Introduction To Psychology

UNDERSTANDING PSYCHOLOGY 5e Robert S. Feldman University of Massachusetts-Amherst

Prepared by Richard A. Davis Boston University

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Introduction to Psychology

Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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Introduction to Psychology ■

Psychology – the scientific study of behavior and mental processes

Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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The Branches of Psychology ■

The Biological foundations of behavior – biopsychology • biological bases of behavior

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Sensing, perceiving, learning, and thinking – experimental psychology • process of sensing, perceiving, learning, and thinking

– cognitive psychology • higher mental processes Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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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 Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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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 Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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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

Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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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

Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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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 Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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The Branches of Psychology

Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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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 Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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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 Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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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

Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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The Demographics of the Discipline ■

The education of a psychologist – How do people become psychologists? • PhD • PsyD • Master’s degree

Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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The Roots of Psychology ■

Structuralism • Fundamental elements that form the foundation of thinking, consciousness, and emotions • Introspection

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Functionalism • The function of mental activity and behavior

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Gestalt psychology • “The whole is different from the sum of its parts” Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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Today’s Perspectives ■

The biological perspective – Behavior from the perspective of biological functioning

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The psychodynamic perspective – Behavior is motivated by inner forces

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The cognitive perspective – How people know, understand, and think about the world Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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Today’s Perspectives ■

The behavioral perspective – observable behavior should be the focus of study

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The humanistic perspective – people are in control of their lives – free will

Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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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?

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Conscious versus unconscious determinants of behavior – how much of our behavior is produced by forces of which we are fully aware? Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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Psychology’s Key Issues and Questions ■

Observable behavior versus internal mental processes – Should psychology concentrate solely on observable behavior?

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Freedom of choice versus determinism – How much of behavior is a matter of choice?

Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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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?

Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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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

Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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Psychology’s Future ■

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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 Copyright © 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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