What is Psychology?What is Psychology?Many different views of Many different views of psychology.psychology.

Loosely defined as “the Loosely defined as “the science that deals with science that deals with the behavior and the behavior and thinking of organisms.thinking of organisms.

ScienceScience

A science is a branch of A science is a branch of study based on study based on

systematically conducted systematically conducted research.research.

Only strict procedures to Only strict procedures to gain research is permittedgain research is permitted

BehaviorBehaviorBehavior refers to Behavior refers to activities by animals or activities by animals or humans that can be humans that can be observed directly.observed directly.Studying emotional Studying emotional behaviors is much more behaviors is much more difficult that physical ones.difficult that physical ones.

ThinkingThinkingThinking refers to an Thinking refers to an unobservable activity by unobservable activity by which we reorganize past which we reorganize past experiencesexperiences

Can only be studies thorough Can only be studies thorough observed behavior, testing, observed behavior, testing, or physiological changes. or physiological changes.

What Psychologists StudyWhat Psychologists StudyFocus on common and Focus on common and

unusual behaviors.unusual behaviors.Try to study things that Try to study things that

happen in everyday life.happen in everyday life.They study human behavior They study human behavior

in all sorts of situations.in all sorts of situations.

Abnormal BehaviorAbnormal BehaviorExamine violent behaviorExamine violent behaviorThis is a small part of This is a small part of psychology.psychology.

Most of the time, Most of the time, psychologists examine the psychologists examine the cause of abnormal cause of abnormal behaviorbehavior

Psychology and Other SciencesPsychology and Other Sciences

Has borrowed measuring bodily Has borrowed measuring bodily changes from physicschanges from physics

Has learned about body chemistry Has learned about body chemistry and how it relates to mood and and how it relates to mood and personality.personality.

Biology has provided information Biology has provided information about glands, senses and other about glands, senses and other valuable information.valuable information.

Focus in psych is always behavior.Focus in psych is always behavior.

Other Sciences and PsychOther Sciences and Psych

Anthropology – the study of Anthropology – the study of life and cultures.life and cultures.

Sociology – study of groups.Sociology – study of groups. Social Psychology – How Social Psychology – How

individuals think and behave individuals think and behave in relation to a group.in relation to a group.

History of PsychologyHistory of Psychology►In its earliest form, psych was In its earliest form, psych was

about spirits and how those about spirits and how those spirits impacted a person’s spirits impacted a person’s behavior positively or behavior positively or negatively.negatively.

►Some cultures put holes in the Some cultures put holes in the skull to “let out evil spirits”skull to “let out evil spirits”

The Ancient EgyptiansThe Ancient Egyptians►Each person had a person in Each person had a person in them called “Ka” who was them called “Ka” who was responsible for behavior.responsible for behavior.

►Had smaller versions of “Ka” Had smaller versions of “Ka” who controlled the bigger who controlled the bigger “Ka’s” through Ka number 7.“Ka’s” through Ka number 7.

The GreeksThe Greeks►Hippocrates was the first to say Hippocrates was the first to say

abnormal behavior was cause by abnormal behavior was cause by natural causes.natural causes.

►The body has four “humors” – The body has four “humors” – blood, phlegm, black bile, and blood, phlegm, black bile, and yellow bile.yellow bile.

►An imbalance of these caused An imbalance of these caused problems in the body chemistry problems in the body chemistry causing mental problems.causing mental problems.

The Middle AgesThe Middle Ages►In the middle ages, it In the middle ages, it went back to evil spirits.went back to evil spirits.

►Abnormal behavior was Abnormal behavior was considered to be demon considered to be demon possession and people possession and people were given exorcism – to were given exorcism – to expel the demon.expel the demon.

The 1600’s and 1700’sThe 1600’s and 1700’s

►Descartes proposed Descartes proposed that the mind and that the mind and body interact and one body interact and one could impact the other.could impact the other.

►Echoed HippocratesEchoed Hippocrates

The 1600’s and 1700’sThe 1600’s and 1700’s

►Phrenology – The science Phrenology – The science that all people’s that all people’s personality and character personality and character could be read from feeling could be read from feeling the bumps on their head.the bumps on their head.

►More garbage.More garbage.

Later DevelopmentsLater DevelopmentsDuring the 1800’s, many During the 1800’s, many sciences expanded.sciences expanded.

Physicists, biologists, and Physicists, biologists, and chemists were discovering chemists were discovering new information.new information.

Behaviorists were as well.Behaviorists were as well.

Wundt’s StructuralismWilliam Wundt – known as the

first psychologist.Studied the structure of human

consciousness.Used introspection and

experimentation.

William James’ FunctionalismJames believed studying how

the mind worked was more important than structure.

He thought how the human mind functioned was the important thing.

Sigmund Freud and Sigmund Freud and PsychoanalysisPsychoanalysis

•Freud believed that human Freud believed that human behavior is influenced by behavior is influenced by feelings and thoughts buried feelings and thoughts buried deep inside.deep inside.

•To try to assist people, Freud To try to assist people, Freud wanted to draw those feelings wanted to draw those feelings out.out.

•Once out, they wouldn’t Once out, they wouldn’t torment people any longer.torment people any longer.

Freud ContinuedFreud Continued•Free Association – Immediate Free Association – Immediate response to a thought or response to a thought or question without thinking.question without thinking.

•Freud used dream analysis Freud used dream analysis as well to examine a person’s as well to examine a person’s unconscious thoughts.unconscious thoughts.

The BehavioristsThe BehavioristsJohn Watson – Thought that John Watson – Thought that observable behavior was observable behavior was the only way to measure.the only way to measure.

Behaviorists feel that Behaviorists feel that surroundings are the most surroundings are the most important indicator of important indicator of behavior.behavior.

The BehavioristsThe BehavioristsWatson believed he could Watson believed he could take a normal, healthy take a normal, healthy infant and mold it into infant and mold it into anything.anything.

B.F. Skinner and Albert B.F. Skinner and Albert Bandura were famous Bandura were famous behaviorists – Behavior is behaviorists – Behavior is learned from observing.learned from observing.

Gestalt PsychologyGestalt Psychology

These study how people use These study how people use their five senses to get their five senses to get information from their information from their environment.environment.

They think the whole is more They think the whole is more important than the sum of the important than the sum of the parts.parts.

Psychology TodayPsychology Today

Today, we used all five of Today, we used all five of the psychological the psychological approaches as well as approaches as well as several more.several more.

There are three branches There are three branches that have evolved.that have evolved.

Cognitive PsychologyCognitive Psychology

Focuses on how people Focuses on how people perceive, store, and interpret perceive, store, and interpret information.information.

We use prior knowledge to fill We use prior knowledge to fill gaps in our understanding.gaps in our understanding.

Patterns of thinking.Patterns of thinking.

Existential PsychologyExistential Psychology

Stresses the importance of Stresses the importance of individual choice.individual choice.

Believe that people have Believe that people have free will and behavior is a free will and behavior is a combination of learned combination of learned behavior and free choice.behavior and free choice.

Humanistic PsychologyHumanistic PsychologyThe study of how people The study of how people try to achieve maximum try to achieve maximum potential through health potential through health and self-growth.and self-growth.

Mix between Gestalt and Mix between Gestalt and Existentialism.Existentialism.

Current ViewsMost psychologists today

take on a mixed approach.They will use whatever

approach is most beneficial to the patient.