Introduction to Psychology
➢ By understanding the factors that influence
From the Greek words psyche meaning soul or mind, behavior, researchers can make informed
and logos meaning word or study. predictions about how people are likely to behave
in various situations.
It is the science of human behavior and mental
processes. ➔ Change behavior and Mental processes - the
ultimate goal of scientific psychology is to gain enough
- Behavior is anything we do overt actions and
understanding of behavior and mental processes to exert
reactions.
control over them.
- Mental processes are our internal experiences
thoughts, feelings, memories, etc. ➢ This could involve developing interventions,
therapies, Or strategies to modify or change
It helps us to scientifically evaluate common beliefs and behavior in desired ways. (e.g., clinical
misconceptions about behavior and mental processes. psychologists work to develop effective treatments
for mental health disorders based on their
understanding of underlying causes)
The Four basic goals of scientific Psychology
➔ Describe - this involves accurately observing and ➔ Psychological information is based on empirical
documenting behavior and mental processes. evidence.
➢ Psychologists strive to provide clear and objective ➢ Empirical evidence refers to factual data that is
descriptions of what people do and how they think, collected by conducting observations and
without interpreting or explaining the underlying experiments.
causes. ➢ Psychologists are scientists, based on empirical
evidence.
➔ Explain - once behaviors and mental processes have ➢ There are many types of psychologists, and many
been described, the next goal is to explain why they have nothing to do with counseling.
occur.
★ Where did psychology come from?
➢ Psychologists aim to identify the causes and
factors that contribute to certain behaviors and - Its roots began in Philosophy, but the focus changed
mental processes. This might involve exploring to a scientific focus.
psychological, physiological, social, cultural and - The first psychological laboratory was created in
environmental influences. 1879 by Wilhelm Wundt in Leipzig, Germany.
- Wundt was the one that created the first school of
➔ Predict - psychologists seek to predict future behavior
thought, Structuralism.
and mental processes based on the knowledge gained
from description and explanation.
, ➢ This school focused only on immediate
conscious experience and thought. - This is one of the most well-known psychological
➢ The problems with this school of thought perspectives in history, which was developed by
are: Sigmund Freud.
1. The focus of study was way too - Freud believed that emotional problems are due to
narrow. anxiety from unresolved conflicts that reside in the
unconscious.
2. They studied people only like
themselves, who are very wealthy ★ Behaviorist Perspective (Behaviorism)
white males.
- This was founded by John Watson(1924) in direct
3. No valid research was produced. opposition to Psychoanalytic theory.
4. This school of thought was a great - This focused on behavior that can be measured
start, but it no longer exists. and observable. This returned the scientific
approach to psychology.
★ The Next Evolution
- We can describe, predict, and control the
➔ Functionalism - a psychological behavior.
philosophy that describes the mind as a
functional tool that allows us to adapt to our ★ Cognitive Psychology
environments.-- how and why the mind
functions. - The cognitive perspective focuses on such
processes as perception, memory, and thinking.
➔ It is an approach to psychology that
analyzes mental states and behaviors in - This approach focuses on how internal thoughts
terms of their purposes, placing an and feelings influence one’s behavior. The
emphasis on the broad capability of the cognitive approach emphasizes the importance of
human mind. memory, perception and attention, language,
➔ This perspective broadened the scope of decision-making and problem-solving.
psychology and applied psychology to
practical settings. This is still focused on - Cognitive psychology seeks to understand why
consciousness but began to examine overt people learn and process information the way they
behavior, not just mental processes. do. Cognitive psychologists might help patients
cope with memory disorders, or they might consult
Psychological Perspectives on ways to improve educational environments and
curriculum.
★ Psychoanalytic Perspective
➢ By understanding the factors that influence
From the Greek words psyche meaning soul or mind, behavior, researchers can make informed
and logos meaning word or study. predictions about how people are likely to behave
in various situations.
It is the science of human behavior and mental
processes. ➔ Change behavior and Mental processes - the
ultimate goal of scientific psychology is to gain enough
- Behavior is anything we do overt actions and
understanding of behavior and mental processes to exert
reactions.
control over them.
- Mental processes are our internal experiences
thoughts, feelings, memories, etc. ➢ This could involve developing interventions,
therapies, Or strategies to modify or change
It helps us to scientifically evaluate common beliefs and behavior in desired ways. (e.g., clinical
misconceptions about behavior and mental processes. psychologists work to develop effective treatments
for mental health disorders based on their
understanding of underlying causes)
The Four basic goals of scientific Psychology
➔ Describe - this involves accurately observing and ➔ Psychological information is based on empirical
documenting behavior and mental processes. evidence.
➢ Psychologists strive to provide clear and objective ➢ Empirical evidence refers to factual data that is
descriptions of what people do and how they think, collected by conducting observations and
without interpreting or explaining the underlying experiments.
causes. ➢ Psychologists are scientists, based on empirical
evidence.
➔ Explain - once behaviors and mental processes have ➢ There are many types of psychologists, and many
been described, the next goal is to explain why they have nothing to do with counseling.
occur.
★ Where did psychology come from?
➢ Psychologists aim to identify the causes and
factors that contribute to certain behaviors and - Its roots began in Philosophy, but the focus changed
mental processes. This might involve exploring to a scientific focus.
psychological, physiological, social, cultural and - The first psychological laboratory was created in
environmental influences. 1879 by Wilhelm Wundt in Leipzig, Germany.
- Wundt was the one that created the first school of
➔ Predict - psychologists seek to predict future behavior
thought, Structuralism.
and mental processes based on the knowledge gained
from description and explanation.
, ➢ This school focused only on immediate
conscious experience and thought. - This is one of the most well-known psychological
➢ The problems with this school of thought perspectives in history, which was developed by
are: Sigmund Freud.
1. The focus of study was way too - Freud believed that emotional problems are due to
narrow. anxiety from unresolved conflicts that reside in the
unconscious.
2. They studied people only like
themselves, who are very wealthy ★ Behaviorist Perspective (Behaviorism)
white males.
- This was founded by John Watson(1924) in direct
3. No valid research was produced. opposition to Psychoanalytic theory.
4. This school of thought was a great - This focused on behavior that can be measured
start, but it no longer exists. and observable. This returned the scientific
approach to psychology.
★ The Next Evolution
- We can describe, predict, and control the
➔ Functionalism - a psychological behavior.
philosophy that describes the mind as a
functional tool that allows us to adapt to our ★ Cognitive Psychology
environments.-- how and why the mind
functions. - The cognitive perspective focuses on such
processes as perception, memory, and thinking.
➔ It is an approach to psychology that
analyzes mental states and behaviors in - This approach focuses on how internal thoughts
terms of their purposes, placing an and feelings influence one’s behavior. The
emphasis on the broad capability of the cognitive approach emphasizes the importance of
human mind. memory, perception and attention, language,
➔ This perspective broadened the scope of decision-making and problem-solving.
psychology and applied psychology to
practical settings. This is still focused on - Cognitive psychology seeks to understand why
consciousness but began to examine overt people learn and process information the way they
behavior, not just mental processes. do. Cognitive psychologists might help patients
cope with memory disorders, or they might consult
Psychological Perspectives on ways to improve educational environments and
curriculum.
★ Psychoanalytic Perspective
