The Science of Psychology Chapter 1

Morris & Maisto Psychology: The Core 2009 Pearson Education

What Is Psychology?

! Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes.

! Psychologists are interested in every aspect of human thought and behavior.

Morris & Maisto Psychology: The Core 2009 Pearson Education

The Classical Roots of Psychology

! Greek Philosophers (500-300 BC) Socrates (dualism ideas are distinct from the world of real objects) Plato (two worldsthe mind, the physical) Aristotle (knowledge through logic and reason) ! The Scientific Revolution (1600-1900 AD)
Morris & Maisto Psychology: The Core 2009 Pearson Education

The Rise of Scientic Psychology

! (Wilhelm Wundt, 1832)

! Structuralism (Edward Titchner, 1867) (to find the building blocks of complex experiences) images, feelings, memories ! Functionalism (William James, 1875) (how organisms use their learning to function in an environment) Gestalt Psychology
Morris & Maisto Psychology: The Core 2009 Pearson Education

Women in Psychology

! Women have contributed to psychology from its beginnings.
-verbal learning, color vision, imagery in thoughts

! Today, women receive more than half of the Ph.D.s granted in psychology.

Morris & Maisto Psychology: The Core 2009 Pearson Education

Contemporary Approaches to Psychology

! Biological approach
-biological processes determine our thoughts and behavior

! Behavioral approach
-our behavior is based on a stimulus-response model; classical/operant conditioning; visible stimuli in visible environment; ignore mental processes

! Cognitive approach
-mental processes can and should be studied scientifically

! Humanistic approach
-emphasizes human potential, self-esteem, self-actualization etc.; positive psychologists want to study the origin and workings of positive traits such as leadership, altruism, integrity etc.
Morris & Maisto Psychology: The Core 2009 Pearson Education

Contemporary Approaches to Psychology, continued

! Psychodynamic approach -behavior from unconscious processes; hidden motives, desires; hidden
energy (Freud)

! Evolutionary/sociobiological approach -behaviors that lead to survival will increase (Darwin) ; how are people
genetically pre-programmed to think and act in certain ways; across cultures

! Sociocultural approach
-working to overcome the biases in psychological research; assumptions that findings automatically applied to those outside of the white Western male classification. -interest in how gender, race and culture affect our behavior; do psychological findings apply to both genders, to all races and cultures?

Morris & Maisto Psychology: The Core 2009 Pearson Education

To what extent is behavior based on:

factors

Enduring Issues in Psychology

! PersonSituation (internal processes vs. external ! NatureNurture (genetic inheritance vs. environment) ! StabilityChange (stable through life vs. changing) ! DiversityUniversality (differences in all of us vs.
similarities in all of us)

! MindBody (thoughts/feelings vs. biological

processes) & Maisto Morris
Psychology: The Core 2009 Pearson Education

Psychology as Science

! Scientific method to explain behavior and mental processes; careful observation leads to data collection ! Theory a proposed explanation ! Hypotheses new predictions
Morris & Maisto Psychology: The Core 2009 Pearson Education

Descriptive Methods

! Naturalistic observation ! Case study ! Surveys given to a predetermined group; predetermined questions
! Questionnaire a set of questions that can yield useful information; less formal than a survey.

Morris & Maisto Psychology: The Core 2009 Pearson Education

Correlational Research

! To find a relationship between two or more variables ! One thing varies or changes as another thing varies or changes (same direction or opposite directions)
! E.g. INCREASED snow on the road is correlated with an INCREASED number of traffic accidents. (no causation) ! E.g. INCREASED exercise is correlated with DECREASED weight (possible causation)
Morris & Maisto Psychology: The Core 2009 Pearson Education

Experimental Research

! Experimental method ! Independent variable ! Dependant variable ! Experimental group ! Control group
Morris & Maisto Psychology: The Core 2009 Pearson Education

Importance of Sampling

! Sample ! Random sample ! Representative sample

Morris & Maisto Psychology: The Core 2009 Pearson Education

Ethics is Psychology

! APA guidelines for human research
-participants must be informed about nature of research; informed consent -risks, limits on confidentiality disclosed; list of options if participation is not desired (if for credit) -anything in the experiment that might discourage them from further participation; deception about goals only when necessary to get accurate results (APA, 2003)

! APA guidelines for animal research

-appropriate consideration for [the animals] comfort, health and humane treatment. (APA, 2003)

Morris & Maisto Psychology: The Core 2009 Pearson Education