Psychology The scientific study of mind and behavior

Psychology * • The scientific study of mind and behavior

What makes psychology a science? • Scientific method * • the set of assumptions, rules, and procedures that scientists use to conduct empirical research • Empirical research * • collecting, organizing, and drawing conclusions from data • Data * • information collected through formal observation or measurement.

More to come on this topic in chapter two.

Levels of Explanation in Psychology • Psychologists understand behavior at different levels, from lower-level biological factors to higher-level cultural factors. • Behavior has multiple, interactive causes. Culture/ Society Personality/ Interpersonal Biology/ Genetics Interaction Behavior

Levels of Explanation: Depression Social/Cultural (gender roles, unemployment) Personal/Interpersonal Individual thought process Marital relationship Biological /Genetic Genes, Hormones, Neurotransmitters Interaction Depression

Try it: Choose an emotion or behavior. Fill in the Blanks Social/Cultural _________________ Personal/Interpersonal _______________________ Biological /Genetic __________________ Interaction ____

• Why did _____ do _____? • There is no single explanation for most mental processes or behaviors. • Levels of explanation • Provide a focus for research • Provide a direction for application • Provide a framework for critical thinking

Perspectives

Evolutionary Psychology * • Key Concepts: • • Fitness for Survival Reproduction Natural selection Adaptation

Biological Psychology Interaction between biology and behavior: Brain Nervous system Hormones Genetics Chemicals, nutrition Exercise, stress

Psychodynamic Perspective • Unconscious thoughts, feelings, behavior. • Sigmund Freud, M. D. Video • Psychoanalysis – treatment based on psychodynamic (psychoanalytic) theory

Humanistic Psychology • Key Concepts: • • • Free Will Self Concept Self Esteem Self-Actualization To be cont. (ch. 7)

Behaviorism • Key Concepts • • • Focus on observable behavior. Baby is a Blank Slate Experiences shape behavior. Behavior is predictable Control behavior by controlling environment • Watson Video

Cognitive Psychology • Mental Processes, including • • • Thinking Perception Memory Judgment Piaget video

Information Processing • Cognitive Theory • Computer metaphor • Input, encoding, storage, processing, output (retrieval) • Programs (e. g. language) • Limits of this metaphor

Sociocultural Approach • Humans influenced by: • Social situations • Culture • Key Concepts: • Conformity • Social Norms • Individualism v. Collectivism

Can You Label These Perspectives? 1 2 3 7 5 6 4 8

Practitioners • Psychiatrists – M. D. , can prescribe drugs • Psychologists – Ph. D. or Psy. D. • Many subfields of psychology Video