CHAPTER 1:

Introducing key schools of thought and

Scope of the field.
 What is Psychology?

 Psychology is the scientific study of mind (mental processes) and behavior.
 The word “psychology” comes from the Greek words “psyche,” meaning life, and “logos,”
meaning explanation.
 PSYCHOLOGY AS A SCIENCE:
 All scientists, whether they are physicists, chemists, biologists, or psychologists, use empirical
research to study the topics that interest them. We can label the scientific method as the set of
assumptions, rules, and procedures that scientists use to conduct empirical research.
 Empirical research methods include collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data, reaching
conclusions, and sharing information.
 GOALS OF PSYCHOLOGY:
1. To Describe
2. To Explain
3. To Predict
4. To Change
 THE EVOLUTION OF PSYCHOLOGY: CENTRAL QUESTIONS,
HISTORY, AND CONTEMPORARY PERSPECTIVES


 SCHOOLS OF PSYCHOLOGY
1. STRUCTURALISM
 Wilhelm Wundt is considered to have created the first psychology lab in Leipzig,
Germany in1879. Wundt’s research focused on the nature of consciousness itself.
 Wundt began the field known as structuralism, a school of psychology whose goal was to
identify the basic elements or “structures” of psychological experience.
 Introspection involves asking research participants to describe exactly what they experience as they
work on mental tasks, such as viewing colors, reading a page in a book, or performing a
math problem.
 Thus, the structuralists were the first to realize the importance of unconscious
processes, that many important aspects of human psychology occur outside our
conscious awareness, and that psychologists cannot expect research participants to
be able to accurately report on all their experiences. Consequently, the structuralist
approach is no longer used.
 2. FUNCTIONALISM

 William James was a member of the school of functionalism. The goal of functionalism was
to understand why animals and humans have developed the mental processes that they currently possess
(Hunt, 1993.
 James and the other members of the functionalist school were influenced by Charles Darwin’s
(1809–1882) theory of natural selection, which proposed that the physical characteristics of
animals and humans evolved because they were useful, or functional.
 The functionalists believed that Darwin’s theory applied to psychological characteristics too.
 Just as some animals have developed strong muscles to allow them to run fast, the
functionalists thought the human brain must have adapted to serve a particular function in
human survival.
 Although functionalism no longer exists as a school of psychology, its basic principles have
been absorbed into psychology and continue to influence it in many ways.
 3. PSYCHODYNAMIC
PERSPECTIVE

 Perhaps the psychological perspective that is most familiar to the public is the
psychodynamic approach, which was initiated by Sigmund Freud (1856–1939) and
modernized by his followers.
 The Psychodynamic Perspective is an approach to understanding human behavior that
focuses on early childhood experiences and the role of unconscious thoughts, feelings, and memories.
 Freud believed that many of the problems that his patients experienced, including
anxiety, depression, and sexual dysfunction, were the result of the effects of painful
childhood experiences that the person could no longer remember.
 The current psychodynamic perspective focuses on the importance of human
development from birth on, and early child development is seen as critical for later
adult functioning (Hansell et al., 2008). Parents and other “loved figures” are
considered crucial role models for children, and children will develop mental models
of how relationships work based on their personal experiences with family members.
 This idea that early childhood experiences are critical and the concept of therapy as a
way of improving human lives, are both derived from current psychodynamic
perspective and remain important to psychology (Moore & Fine, 1995).
 4. BEHAVIORAL
PERSPECTIVE

 The first behaviorist was the American psychologist John B. Watson (1878-
1958).
 Behaviorism is based on the premise that it is not possible to objectively study the mind,
and therefore psychologists should limit their attention to the study of behavior itself.
Behaviorists believe that the human mind is a black box into which stimuli are
sent and from which responses are received.
 They argue that there is no point in trying to determine what happens in the
box because we can successfully predict behavior without knowing what
happens inside the mind. Furthermore, behaviorists believe that it is possible
to develop laws of learning that can explain all behaviors.
 The most famous behaviorist was Burrhus Frederick (B. F.) Skinner
(1904–1990), who expanded the principles of behaviorism and also brought
them to the attention of the public at large.
 5. HUMANISTIC
PERSPECTIVE

 Another perspective which focuses on thinking and emotions is humanism.
 Humanism embraces the concepts of self, self-esteem, self-actualization, and free will.
 The humanistic perspective, popularized in the 1950s, was referred to as the “Third
Force” in psychology (Moore, 1989).
 The humanistic perspective believes that individuals possess personal choice and can rise
above the unconscious desires suggested by Freud and his followers.
 Additionally, the humanistic perspective counters the blank slate belief and constraints
imposed by the environment, as suggested by the behaviorist perspective.
 Unlike the psychoanalytic and behavioral perspectives, humanistic psychologists are
more likely to talk about the self-concept. Humanists, such as Carl Rogers (1902-1987)
and Abraham Maslow (1908-1970), believed that each individual strives to reach their
full potential.
 Rogers and Maslow stressed self-actualization, which is “the inherent tendency of an
organism to develop all of its capacities in ways which serve to maintain or enhance the organism,”
(Rogers, 1959, p. 196).
 They also viewed individuals as basically trustworthy, possessing dignity and worth, and
desiring to be in harmony with others.
 6. BIOLOGICAL
PERSPECTIVE

 The biological perspective focuses on the interaction between biology and
emotions, thoughts, and behaviors.
 Scientists who study the importance of the biological perspective
combine the understanding of physiology with the experimental
methods of psychology. Such scientists, often called neuroscientists,
believe that all thoughts, emotions, and behaviors have a physical
basis.
 Some researchers from the biological perspective might examine the
role of genes in influencing our personality, intelligence, or tendency
to develop psychological disorders. For example, genes may be the
source of anatomical, chemical or physiological defects, but may also
cause a susceptibility to develop a variety of behavioral problems
(Kolb & Whishaw, 2011).
 7. COGNITIVE PERSPECTIVE

 The Cognitive perspective studies mental processes, including perception,
thinking, memory, and judgment. These actions correspond well to the
processes that computers perform.
 These psychologists contend that people interpret, as well as, respond
to the stimuli they experience. It is essential to take the mind into
account to fully understand the actions of humans in response to
environmental stimuli.
 Cognitive psychology remains enormously influential today, and it has
guided research in such varied fields as language, problem solving,
memory, intelligence, education, human development, social
psychology, and psychotherapy.
 THE MANY DISCIPLINES OF
PSYCHOLOGY

1. Biopsychology and neuroscience
2. Clinical and counseling psychology
3. Cognitive psychology
4. Developmental psychology
5. Forensic psychology
6. Health psychology
7. Community psychology
8. Industrial- organizational (I/O)
9. Environmental psychology
10. Personality psychology
11. School and educational psychology
12. Social and cross- cultural psychology
13. Sports psychology
 APPLICATIONS OF
PSYCHOLOGY

1. Clinical and Counseling psychology

2. Health Psychology

3. Educational Psychology

4. Industrial Psychology

5. Sports Psychology

6. Environmental Psychology