History and approaches2-4% of the exam

Can-Do Statements for History and Approaches:

*I can describe how different thoughts, beliefs, and theories throughout history have shaped the development of modern psychological thought.*I can describe and compare different theoretical approaches to explaining behavior and point out the pros and cons of these theories.*I can identify different domains and major historical figures in psychology.

Ancient ideas - not all bad…..

China - Confucius: power of ideas in an educated mindIsrael: linked mind and body - think with heart, feel with gutGreece - Socrates (428-348bc) and Plato: Mind is separable from the body,knowledge is innate.Greece - Aristotle (384-322bc): develop knowledge from observations, it grows from our experiences in stored memories

And then…...

Nothing until the 1600’s! WHY?René Descartes (1595-1650): mind and body separate, mind can survive beyond death. He saw fluid in the brain cavity of dissected animals as “animal spirits” - fluid went from brain through nerves to the muscles to cause movement. Memories formed as experiences opened pores in the brain…….hmmmm. Any truth to this? Ah, the French!

Meanwhile in England:

Sir Francis Bacon - a founder of modern science, influential in psych.John Locke - (1632-1704) - British philosopher: Concept of “Tabula rasa” = mind is a blank slate for experiences to imprint……..Empiricism = what we know comes from experience, observation and experimentation enable scientific knowledge.

And then…..

Wilhelm Wundt - Leipzig Germany. First psychology lab (1879), wanted to measure“atoms of the mind”. Led to spread of psych and different disciplines in the field.

At first...Structuralism = Titchener (Wundt’s student), influenced by chemists and physicists, who determine the structure of matter, he wanted to know about the structure of the mind.

Introspection = “tell me what you hear, feel…” What are your immediate feelings, sensations, images, associations? Why???”......

Requires smart, verbal subjects to get good experimental answers / results. We don’t often know why, and we don’t often self-report well.

Structuralism practice:

Look at the picture. Write down your thoughts, feelings, associations, andphysical reactions.

Structuralism practice:

Look at the picture. Write down your thoughts, feelings, associations, and physical reactions.

Compare to your notes fromthe previous slide.

Functionalism

William James (Harvard, 1880’s)- What are the evolved functions of our thoughts and feelings? Our nose smells, and our ears hear...what does our brain do for us? most importantly, WHY does it do what it does? (Darwin) *explore everyday emotions, memories, willpower, habits, and streams of consciousness.*First psych lecturer, admitted a woman to his grad. program. First psych book (Holt)

Mary Whiton Calkins

* James’ student*admitted to program in 1890 - all men quit*earned her degree...Harvard wouldn’t give it to her*specialist in memory research*APA’s first female president (1905)

Margaret Floy Washburn

*Actually was the first female PhD from Harvard *Second female APA President 1921*First foreign article published in Wundt’s journal*Titchener was her grad advisor, but she couldn’t join the experimental psych organization.

The 1920s and beyond

Early days - “The science of mental life”*Wundt and Titchener - inner sensations, images, and feelings (which theory?)*James - introspection of streams of consciousness and emotions (which theory?)*Freud - how emotional responses to childhood experiences and unconscious thought impacts our behavior. Used psychoanalysis to discover this (which theory?)

and then came:

BEHAVIORISM: Watson and Skinner!!!! late 1920s through the 1960s“Psychology is the study of observable behavior” - You cannot observe a sensation or an emotion so you cannot study it. You can only observe how people behave or RESPOND TO different STIMULI in various situations. You can elicit different behavior by presenting different stimuli.

and:

PSYCHOANALYTICAL (Freud) PSYCHOLOGY: unconscious thoughts and and emotional responses from childhood impact our behavior as adults.

These two theories - behaviorism and Freudian psychology - dominated the field until late 1960s……..

**Psychodynamic theory today

Enter Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow:HUMANISM

*Response to “cold”, limiting approaches*How does our environment nurture or limit our growth potential?*How do we get our needs for love and acceptance satisfied?**This is the “cognitive revolution” in psychology - back to basics of how does the mind function and how do we learn and retain information?

This question led to:

COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE:how brain activity is linked with cognition (perception, memory, thinking, and language)

Out of all of this came a new definition:Psychology: the science of behavior and mental processes.

Modern Perspectives:

Behavioral ViewPavlov - dogs, bell, classical conditioning Watson - operant conditioning, consciousness only, observable, all behavior is learned = stimulus / response (Watson vs Freud = Baby Albert)**Baby Albert - conditioned responseMary Cover Jones - Little Peter (counterconditioning) Replace original response

Modern perspectives

Psychodynamic viewBased in Freud but evolved…Focus on unconscious mind and its influence over conscious behavior and early childhood experiences*less emphasis on sexual motivations and more on discovering motivations for individual behavior.Still can’t test the theory……

Modern perspectives

Humanistic ViewThe “THIRD FORCE” -followed psychodynamic and behaviorism*Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers:people can direct their own lives. What makes us human? Uniquely human? We have limitless potential, and we have free will to achieve it.*self-actualization = Be all you can Be!

Modern Perspectives

Cognitive viewFocus on how we think, remember, store and use informationRoots in behaviorism and Gestalt, influenced by computer age (1960s)Studies memory, intelligence, perception, problem-solving, language, and learningCognitive neuropsychology - the brain at work PET and MRI scans help the studyAlbert Ellis, Beck

Modern Perspectives

Biological View*looks for biological bases for behavior*studies how heredity, hormones, brain chemical, tumors, and diseases impact behavior and mental events.*

Modern perspectives

Sociocultural viewLev Vygotsky (we will see again in the cognitive chapter)

We are all part of a society that exerts influence on our behavior.Studies social groups, actions and relationships and their interactions.Can illustrate the nature vs nurture issue in different cultures

Modern Perspectives:

Biopsychosocial view:George L. Engelbehavior is a result of the interactions of biology, psychology, and social interactions. Each interacts with the other and cannot be separated.

Modern perspectives

Evolutionary viewexamines the biological bases for universal mental characteristics that we all share, the usefulness of behaviors (like lying), choosing a mate, why we all fear snakes, etc..Darwin - our behavior allows us to solve problems...like staying alive

What is missing?

Your text mentions Gestalt psychology - sum of parts (WHOLE)Necker Cube

What are they and how do they fit into what you already know?......it’s all a matter of perspective. How do you integrate all the parts into “one whole”?

Scenario:

You are taking the train to Chicago, and you see a young man knock a woman to the ground, take her purse, and run away. Clearly, it is a crime, but how would the following theories seek to explain the young man’s behavior?

Perspectives:

psychodynamicbehavioralhumanisticcognitivesocioculturalbiologicalbiopsychosocialevolutionary

Tips: START NOW!!! DO NOT WAIT!!!

Multiple choice:- the easy questions are usually first - get them right.- underline important parts / words in the question.- ask / answer the question again in your own words.- eliminate choices you know aren’t right- Think about it, circle POSSIBLE choices, and come

back later.

FRQ: points based on how many points you answer in the question- Read the WHOLE question and identify each part.- Pre-write / organize quickly.- Paragraph form, one opening sentence if you feel you

need it.- IDA ….A = “for example” (but not personally)- Get it on the paper in order of the question. Address all

parts of the question.- Count your points. - Less is more. Keep it simple and direct. Don’t overdo.- One summary sentence if you feel you need it.- IT MUST BE “IN THE BOX” and legible!

Review questions:

Which perspective would a researcher be taking if he/she were studying the way children store and retrieve information?a. psychodynamicb. behavioralc. humanisticd. cognitivee. sociocultural

Review questions:

Dr. Rhodes works in a hospital assessing and treating patients who present various symptoms of mental illness. The treatments can involve prescribing medications and counseling. The Dr. is most likely a:a. developmental psychologistb. psychiatric social workerc. psychiatristd. guidance counselore. clinical psychologist

Review questions:

Which early perspective would have been least likely to agree with the structuralist perspective?a. introspectionb. functionalismc. psychoanalysisd. Gestalte. evolution

Review Questions:

Watson wanted to prove that all behavior was a result of:

a.a person’s desiresb.stimulus-response modelsc.a longing for cohesive wholenessd.cognitione.the need to belong

Review questions

What method would you use to determine if research subjects experienced a shift in perception while looking at a Necker Cube?a. behaviorismb. structuralismc. introspectiond. sensatione. humanism

Review Questions

Who established the first psych. lab?

Which perspective does NOT study mental processes like sensation and perception?

Name a humanist

Name a behavioralist