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class notes for introduction to psyschology

These notes provide a comprehensive overview of the key concepts in psychology, including theories, areas of research, and famous psychologists. You can format these notes and upload them to Scribd for sharing with others interested in learning about psychology.

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shanzah
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11 views

class notes for introduction to psyschology

These notes provide a comprehensive overview of the key concepts in psychology, including theories, areas of research, and famous psychologists. You can format these notes and upload them to Scribd for sharing with others interested in learning about psychology.

Uploaded by

shanzah
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 4

1.

Major Schools of Thought in Psychology

a. Structuralism

 Founded by Wilhelm Wundt, structuralism focuses on breaking down mental processes


into their most basic components.
 Key Concept: Introspection — examining one's own conscious thoughts and feelings.
 Structuralism sought to understand the structure of the mind through systematic
observation.

b. Functionalism

 Influenced by William James, functionalism is concerned with how mental processes


help individuals adapt to their environments.
 It emphasizes the purpose of consciousness and behavior.
 Functionalism laid the groundwork for modern psychology by focusing on applied
psychology.

c. Psychoanalysis

 Founded by Sigmund Freud, psychoanalysis focuses on the unconscious mind and the
role of internal conflicts in shaping behavior.
 Freud’s theories include concepts like the id, ego, and superego, which influence
personality development and psychological disorders.

d. Behaviorism

 Proposed by John B. Watson and later B.F. Skinner, behaviorism focuses solely on
observable behavior, dismissing internal mental states.
 Key Concept: Behavior is learned through conditioning — both classical and operant
conditioning.

e. Humanistic Psychology

 Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow were key figures in humanistic psychology, which
emphasizes personal growth and self-actualization.
 Humanistic psychology focuses on the positive aspects of human experience and
individual potential.

2. Major Areas of Psychology

a. Biological Psychology
 Focuses on the physical aspects of psychology, such as brain structure and function,
neurotransmitters, and genetic influences on behavior.
 Key Focus: The relationship between the brain and behavior, including how the brain
controls emotions, memory, and learning.

b. Cognitive Psychology

 Studies mental processes such as perception, memory, decision-making, and problem-


solving.
 Key Concept: Cognitive psychology looks at how individuals acquire, process, and store
information.
 Important Theories: Information-processing model, schemas, and cognitive biases.

c. Developmental Psychology

 Focuses on human growth and changes across the lifespan, from infancy to old age.
 Studies cognitive, emotional, and social development throughout life.
 Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive Development and Erikson's Psychosocial Stages are
foundational theories in this field.

d. Social Psychology

 Explores how people interact with one another and how social influences affect behavior.
 Key Concepts: Conformity, obedience, group dynamics, and social perception.
 Famous Studies: Stanley Milgram's Obedience Study, Philip Zimbardo's Stanford
Prison Experiment.

e. Clinical and Counseling Psychology

 Focuses on diagnosing and treating mental health disorders.


 Clinical psychologists often work with severe mental health issues, while counseling
psychologists help individuals with everyday life challenges.
 Therapies: Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), psychodynamic therapy, and
humanistic therapy.

3. Research Methods in Psychology

a. Experimental Method

 Involves manipulating variables to determine cause-and-effect relationships.


 Control Group vs. Experimental Group: The control group is not exposed to the
experimental condition, while the experimental group is.
 Independent Variable: The variable that is manipulated.
 Dependent Variable: The variable that is measured.
b. Correlational Research

 Examines the relationship between two or more variables without manipulating them.
 Correlation Coefficient: A statistic that indicates the strength and direction of the
relationship between two variables.
 Note: Correlation does not imply causation.

c. Observational Research

 Involves observing subjects in their natural environment without interference.


 Naturalistic Observation: Watching behavior in its natural setting.
 Case Studies: In-depth study of an individual or group.

d. Survey Research

 Uses questionnaires or interviews to gather information from a large number of people.


 Common in social and developmental psychology for understanding attitudes, beliefs,
and behaviors.

4. Key Psychological Theories

a. Classical Conditioning (Pavlov)

 Key Concept: Learning through association.


 Involves pairing a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus to elicit a conditioned
response.
 Example: Pavlov's dogs learned to salivate at the sound of a bell after it was paired with
food.

b. Operant Conditioning (Skinner)

 Learning through consequences (reinforcement and punishment).


 Positive Reinforcement: Adding something pleasant to increase behavior.
 Negative Reinforcement: Removing something unpleasant to increase behavior.

c. Social Learning Theory (Bandura)

 Key Concept: Learning through observation, imitation, and modeling.


 Bobo Doll Experiment: Demonstrated that children learn aggressive behavior by
watching adults.

5. Conclusion
Psychology is a broad and diverse field that encompasses multiple approaches to understanding
behavior and mental processes. Through various theories, methods, and research, psychology has
developed as a scientific discipline that can explain and address many human experiences.
Whether through studying cognitive processes, understanding social behavior, or applying
therapeutic interventions, psychology helps to improve lives and solve real-world problems.

These notes provide a comprehensive overview of the key concepts in psychology, including
theories, areas of research, and famous psychologists. You can format these notes and upload
them to Scribd for sharing with others interested in learning about psychology.

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