01 - Introduction to Psychology and Developmental Psychology
Introduction to Psychology
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UNDERSTANDING PSYCHOLOGY 5e Robert S. Feldman University of Massachusetts-Amherst Prepared by Richard A. Davis Boston University
Transcript of Introduction to Psychology
UNDERSTANDING PSYCHOLOGY 5e
Robert S. FeldmanUniversity of Massachusetts-Amherst
Prepared by Richard A. Davis
Boston University
Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
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1Introduction toPsychology
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Introduction to Psychology
Psychology– the scientific study of behavior and
mental processes
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The Branches of Psychology
The Biological foundations of behavior– biopsychology
• biological bases of behavior
Sensing, perceiving, learning, and thinking– experimental psychology
• process of sensing, perceiving, learning, and thinking
– cognitive psychology• higher mental processes
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The Branches of Psychology
Understanding change and individual differences– developmental psychology
• how people grow and change from conception to death
– personality psychology• attempts to explain both consistency and change in a
person’s behavior over time
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The Branches of Psychology
Physical and mental health– health psychology
• relationship between psychological factors and physical ailments or disease
– clinical psychology• study, diagnosis, and treatment of abnormal
behavior
– counseling psychology• educational, social, and career adjustment problems
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The Branches of Psychology
Physical and mental health– educational psychology
• teaching and learning processes
– school psychology• assessing children with academic or emotional
problems
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The Branches of Psychology
Understanding our social networks– social psychology
• how people are affected by others
– psychology of women• psychological factors related to women’s behavior
and development
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The Branches of Psychology
Understanding our social networks– industrial-organizational psychology
• psychology of the workplace
– consumer psychology• people’s buying habits, effects of advertising
– cross-cultural psychology• psychological functioning of various cultures and
ethnic groups
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The Branches of Psychology
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The Branches of Psychology
Newer specialty areas– evolutionary psychology– clinical neuropsychology– environmental psychology– forensic psychology– sport and exercise psychology– program evaluation
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The Demographics of the Discipline Psychology’s workplace
– 33% universities and colleges– 22% self-employed– 19% private for-profit companies– 9% private not-for-profit organizations– 7% state or local government– 5% schools– 5% government
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The Demographics of the Discipline
Psychologists: a statistical portrait– 60% male but the % women is increasing– Most found in the United States (about 2/3)– Less than 6% minority
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The Demographics of the Discipline
The education of a psychologist– How do people become psychologists?
• PhD
• PsyD
• Master’s degree
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The Roots of Psychology
Structuralism• Fundamental elements that form the foundation of
thinking, consciousness, and emotions
• Introspection
Functionalism• The function of mental activity and behavior
Gestalt psychology• “The whole is different from the sum of its parts”
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Today’s Perspectives
The biological perspective– Behavior from the perspective of biological
functioning The psychodynamic perspective
– Behavior is motivated by inner forces The cognitive perspective
– How people know, understand, and think about the world
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Today’s Perspectives
The behavioral perspective– observable behavior should be the focus of
study The humanistic perspective
– people are in control of their lives– free will
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Psychology’s Key Issues and Questions Nature versus Nurture
– how much of our behavior is due to heredity and how much is due to environment?
Conscious versus unconscious determinants of behavior– how much of our behavior is produced by
forces of which we are fully aware?
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Psychology’s Key Issues and Questions Observable behavior versus internal mental
processes– Should psychology concentrate solely on
observable behavior? Freedom of choice versus determinism
– How much of behavior is a matter of choice?
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Psychology’s Key Issues and Questions Individual differences versus universal
principles– How much of behavior is a consequence of the
unique and special qualities that each of us possesses?
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Psychology’s Future
Psychology will become more specialized New perspectives will evolve Explanations for behavior will include
genetic, environmental, biological, and social influences
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Psychology’s Future
Psychological treatment will become more accessible and socially acceptable
Psychology’s influence will grow Psychology will consider the country’s
growing diversity
Reference:
http://www.psychology.eku.edu/Links/PSY202/Chap01.ppt
