THE EVOLUTION OF PSCYHOLOGY CHAPTER 1

Psychology is a young science just a little over 100 years old. It evolved from philosophy and physiology.

Father of Psychology German professor Wilhelm Wundt (1832 – 1920) established first formal laboratory for psychological research in 1879 at the University of Leipzig. 1881 developed first journal devoted to publishing psychological research. He focused on psychology as the study of consciousness. He developed the method of introspection( looking within) to study conscious experience. He trained people to observe stimuli and describe their experiences. Eg. He would ask subjects to describe red while looking at a red apple. Problem with this is that descriptions are very subjective.

G. Stanley Hall (1846 – 1924) considered father of American Psychology. He developed first American psychological research lab, first American psychological research journal and the APA( American Psychological Association)

Structuralism vs Functionalism

Structuralism introduced by a former student of Wundt’s, Edward Titchner. Structuralists believed that in order to understand consciousness you had to break it down into its underlying components ( structures ) and once you understood the components you would understand the mind. Studied sensation and perception.

Functionalism. William James ( 1842 – 1910 ) believed we needed to study the function of consciousness. He felt it must have a purpose for our survival as suggested by Darwin’s Theory of Natural Selection. James viewed the mind as much more complex than its structures. He believed the mind developed over the course of evolution to help the organism cope with environmental demands. Functionalists believed there was a biological significance to behavior. The focus then shifted to the study of observable events. James believed in the stream of consciousness ( continuous flow of thoughts) and was interested in how organisms adapted their behaviors in relation to the environmental factors presented.

Behaviorism introduced by John Watson (1878 – 1958 ) argued that psychology should study only observable behavior. Felt that animal behaviors are controlled by the stimuli they encounter within their environments. In the nature vs. nurture debate Watson argued that environment controls behavior not heredity. Other prominent behaviorists would follow including Edward Thorndike ( 1874 – 1949) and B.F. Skinner ( 1904 – 1990 ). Skinner believed that organisms will repeat behaviors that lead to positive outcomes and will diminish behaviors that lead to neutral or negative outcomes. He created great controversy when he suggested that “ free will is an illusion”. Edward Thorndike .

The Evolution of Psychology Part 2

Sigmund Freud (1856 – 1939) introduced the very controversial Psychodynamic Personality Theory. He suggested that the unconscious mind exerts great influence over our behaviors and how individuals deal with their sexual urges in particular, determines much of their behavior.

Humanism rose out of the notion that human behaviors were far more complex than animal responses to stimuli or the result of unconscious sexual urges. Humanists such as Carl Rodgers ( 1902 – 1987 ) and Abraham Maslow ( 1908 – 1970 ) argued that humans are free, rational beings with the ability for personal growth. Humanists argue it one’s “self concept” that drives behaviors as well as a basic human need for personal growth. After 1960a shift in psychology took place in the direction of biology.

Donald Hebb (1904 – 1985) proposed that behavior and mental phenomenon could be directly related to brain activity. He believed the brain could organize itself into circuits when learning occurred and could be modified by experience. He was the first to suggest plasticity in neural networks. He was the first Canadian president of the APA. A driving force behind physiological ( biological ) psych.

Evolutionary Psychology is the most recent major development in psychology. It suggests that behavioral processes have evolved as a result of their usefulness in terms of survival of the species. This is similar to Darwin’s theory of natural selection.

Branches of Psychology

Two main branches are Applied Psychology ( huge demand as a result of WWI and WW2) and Research Psychology.

Applied Psychology includes:

• Clinical Psychology: This deals with diagnosis and treatment of individuals with psychological disorders, emotional or behavioral problems. Clinical psychologists tend to use some form of psychotherapy or behavior modification when treating their patients. Clinical psychologists are NOT medical doctors. The branch of medicine that treats psychosis and neurosis is psychiatry. Psychiatrists are medical doctors and as such can use drug therapies in the treatment of patients with psychological disorders.
• Counseling Psychology: Similar to clinical psychology but tends to focus on issues of everyday living such as family and marriage counseling.
• Educational Psychology: Works to improve curriculum, train teachers, assess students and design programs to help meet needs of struggling students. ( Discuss issues that lead to difficulties)
• Industrial and Organizational Psychology: Generally in the areas of business and industry. May be engaged in improving workplace perceptions, increasing productivity, improving staff morale, motivation etc.( sports, consumer, health )
• Research Psychologies
• Biological/Psychology: Studies biological processes often related to the nervous system and how those processes are related to behavior. Often use animals as models for human behavior. Animals are more basic, and clearly only model limited behaviors. In humans biological psychology often uses brain imaging techniques such as PET scans, MRI, and EEG as well as measures of heart rate, breathing and blood pressure.
• Cognitive Psychology: Jean Piaget and Noam Chomsky leading contributors. Studies complex mental processes and complex behaviors such as learning, memory, attention, problem solving and perception. Looks at how our brain determines how we experience our environment and interact with it.
• Developmental Psychology: Examines physical, social, cognitive and emotional development in children. (Walking, talking, social interactions, etc.) There’s a broad range of age but it is mainly focused on children. (Geriatric )
• Social Psychology: Studies how individuals and groups impact others behavior. Relationships, group think, peer pressure, prejudice, attitudes, conformity etc.
• Abnormal Psychology: The study of mental disorders.

Psychometrics: Measures behaviors and abilities through a variety of testing methods. ( Myers Briggs, Colour analysis, intelligence tests etc.) Answer preview questions on page 11 Summarize the 7 unifying themes.

• Psychology is empirical – it is based on objective observations made through research.

• Psychology is theoretically diverse – a variety of perspectives are needed to enhance our understanding of behavior

• Psychology evolves in a sociohistorical context – strong connections exist between what happens in psychology and what happens in society at large.

• Behavior is determined by multiple causes – complex causation in the rule and single- cause explanations are usually incomplete.

• Behavior is shaped by cultural heritage – cultural factors exert considerable influence over some aspects of behavior

• Heredity and environment jointly influence behavior

• People’s experience of the world is highly subjective – people tend to see what they expect to see and what they want to see.

Know Key Terms and Key People page 34

Try Practice test page 35

Complete Concept Checks throughout the chapter.

Check http:// psychology.wadsworth.com/weiten_themes6e/

The website also provides extra review materials and great links. V

Discuss the mind body problem.