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Lecture Preview
What
is psychology? Historical perspectives of the field The great theoretical frameworks Modern psychology Great debates of psychology
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What Is Psychology?
Mysterians - believe that certain questions regarding human nature are unanswerable
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Problem of reactivity
For many centuries, psychology was indistinguishable from philosophy In the late 1800s, William Wundt followed William James lead and developed the first official psychology laboratory in Germany, launching psychology as an experimental science
Said mental events could be quantified, via introspection and other techniques (measure reaction times) Attempted to emulate the methods of the traditional sciences
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In the 1800s, Americans were obsessed with the paranormal The general public saw psychology and spiritualism as inextricably linked Some psychologists investigated spirit mediums and psychics, but never uncovered scientific evidence Psychology distanced itself from spiritualism by forging a new field: the psychology of human error and selfdeception (Jastrow) Parapsychology still exists as a tiny branch of the field
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Psychology Today
A diversity of approaches: from clinical psychology to neuroscience to sport psychology, and many others Controversy: scientist-practitioner gap
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Rewards and punishments cant fully explain behaviour because our interpretation of these is a crucial determinant of behaviour We also learn by insight Jean Piaget and Ulric Neisser are cognitivists
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Modern Psychology
Basic and applied research Translating research findings into real-world applications (e.g., third brake light, sequential
police lineups, etc.)
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Types of Psychologists
1) Clinical - assessment, diagnosis, causes and treatment of mental disorders
Except in NM and LA, they cannot prescribe medication (though psychiatrists (M.D.s) can) Therapists may have different degrees (Psy.D., M.S.W., Ph.D., etc.)
2) Counselling - work with normal people experiencing temporary or self-contained problems (e.g., marital or occupational difficulties)
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Types of Psychologists
3) School - assess schoolchildrens psychological problems and develop intervention programs
5) Experimental - use sophisticated research methods to study memory, language, and thinking of humans
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Types of Psychologists
6) Biopsychologists - examine the physiological basis of behaviour in animals and humans
7) Forensic - assess, diagnose, and assist with rehabilitation and treatment of prison inmates
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Types of Psychologists
8) Industrial-organizational - work in businesses to assist in employee selection and evaluation, examining the effects of working conditions on employee behaviour, designing equipment to maximize performance and minimize accidents, etc.
Other areas of psychology include social, personality, quantitative, cross-cultural, and sport Most psychologists rely on scientific methods
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True or False?
Criminal profiling, a technique used by the FBI to track down serial killers, is one of the most effective means of catching criminals. FALSE. Theres relatively little evidence that criminal profiling is effective for solving crimes.
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Nature - Nurture
(Locke)? Tabula rasa No, research conducted by behaviour geneticists and others suggests that most psychological traits are substantially influenced by genes behaviour is attributable to both genes and environment, but the relative balance of the two depends on which characteristic we measure (e.g., risk for ADHD vs. religious affiliation) Evolutionary psychology - applies Darwins theory of natural selection to human and animal behaviour
Just-so stories - superficial explanations made up after the fact (e.g., male baldness serves an evolutionary function because women perceive these men as more mature)
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Free Will - Determinism: to what extent are our behaviours freely selected rather than caused by factors outside of our control?
Some psychologists argue most behaviours are generated automatically, without conscious awareness, though we perceive them as under our control Compatibilism - free will and determinism arent mutually exclusive
Our genes and environment limit our behavioural choices, but we may still freely select or reject certain options
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Is Free Will Imaginary? Our brain readies itself before we become aware.
Mind - Body Debate: Are our behaviours due entirely to the actions of our nervous system or are they also due to the action of another entity, like a soul?
Mind-body monists - include scientific psychologists, assert that the mind is the brain and nervous system in action Mind-body dualists - the mind is more than the brain and nervous system (Descartes) Impossible to resolve scientifically
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Thinking of the mind - body debate, what is wrong with distinguishing between organic (known brain basis) versus psychogenic (no known brain basis) amnesia? The term psychogenic implies that the amnesia is caused by psyche that is separate from the brain.
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