What Is Psychology? Chapter One. Psychology as a Science Definition: the scientific study of behavior and mental processes

What Is What Is Psychology?Psychology?

What Is What Is Psychology?Psychology?

Chapter OneChapter OneChapter OneChapter One

Psychology as a Psychology as a ScienceScience


DefinitionDefinition::

the scientific study the scientific study of of

behavior and mental behavior and mental processesprocesses

DefinitionDefinition::

the scientific study the scientific study of of

behavior and mental behavior and mental processesprocesses



As science, uses the As science, uses the scientific method, as scientific method, as opposed to subjective opposed to subjective opinion, to develop opinion, to develop

theories about variables theories about variables to describe, explain, to describe, explain, predict, and control predict, and control behavior and mental behavior and mental

processesprocesses

As science, uses the As science, uses the scientific method, as scientific method, as opposed to subjective opposed to subjective opinion, to develop opinion, to develop

theories about variables theories about variables to describe, explain, to describe, explain, predict, and control predict, and control behavior and mental behavior and mental

processesprocesses

TheoryTheoryTheoryTheory

Definition:Definition:

a formulation of a formulation of relationships underlying relationships underlying

observed eventsobserved events

Definition:Definition:

a formulation of a formulation of relationships underlying relationships underlying

observed eventsobserved events


Based on assumptions Based on assumptions about behavior and about behavior and mental processesmental processes

Contain statements about Contain statements about the principles and laws the principles and laws that may govern themthat may govern them

Based on assumptions Based on assumptions about behavior and about behavior and mental processesmental processes

Contain statements about Contain statements about the principles and laws the principles and laws that may govern themthat may govern them


Allow us to derive Allow us to derive explanations and explanations and predictionspredictions

Describe, Explain, Describe, Explain, Predict, ControlPredict, Control

Allow us to derive Allow us to derive explanations and explanations and predictionspredictions

Describe, Explain, Describe, Explain, Predict, ControlPredict, Control

What Psychologists What Psychologists DoDo


Wide variety of subject Wide variety of subject areas for areas for

psychologistspsychologists

Pure ResearchPure Research vs. vs. Applied Applied

ResearchResearch

Wide variety of subject Wide variety of subject areas for areas for

psychologistspsychologists

Pure ResearchPure Research vs. vs. Applied Applied

ResearchResearch



Pure ResearchPure Research:: Conducted without concern Conducted without concern

for immediate for immediate applications to personal applications to personal

or social problems or social problems (research for its own (research for its own

sake)sake)

Pure ResearchPure Research:: Conducted without concern Conducted without concern

for immediate for immediate applications to personal applications to personal

or social problems or social problems (research for its own (research for its own

sake)sake)



Applied ResearchApplied Research:: Designed to find Designed to find solutions to solutions to

specific personal or specific personal or social problemssocial problems

Applied ResearchApplied Research:: Designed to find Designed to find solutions to solutions to

specific personal or specific personal or social problemssocial problems

Subfields of Subfields of PsychologyPsychology


ClinicalClinicalCounselingCounseling

SchoolSchoolEducationalEducational

ClinicalClinicalCounselingCounseling

SchoolSchoolEducationalEducational



DevelopmentalDevelopmentalSocial/PersonalitySocial/Personality

ExperimentalExperimentalCognitiveCognitive

DevelopmentalDevelopmentalSocial/PersonalitySocial/Personality

ExperimentalExperimentalCognitiveCognitive



Industrial/Industrial/OrganizationalOrganizational Physiological/Physiological/

BiologicalBiologicalEmerging Fields: Emerging Fields:

ForensicForensic & & HealthHealth

Industrial/Industrial/OrganizationalOrganizational Physiological/Physiological/

BiologicalBiologicalEmerging Fields: Emerging Fields:

ForensicForensic & & HealthHealth

Clinical Clinical PsychologyPsychologyClinical Clinical

PsychologyPsychologySpecialize in helping people Specialize in helping people with psychological problems with psychological problems adjust to the demands of adjust to the demands of

life life Ex: anxiety, Ex: anxiety, depression, sexual depression, sexual

dysfunctions, loss of goalsdysfunctions, loss of goals Evaluate problems through Evaluate problems through structural interviews and structural interviews and

psychological testspsychological tests

Specialize in helping people Specialize in helping people with psychological problems with psychological problems adjust to the demands of adjust to the demands of

life life Ex: anxiety, Ex: anxiety, depression, sexual depression, sexual

dysfunctions, loss of goalsdysfunctions, loss of goals Evaluate problems through Evaluate problems through structural interviews and structural interviews and

psychological testspsychological tests


PsychologyPsychologyHelp clients resolve Help clients resolve their problems and their problems and change maladaptive change maladaptive behavior through behavior through techniques of techniques of psychotherapypsychotherapy and and behavior therapybehavior therapy

Help clients resolve Help clients resolve their problems and their problems and change maladaptive change maladaptive behavior through behavior through techniques of techniques of psychotherapypsychotherapy and and behavior therapybehavior therapy


PsychologyPsychology

Psychotherapy:Psychotherapy:Application of Application of psychological psychological

knowledge to the knowledge to the treatment of treatment of

problem behaviorproblem behavior

Psychotherapy:Psychotherapy:Application of Application of psychological psychological

knowledge to the knowledge to the treatment of treatment of

problem behaviorproblem behavior


PsychologyPsychology

Behavior Therapy:Behavior Therapy:Application of Application of learning to the learning to the

direct modification direct modification of problem behaviorof problem behavior

Behavior Therapy:Behavior Therapy:Application of Application of learning to the learning to the

direct modification direct modification of problem behaviorof problem behavior


PsychologyPsychology Work in institutions for Work in institutions for

mentally ill, outpatient mentally ill, outpatient clinics, college clinics, clinics, college clinics,

private practiceprivate practice Largest subgroup (what most Largest subgroup (what most people think when hear about people think when hear about

psych)psych) Differs from psychiatrist Differs from psychiatrist

(medical doctors who specialize (medical doctors who specialize in treatment)in treatment)

Work in institutions for Work in institutions for mentally ill, outpatient mentally ill, outpatient clinics, college clinics, clinics, college clinics,

private practiceprivate practice Largest subgroup (what most Largest subgroup (what most people think when hear about people think when hear about

psych)psych) Differs from psychiatrist Differs from psychiatrist

(medical doctors who specialize (medical doctors who specialize in treatment)in treatment)

CounselingCounselingCounsel people facing Counsel people facing challengeschallenges

Use interviews and tests Use interviews and tests to define their clients to define their clients problemsproblems

Clients typically have Clients typically have maladjustment problems maladjustment problems but not serious but not serious psychological disorderspsychological disorders

Counsel people facing Counsel people facing challengeschallenges

Use interviews and tests Use interviews and tests to define their clients to define their clients problemsproblems

Clients typically have Clients typically have maladjustment problems maladjustment problems but not serious but not serious psychological disorderspsychological disorders

CounselingCounselingClients may encounter Clients may encounter difficulty in making academic difficulty in making academic or vocational decisions or or vocational decisions or making friends, marital and making friends, marital and family conflicts, physical family conflicts, physical handicaps, adjustment problemshandicaps, adjustment problems

Various counseling methods to Various counseling methods to help clients clarify goals and help clients clarify goals and find ways of surmounting goalsfind ways of surmounting goals

Clients may encounter Clients may encounter difficulty in making academic difficulty in making academic or vocational decisions or or vocational decisions or making friends, marital and making friends, marital and family conflicts, physical family conflicts, physical handicaps, adjustment problemshandicaps, adjustment problems

Various counseling methods to Various counseling methods to help clients clarify goals and help clients clarify goals and find ways of surmounting goalsfind ways of surmounting goals

CounselingCounseling

Employed at college counseling and

testing centers, rehabilitation

agencies

Employed at college counseling and

testing centers, rehabilitation

agencies

School PsychologistsSchool PsychologistsSchool PsychologistsSchool Psychologists Facilitating the social, Facilitating the social,

intellectual, and emotional intellectual, and emotional development of childrendevelopment of children

Work in schoolsWork in schools Consult with students with Consult with students with

problems that interfere with problems that interfere with learninglearningEx: social, family, Ex: social, family, emotional problems, and emotional problems, and specific learning disordersspecific learning disorders

Facilitating the social, Facilitating the social, intellectual, and emotional intellectual, and emotional development of childrendevelopment of children

Work in schoolsWork in schools Consult with students with Consult with students with

problems that interfere with problems that interfere with learninglearningEx: social, family, Ex: social, family, emotional problems, and emotional problems, and specific learning disordersspecific learning disorders

School Psychologists

School Psychologists

Define problems through: Define problems through: interviews with parents, interviews with parents, teachers, students, achievement teachers, students, achievement and intelligence tests, classroom and intelligence tests, classroom observationsobservations

Consult with teachers, school Consult with teachers, school officials, parents, teachers and officials, parents, teachers and other professionalsother professionals

Placement of students in special Placement of students in special education and remediation education and remediation programsprograms

Define problems through: Define problems through: interviews with parents, interviews with parents, teachers, students, achievement teachers, students, achievement and intelligence tests, classroom and intelligence tests, classroom observationsobservations

Consult with teachers, school Consult with teachers, school officials, parents, teachers and officials, parents, teachers and other professionalsother professionals

Placement of students in special Placement of students in special education and remediation education and remediation programsprograms

Educational Educational PsychologistsPsychologists


Concerned with Concerned with optimizing classroom optimizing classroom

conditions to conditions to facilitate learningfacilitate learning

Design educational Design educational programs and train programs and train

teachersteachers

Concerned with Concerned with optimizing classroom optimizing classroom

conditions to conditions to facilitate learningfacilitate learning

Design educational Design educational programs and train programs and train

teachersteachers



Improvement of course Improvement of course planning and instructional planning and instructional

methodsmethodsResearch interests include Research interests include how motivation, intelligence, how motivation, intelligence, sociocultural factors such as sociocultural factors such as poverty and acculturation and poverty and acculturation and

teacher behavior affect teacher behavior affect learninglearning

Improvement of course Improvement of course planning and instructional planning and instructional

methodsmethodsResearch interests include Research interests include how motivation, intelligence, how motivation, intelligence, sociocultural factors such as sociocultural factors such as poverty and acculturation and poverty and acculturation and

teacher behavior affect teacher behavior affect learninglearning

DevelopmentalDevelopmentalDevelopmentalDevelopmental Study the changes (physical, Study the changes (physical,

emotional, cognitive, and emotional, cognitive, and social) that occur throughout social) that occur throughout

the life spanthe life spanInfluences of heredity (nature) Influences of heredity (nature)

and environment (nurture) on and environment (nurture) on developmentdevelopment

Topics: effects of maternal drug Topics: effects of maternal drug use on the embryo, child rearing use on the embryo, child rearing practices, adolescent conflicts, practices, adolescent conflicts, adjustment among older peopleadjustment among older people

Study the changes (physical, Study the changes (physical, emotional, cognitive, and emotional, cognitive, and

social) that occur throughout social) that occur throughout the life spanthe life span

Influences of heredity (nature) Influences of heredity (nature) and environment (nurture) on and environment (nurture) on

developmentdevelopmentTopics: effects of maternal drug Topics: effects of maternal drug use on the embryo, child rearing use on the embryo, child rearing practices, adolescent conflicts, practices, adolescent conflicts, adjustment among older peopleadjustment among older people

Social/personalitySocial/personalitySocial/personalitySocial/personalityHow we influence and How we influence and

interact with other peopleinteract with other peopleDefine human traits, Define human traits, determine influence on determine influence on

thought processes, feelings thought processes, feelings and behavior, explain and behavior, explain psychological disorderspsychological disorders

Human issues (anxiety, Human issues (anxiety, aggression, gender roles)aggression, gender roles)

How we influence and How we influence and interact with other peopleinteract with other people

Define human traits, Define human traits, determine influence on determine influence on

thought processes, feelings thought processes, feelings and behavior, explain and behavior, explain psychological disorderspsychological disorders

Human issues (anxiety, Human issues (anxiety, aggression, gender roles)aggression, gender roles)

Social/Social/personalitypersonality

Social/Social/personalitypersonality

Social and external influencesSocial and external influencesAttitude formation and change, Attitude formation and change,

interpersonal attractions and interpersonal attractions and likings, stereotypes, likings, stereotypes,

conformity to group norms, conformity to group norms, group decision making processesgroup decision making processes

Personality: tend to look Personality: tend to look within the person for within the person for

explanations of behaviorexplanations of behavior

Social and external influencesSocial and external influencesAttitude formation and change, Attitude formation and change,

interpersonal attractions and interpersonal attractions and likings, stereotypes, likings, stereotypes,

conformity to group norms, conformity to group norms, group decision making processesgroup decision making processes

Personality: tend to look Personality: tend to look within the person for within the person for

explanations of behaviorexplanations of behavior

ExperimentalExperimentalExperimentalExperimentalConduct research into Conduct research into fundamental processes fundamental processes

relevant to more applied relevant to more applied specialtiesspecialties

Nervous system, sensation, Nervous system, sensation, perception, learning, memory, perception, learning, memory, thought, motivation, emotionthought, motivation, emotionMore likely to engage in More likely to engage in

basic or pure research basic or pure research (usually study animals)(usually study animals)

Conduct research into Conduct research into fundamental processes fundamental processes

relevant to more applied relevant to more applied specialtiesspecialties

Nervous system, sensation, Nervous system, sensation, perception, learning, memory, perception, learning, memory, thought, motivation, emotionthought, motivation, emotionMore likely to engage in More likely to engage in

basic or pure research basic or pure research (usually study animals)(usually study animals)

Industrial/Industrial/OrganizationalOrganizational


Behavior in the workplace; Behavior in the workplace; improving businesses in improving businesses in areas such as personnel, areas such as personnel, organizational efficiencyorganizational efficiencyRelationships between Relationships between

people and workpeople and workAssist in processes such as Assist in processes such as

hiring, training, and hiring, training, and promotionpromotion

Behavior in the workplace; Behavior in the workplace; improving businesses in improving businesses in areas such as personnel, areas such as personnel, organizational efficiencyorganizational efficiencyRelationships between Relationships between

people and workpeople and workAssist in processes such as Assist in processes such as

hiring, training, and hiring, training, and promotionpromotion



Devise tests that predict Devise tests that predict successful performance of successful performance of various jobs (gallup poll)various jobs (gallup poll)Make technical systems Make technical systems

(computer) more user (computer) more user friendly friendly

Strategies to appeal to Strategies to appeal to the consumer the consumer

Devise tests that predict Devise tests that predict successful performance of successful performance of various jobs (gallup poll)various jobs (gallup poll)Make technical systems Make technical systems

(computer) more user (computer) more user friendly friendly

Strategies to appeal to Strategies to appeal to the consumer the consumer

Emerging FieldsEmerging FieldsEmerging FieldsEmerging FieldsForensicForensic: expertise within : expertise within the criminal-justice systemthe criminal-justice systemServe as expert witnesses, Serve as expert witnesses, testify about competence of testify about competence of defendants to stand trial or defendants to stand trial or describe mental disorders and describe mental disorders and how affect criminal behaviorhow affect criminal behavior

Counsel officers help with Counsel officers help with stress, hostage situations, stress, hostage situations, suicide threatssuicide threats

ForensicForensic: expertise within : expertise within the criminal-justice systemthe criminal-justice systemServe as expert witnesses, Serve as expert witnesses, testify about competence of testify about competence of defendants to stand trial or defendants to stand trial or describe mental disorders and describe mental disorders and how affect criminal behaviorhow affect criminal behavior

Counsel officers help with Counsel officers help with stress, hostage situations, stress, hostage situations, suicide threatssuicide threats

Emerging FieldsEmerging FieldsEmerging FieldsEmerging Fields HealthHealth::examine the ways in which examine the ways in which behavior and mental processes such as behavior and mental processes such as attitudes are related to physical attitudes are related to physical healthhealth Headaches, cardiovascular disease, Headaches, cardiovascular disease, cancercancer

Patient compliance with medical Patient compliance with medical adviceadvice

Guide clients to take undertake more Guide clients to take undertake more healthy behaviors such as healthy behaviors such as exercising, quitting smoking, exercising, quitting smoking, healthy diethealthy diet

HealthHealth::examine the ways in which examine the ways in which behavior and mental processes such as behavior and mental processes such as attitudes are related to physical attitudes are related to physical healthhealth Headaches, cardiovascular disease, Headaches, cardiovascular disease, cancercancer

Patient compliance with medical Patient compliance with medical adviceadvice

Guide clients to take undertake more Guide clients to take undertake more healthy behaviors such as healthy behaviors such as exercising, quitting smoking, exercising, quitting smoking, healthy diethealthy diet

Questions Questions or or

Concerns? Concerns?

Questions Questions or or

Concerns? Concerns?

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What Is Psychology? Chapter One. Psychology as a Science Definition: the scientific study of behavior and mental processes