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Introduction to
Psychology
Lecturers:
Ms Stephanie Bugeja
Dr. Olivia Galea Seychell
Dott. Mireille Vila
Dr. Miriam Geraldi Gauci

Cohort: 2020-2021

What is Psychology?
Module 1

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Additional recommended reading:

• Chapter: 1
• Book: Simply Psychology
• Author: Michael W. Eysenck

What is Psychology?
Psychology is the study of the mind and behaviour.
The discipline embraces all aspects of the human experience:
from the functions of the brain to the actions of nations, from
child development to care for the aged.

‘In every conceivable setting from scientific research

centers to mental health care services, "the understanding
of behaviour" is the enterprise of psychologists’. (APA)

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What is Psychology? Cont…/1

The science of behaviour and mental processes…

vBehaviour - observable actions of a person or animal;
vMind - thoughts, feelings, sensations, perceptions, memories,
dreams, motives and other subjective experiences;
vScience - an objective way to answer questions based on
observable facts/data and well-described methods.

The study of psychology is closely related to philosophy and

human physiology. Psychology separated from philosophy in
19th century, when it became a separate field of study.
However, the influences of philosophy and physiology are still
evident nowadays.

What is Psychology? Cont…/2

• Psychology is not a single, unified set of ideas. There are

different and sometimes competing frameworks
(paradigms) of knowledge.
• It is both an applied and academic field that studies the
human mind and behaviour.
• Research in psychology seeks to understand and explain
how we think, act and feel.

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Influential Philosophers
Important question:
How are mind and body related?

• René Descartes (1596–1650) suggested an interactive dualism. He

viewed the mind and the body as interactive machines.
• Proposed the idea of both voluntary and involuntary behaviour.
• Ruled out areas other than the brain for mental functioning.

Influential Philosophers/cont 1…

• John Locke: 1632-1704

• Knowledge should be acquired by careful observation.
• No innate ideas: all knowledge comes from experience or
reflection.
• Mind is a blank slate written on by experience (tabula rasa).

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Important Debates in Psychology

NATURE VS NURTURE
FREE WILL VS DETERMINISM

Nature versus Nurture

‘The dispute over the relative contributions of hereditary and

constitutional factors (nature) and environmental factors (nurture)
to the development of an individual. Nativists emphasize the role
of heredity, whereas environmentalists emphasize sociocultural
and ecological factors, including family attitudes, child-rearing
practices, and economic status’.

https://dictionary.apa.org/nature-nurture

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Nature vs Nurture
Questions

• Are our abilities determined by our genes or our

experiences?

• What are the interactions between genetics and

environment?

• What effect does it have on behaviour?

Plato: Ideas such

as “the good” and
“beauty” are
inborn. Aristotle:
All knowledge comes
through the senses.

Descartes: Some
ideas are innate.

v
Nature s Nurture

John Locke:
Charles Darwin: Some traits, The mind is a blank slate (blank
behaviors, and instincts are part of chalkboard or screen) “written
the nature of the species. on” by experience.

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Nature Nurture

We share a
common We have
origin that + differences
gives us an that are
inborn shaped by
human our
nature in environment
common.

Biology Plus Environment

are part of psychology’s
three
“biopsychosocial”
levels of analysis.

The deep level, The outer level,

Biology: Environment: social
genes, brain, neuro- Influences, culture,
transmitters, education,
survival, reflexes, relationships
sensation In the middle,
Psychology:
thoughts, emotions,
moods, choices,
behaviors, traits,
motivations,
knowledge,
perceptions

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Another important
debate:
Free will vs Determinism

Determinism

• The determinist approach proposes that all

behaviour has a cause and is thus predictable.

• Free will is an illusion, and our behaviour is

governed by internal or external forces over
which we have no control.

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Free will

• Free will is the idea that we are able to have some choice in
how we act and assumes that we are free to choose our
behaviour, in other words, we are self determined.

• For example, people can make a free choice as to whether to

commit a crime or not (unless they are a child or they are
insane).
• This does not mean that behavior is random, but we are free
from the causal influences of past events.

According to this position, people are responsible for their

own actions.

The free will vs determinism debate revolves

around the extent to which our behavior is the
result of forces over which we have no control
or whether people are able to decide for
themselves whether to act or behave in a
certain way.

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