Introduction to

Psychology

Psychology

You see someone behaving in a certain way.

Maybe it’s a girl: she is loud and always trying to be the center of attention at parties.

How would you try to explain her behavior? What approach do you think you might take?

Psychology: DefinitionThe study of mental functions and behaviors.

“The human brain is by far the most

complex physical object known to us in the entire cosmos.”

Owen Gingerich (Astronomer)

Psychology

Topics of focus:Behavior

Mental ProcessesConsciousness

PerceptionPersonality

DevelopmentMemory

IntelligenceDisorders

Psychology

Psychologist: evaluates, diagnoses, treats, and studies behavior and mental processes. Clinical and counseling psychologists provide mental

health care.

Psychiatrist: specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. Psychiatrists are medical doctors who must evaluate patients to

determine whether their symptoms are the result of a physical or mental illness.

History of Psychology“Trepanning” (drilling a

hole into a person’s head to relieve pressure or let

out evil spirits) was practiced as a treatment for abnormal behavior in neolithic times through

the 1700s.

“The Extraction of the Stone of Madness” (c.1488)

History of PsychologyIn Ancient Greece, Hippocrates (c. 460 – 370 BC)

introduced the idea of “four temperaments of personality.” sanguine (optimistic, leader-like), choleric (bad-tempered, irritable), melancholic

(analytical, quiet), and phlegmatic (relaxed, peaceful). A person’s personality was determined by by an excess or lack of body fluids (called "humors"):

blood, yellow bile, black bile, and phlegm.

History of Psychology

John Locke (1632-1704) published the idea that children are born as

“blank slates” (a “Tabula Rasa”), and that life

experiences form who they become as adults.

This idea contradicted the previous notion that we

are born with some knowledge and habits.

History of PsychologyFranz Joseph Gall

argued that you could learn about a person’s intelligence, character, and personality based on the size, shape, and number of bumps on

their head. The study of Phrenology, popular in

the 1800s, was based on this theory.

History of PsychologyWilhelm Wundt (1832 - 1920) was the first person to call himself a “psychologist.” He built the first laboratory for

psychological research in Germany. He provided his subjects with stimuli, and asked them to describe how it made them

feel. This strategy came to be called “Structuralism.”

History of PsychologySigmund Freud (1856-1939)

created psychoanalysis (dialogue between a patient and a

psychoanalyst, thought to bring relief from psychological

disorders). He also developed the idea that the conscious

mind (everything we are aware of) is only the “tip of the

iceberg”, while the unconscious mind holds the primitive wishes, impulses, and repressed feelings

that influence our behavior.

History of Psychology

Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936) introduced the idea of “conditioning” as a form of learning and an explanation for certain habits and

behaviors shown by both animals and humans. This study led to an approach to Psychology called “behaviorism.”

History of PsychologyJean Piaget (1896-1980) published influential theories about human development from childhood to adulthood. His work increased the popularity of developmental psychology: the study of how humans

change over the courses of their lives.

History of PsychologyIn 1954, Abraham Maslow developed the concept of “self-actualization”: the

motivation to realize one's full potential. Expressing one's creativity,

the pursuit of knowledge, the desire to give back to society, and “finding yourself” are examples of self-

actualization.

Psychology TodayPsychology is a diverse field today. Some sub-fields are more scientific, like neuropsychology or evolutionary psychology. Others, like cognitive psychology, are more philosophical.

Assignment: Explore different branches of Psychology by completing the

assignment on our google classroom.

Class code: 5447mh