Why People Act, Think, and Feel As They Do

• Chapter 1
What is Psychology?

Psychology

• The study of the mind and behavior

– why people act, think, and feel as they do

• Hard-headed curiosity

Common Misconceptions

• Psychology is about giving advice

• Psychology is common sense

• Psychology is the study of mental illness

Surprising Findings

• Massive losses of brain tissue early in life my have minimal long term effects

• Two kids reared together have different personalities

• All types of people report roughly comparable levels of personal happiness

• Electroconvulsive Shock Therapy (ECT) is effective in treating depression

Popular Beliefs Debunked

• Most mothers ARE NOT depressed after their children leave

• Sleep walkers are not acting out their dreams

• Sleep talkers are not verbalizing their dreams

• Opposites do not attract

Limits to Common Sense

• A ball rolls down a spiral track. The end of the track curves left. What direction does the ball take when it leaves the track?

Limits to Common Sense

• A wooden cube is 1 inch long on each side. How many cubes does it take to for a cube 2 inches long on each side?

Limits to Common Sense

• Survey of 1255 adults by the New York Museum of National History

• 77% were interested in plants & trees, but only 39% in botany

• 48% were interested in fossils, but only 39% in paleontology

• 42% were interested in rocks and minerals, but 53% in geology

• Scientific Method

Early Approaches

• Structuralism

• Functionalism

• Psychoanalytic

Wilhelm Wundt and Structuralism

• 1832-1920

• Structure of mental experiences

• Introspection – self-observation

• Two basic mental processes: sensations and feelings

• Also studied color vision, visual illusions, attention and feelings

William James and Functionalism

• First U.S. professor of psychology 1842-1910.

• Psychological processes a function of evolution

• Function rather than elements of psychological processes

• Suggested applications to teaching

• Educational psychology

Sigmund Freud and Psychoanalytic Theory

• Freud’s wide-range influence

• Case studies using free association

• Psychoanalytic theory

– Basic sexual and aggressive instincts motivate behavior

– Instincts are suppressed in humans

Behaviorism: A True Science of Psychology

• John Watson

– Pavlov and his dogs

– Little Albert

• B.F. Skinner

– Consequences

– Reinforcement and punishment

Beyond Behaviorism: Humanism and Cognitive Psychology

• Humanists

– Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers

– Free will of individuals

– Help use inner resources to make healthier choices

• Cognitive Psychology

– Experimental research on mental processes or cognition

Modern Perspective and the Eclectic Approach

• Seven orientations/views

– Biological/physiological, evolutionary, cognitive, psychodynamic, behavioral, sociocultural, humanistic

• Eclectic

– Integration of several perspective, more complete and complex picture of behavior

Biological and Evolutionary Views

• Biological/Physiological

– Physical causes of behavior

• Evolutionary

– Natural selection of adaptive behaviors that ensure survival

– Controversy – ignores environmental influences on behavior

Cognitive Views

• Behavior is product of thoughts and interpretations

• Processing of information and how that influences behavior

• Memory, problem-solving, thinking, decision-making, intelligence and language

Psychodynamic

• Focus on internal, unconscious mental processes, motives and desires, and childhood conflicts

• These processes influence behavior

Sociocultural Views
Humanistic Views

• Sociocultural perspectives

– Society or culture influences behavior

• Humanistic perspectives

– Choices and free will

– Self-concept and self-esteem

Major Subfields of Psychology

• Experimental

– sensation, perception and learning

• Developmental

– lifespan human development from

• Biopsychology

– physiological processes

• Personality

– people differences

• Social

– influences

• Cognitive

– mental processes

• Cross-Cultural

– cultural influences

• Consumer

– consumer behavior

• Forensic

– criminal behavior

• Health

– health and illness

• Education

– learning

• Therapy

– mental problems and life adjustment