Chapter 1: Psychology and Life
Summary
Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes within individuals.
Psychology uses the scientific method: factual conclusions are drawn through the process of
objectively collecting data through experiments and tests. Behaviours are the observable actions
of people and animals in response to demands imposed from the environment. Mental processes
are responses that occur within the brain that cannot be directly observed i.e. thinking, planning,
reasoning and emotion. The goals of psychological research are to 1) describe 2) explain 3)
predict and 4) control behaviour. Some important early figures in psychology’s history are
Hermann Ebbinghaus who pioneered experimental psychology. Wilhelm Wundt founded the
first experimental psychology laboratory and introduced the philosophy of structuralism to
psychology. Edward Titchner founded the first psychological laboratory in North America and
popularized structuralism. Structuralism’s goal was to use the scientific method of
introspection, examining the contents of one’s thoughts to make precise conclusions about
existing mental structures. American psychologist William James developed a different
psychological perspective called Functionalism. Functionalists believed that mental states
adapted through evolutionary principles. This view proposed studying the evolutionary purpose
of a mental state rather than its basic components. Today, psychologists fall into one of seven
different psychological perspectives: 1) Psychodynamic Perspective founded by Sigmund
Freud. According to members of this perspective, behaviour is controlled by unconscious inner
forces i.e. instincts and drives. The organism is thought to strive to balance internal needs to
meet social demands. 2) Behaviourist Perspective developed by John Watson and B.F. Skinner.
Members of this perspective believe that behaviour is controlled by environmental demands, and
that consequences determine action. 3) Humanistic Perceptive popularized by Carl Rogers and
Abraham Maslow. Members of this viewpoint are against the psychodynamic and behaviourist
views that behaviours are completely determined by things outside a person’s control. People are
said to strive toward growth, the goal being to reach a state of self-actualization (reaching their
full potential). 4) Cognitive perspective. Cognitive theories state that mental processes are
involved when perceiving the world, remembering things, using language etc. 5) Biological
perspective. Members of this perspective are interested in studying how genes and the nervous
system may cause behaviour. 6) Evolutionary perspective. Evolutionary theories attempt to
explain how current behaviours and beliefs have adapted through natural selection and lastly 7)
Sociocultural perspective. Members of this perspective examine the influence of cultural
differences on behaviour. For example, Bronislaw Malinowski criticized the psychodynamic
view for not being able to explain the familial authority structure of the Trobriand islanders of
New Guinea.
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Summary
Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes within individuals.
Psychology uses the scientific method: factual conclusions are drawn through the process of
objectively collecting data through experiments and tests. Behaviours are the observable actions
of people and animals in response to demands imposed from the environment. Mental processes
are responses that occur within the brain that cannot be directly observed i.e. thinking, planning,
reasoning and emotion. The goals of psychological research are to 1) describe 2) explain 3)
predict and 4) control behaviour. Some important early figures in psychology’s history are
Hermann Ebbinghaus who pioneered experimental psychology. Wilhelm Wundt founded the
first experimental psychology laboratory and introduced the philosophy of structuralism to
psychology. Edward Titchner founded the first psychological laboratory in North America and
popularized structuralism. Structuralism’s goal was to use the scientific method of
introspection, examining the contents of one’s thoughts to make precise conclusions about
existing mental structures. American psychologist William James developed a different
psychological perspective called Functionalism. Functionalists believed that mental states
adapted through evolutionary principles. This view proposed studying the evolutionary purpose
of a mental state rather than its basic components. Today, psychologists fall into one of seven
different psychological perspectives: 1) Psychodynamic Perspective founded by Sigmund
Freud. According to members of this perspective, behaviour is controlled by unconscious inner
forces i.e. instincts and drives. The organism is thought to strive to balance internal needs to
meet social demands. 2) Behaviourist Perspective developed by John Watson and B.F. Skinner.
Members of this perspective believe that behaviour is controlled by environmental demands, and
that consequences determine action. 3) Humanistic Perceptive popularized by Carl Rogers and
Abraham Maslow. Members of this viewpoint are against the psychodynamic and behaviourist
views that behaviours are completely determined by things outside a person’s control. People are
said to strive toward growth, the goal being to reach a state of self-actualization (reaching their
full potential). 4) Cognitive perspective. Cognitive theories state that mental processes are
involved when perceiving the world, remembering things, using language etc. 5) Biological
perspective. Members of this perspective are interested in studying how genes and the nervous
system may cause behaviour. 6) Evolutionary perspective. Evolutionary theories attempt to
explain how current behaviours and beliefs have adapted through natural selection and lastly 7)
Sociocultural perspective. Members of this perspective examine the influence of cultural
differences on behaviour. For example, Bronislaw Malinowski criticized the psychodynamic
view for not being able to explain the familial authority structure of the Trobriand islanders of
New Guinea.
This study source was downloaded by 100000838319108 from CourseHero.com on 12-14-2021 07:57:52 GMT -06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/8845128/Chapter-1-Psychology-and-life-summary/
