through our experiences and observations
- Birth of modern scientific psychology credited to Wilhelm Wundt in 1879
C. A Brief History of Psychology
1. Interest in behavior and the mind can be traced back to ancient Greek philosophers (e.g., Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle).
a) Scientific psychology has its roots in philosophy.
2. In the 1700s philosophers (e.g., John Locke, George Berkeley, David Hume) argued for empiricism—that knowledge comes through experience and observation.
A person is born a tabula rasa—a “blank slate,” on which experiences of life “write” to give knowledge through direct sensation.
Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920)
- First formal psychology laboratory, Leipzig, 1879
- Used laboratory science methods to study consciousness
- Began psychology’s transformation from a philosophy to a science
- Used introspection to study conscious experience
Structuralism
- Early Advocate: Edward Titchener (Cornell U.), trained by Wundt
- Goals: To study conscious experience and its structure
- Methods: Experiments; introspection
- Applications:
“Pure scientific research”
- Spurred development of psychological laboratories
A Stimulus for Introspection
- Be an “Introspector”
- Ignoring what this object is, try to describe only your conscious experience of it
Figure 1.4
A Stimulus for Introspection
Look at this object and try to ignore what it is. Instead, try to describe only your conscious experience of it, such as redness, brightness, and roundness and how intense and clear these sensations and images are. If you can do this, you would have been an excellent research participant in Titchener’s laboratory.
Gestalt Psychology
- Early Advocate: Max Wertheimer (1912)
- Goals: To describe organization of mental processes
- “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”
- Methods: Observation of sensory/perceptual phenomena
- Applications:
- Understanding of visual illusions
- Laid some groundwork for humanistic and cognitive psychology
Psychoanalysis
- Early Advocate: Sigmund Freud (late 1880s – early 1900), Vienna, Austria
- Goals:
- Explain personality and behavior.
- Develop techniques for treating mental disorders
- Methods: Study of individual cases
- Applications:
- Development of psychotherapy.
- Emphasis on childhood as important in later personality
Functionalism
- Early Advocate: William James (late 1870s, 1890s)
- Goals: To study how the mind works in allowing an organism to adapt to the environment
- Methods: Naturalistic observation of animal and human behavior
- Applications:
Child psychology; educational and industrial psychology
Study of individual differences
Behaviorism
Early Advocates: John B. Watson (1913)
Goals: To study only observable behavior and explain behavior via learning principles
B. F. Skinner (1930s)
- Skinner: operant conditioning, functional analysis of behavior
- Methods: Observation of the relationship between environmental stimuli and overt responses
- Applications:
- Behavior modification; improved teaching methods
Approaches to the Science
of Psychology
Why don’t all psychologists explain behavior in the same way?
Approaches to the Science of Psychology
- Biological approach
- Assumes behavior and mental processes are largely shaped by biological processes. Subfield: biological or physiological psychology
- Evolutionary approach
- Assumes that behavior and mental processes are largely the result of evolution through natural selection
Approaches to the Science of Psychology (cont’d.)
- Psychodynamic approach
- Assumes human behavior reflects mostly unconscious conflicts between impulses to satisfy our instincts vs. society’s rules
Psychodynamic theory, Freudian approach, other modern versions
- Behavioral approach
- Focuses mostly on observable behavior and how that behavior is formed through learning
- Contemporary approaches: social-cognitive, cognitive behavioral
Approaches to the Science of Psychology (cont’d.)
- Cognitive approach (1970s)
- Focuses on how our behavior is affected by the ways we take in, mentally represent, process, and store information; using computer as an analogy of the mind/brain
Information processing approach
- Humanistic approach (1960s/70s), Phenomenological approach
- Sees behavior as derived from: individual’s unique perception of the world, capacity to choose how to think and act, seek to grow toward full potential
Human Diversity and Psychology
How does your cultural background influence your behavior?
Impact of Sociocultural
Diversity on Psychology
- Behavior and mental processes are shaped by sociocultural factors, such as gender, ethnicity, social class, and childhood culture
- Culture is an organizing and stabilizing influence
- Indigenous psychology – understand behavior and mental processes as they occur in different cultural contexts
- In individualist cultures people focus on and value personal goals rather than group goals.
- In collectivist cultures people often tend to think of themselves as part of family or work groups rather than as individuals.
c) Most countries are multicultural, hosting many subcultures within their borders.
Part 2: next class session -Tuesday, 8/25
Research Methods in Psychology
How do psychologists learn about people?
Figure 1.4
A Stimulus for Introspection
Look at this object and try to ignore what it is. Instead, try to describe only your conscious experience of it, such as redness, brightness, and roundness and how intense and clear these sensations and images are. If you can do this, you would have been an excellent research participant in Titchener’s laboratory.
