NOTES ON GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY
Psychology:
psyche “soul” and logos “study” (Gines et al, 2003)
is a scientific study of behavior and mental processes (Santrock, 2003)
behavior
Behavior:
everything that we do that can be directly observed.
Focus of “behavior”:
Lack of behavior
My parents nag at me because I’m not as smart as my sisters/brothers.
I’m not good at memorizing, I’ll definitely fail this subject.
Presence of behavior
What can I do so that they will not nag at me?
What can I do so that I’ll pass this subject?
Mental processes
thoughts, feelings and motives that each of us experience in private and which cannot be
observed directly.
Science
use systematic methods to observe, describe, predict and explain behavior
To study human behavior is to:
-understand -not to judge
Goals of psychology
describe, understand, predict, control BEHAVIOR
History of Psychology
(427-322 B.C.)
Plato
Origin of knowledge through rationalism
True knowledge only comes through correct reasoning and not through the sense
Man can be fooled by senses just like magicians fools his audience
Aristotle
Importance of knowledge through empiricism
Knowledge is acquired through experience and interaction
, Christian and medieval Era
St. Augustine
Theological basis of the study of emotion, memory and motivation
14th – 17th century
Renaissance period
Rene Descartes
Revived Plato’s belief that reasoning is the best way to gain true knowledge
John Locke
Supported empiricism of Aristotle by his “tabula rasa” or empty table
A person is born like a blank tablet wherein through the senses our life experiences are being
written thus explaining every thing in us
19th Century
Laboratory studies were done
In-depth study of the human mind and mental processes
Describe their emotions, sensations, feelings, attitudes and similar internal activities.
1890
Emerged as a new science
Modern psychology was born
Used systematic and empirical procedures and methods in studying human behaviors
Wilhelm Wundt’s
Established the first psychological laboratory in 1879
Introspection or “ to look inside”
Father of modern psychology
William James (1842-1910)
Proponent of the scientific basis of the study of human behavior
Proponent of Psychology
How mental experiences, emotions, bodily experiences or reactions and external events are
related to one another.
Schools of Thoughts of Psychology
Structuralism
Originated from laboratory works and experiments where in they focus on discovering basic
elements or structures of mental processes.
E.B. Titchener
Wundt’s student who named the process structuralism
“behavior can be studied though conscious experience”
Psychology:
psyche “soul” and logos “study” (Gines et al, 2003)
is a scientific study of behavior and mental processes (Santrock, 2003)
behavior
Behavior:
everything that we do that can be directly observed.
Focus of “behavior”:
Lack of behavior
My parents nag at me because I’m not as smart as my sisters/brothers.
I’m not good at memorizing, I’ll definitely fail this subject.
Presence of behavior
What can I do so that they will not nag at me?
What can I do so that I’ll pass this subject?
Mental processes
thoughts, feelings and motives that each of us experience in private and which cannot be
observed directly.
Science
use systematic methods to observe, describe, predict and explain behavior
To study human behavior is to:
-understand -not to judge
Goals of psychology
describe, understand, predict, control BEHAVIOR
History of Psychology
(427-322 B.C.)
Plato
Origin of knowledge through rationalism
True knowledge only comes through correct reasoning and not through the sense
Man can be fooled by senses just like magicians fools his audience
Aristotle
Importance of knowledge through empiricism
Knowledge is acquired through experience and interaction
, Christian and medieval Era
St. Augustine
Theological basis of the study of emotion, memory and motivation
14th – 17th century
Renaissance period
Rene Descartes
Revived Plato’s belief that reasoning is the best way to gain true knowledge
John Locke
Supported empiricism of Aristotle by his “tabula rasa” or empty table
A person is born like a blank tablet wherein through the senses our life experiences are being
written thus explaining every thing in us
19th Century
Laboratory studies were done
In-depth study of the human mind and mental processes
Describe their emotions, sensations, feelings, attitudes and similar internal activities.
1890
Emerged as a new science
Modern psychology was born
Used systematic and empirical procedures and methods in studying human behaviors
Wilhelm Wundt’s
Established the first psychological laboratory in 1879
Introspection or “ to look inside”
Father of modern psychology
William James (1842-1910)
Proponent of the scientific basis of the study of human behavior
Proponent of Psychology
How mental experiences, emotions, bodily experiences or reactions and external events are
related to one another.
Schools of Thoughts of Psychology
Structuralism
Originated from laboratory works and experiments where in they focus on discovering basic
elements or structures of mental processes.
E.B. Titchener
Wundt’s student who named the process structuralism
“behavior can be studied though conscious experience”
