Handsome Teacher

Why were girls laughing?

o Nervous
o Embarrassed
o Bonding moment
o Restrained emotions while talking with teacher

How would boys react?

o Confidently
o More talkative
o Forward
o Direct
Pretty Teacher

Similarities/Differences

o Boys actually very shy

o Not so talkative
o Laughter
Seven Levels of Analysis (can involve multiple levels)

Genetic

o Gene mechanisms, heritability, twin and adoption studies

o Twin studies, single-gene studies

Neurochemical

o Neurotransmitters and hormones, animal studies, drug studies

o Testosterone, cortisol (hormones that affect sexual behavior, stress

response)

Brain systems

o Neuroanatomical structures, animal studies, brain imaging

o Reactions of brain in response to different stimuli
o Hypothalamus assoc. w/ sex, craving, prefrontal cortex engages selfcontrol

Behavioral

o Observable actions, responses, physical movements

o Study laughter (Handsome Teacher), gaze (Pretty Teacher)

Perceptual and cognitive

o Thinking, decision making, language, memory, beliefs

o Questions perception of beauty, production of words

Individual

o Personality traits, sex differences, developmental age changes

o Questions like sexual orientation as it develops over a persons life

Social and cultural

o Situations, context, cultural norms

o E.g. Teacher stereotype, display norms=accepted behaviors that
differ among cultures
Intro to Psych

Greek roots: psyche=soul, logos=to study

Scientific study of mind and behavior

Pioneers

o Philosophy pioneers relevant to psychology

Plato
Nativism=some knowledge is innate (e.g. language skills)
Aristotle
Empiricism=all knowledge is acquired through experience
Tabula rasa=blank slate
Descartes
Dualism=body follows laws of physics, but mind/soul does not
Skepticism=reject any idea that can be doubted, esp. sensory
experiences, I think, therefore I am
Darwin
Evolution=qualities that increase survival and reproductive success are
passed onto the next generation
o Psychology pioneers
Wundt
First psych lab 1879
William James
Functionalism=mind evolved to solve adaptive problems
Sigmund Freud
Unconscious=parts of our mind were not aware of have strong
influence over behavior, thought processes, mental health, etc.
Psychoanalysis=a form of psychotherapy
J.B. Watson
Classical conditioning=after training, a previously neutral stimulus can
cause a conditioned response

 Skinner
Operant conditioning=the consequences of a certain behavior influence
whether it will be repeated

Subfields in psychology

o Clinical psychology
o Cognitive psychology
o Social/personality psychology