Psychology- scientific study of behavior and mental processes.

Behavior includes all of our

outward or overt actions and reactions, such as talking, facial expressions, and movement. The
term mental processes refers to all the internal, covert (hidden) activity of our minds, such as
thinking, feeling, and remembering. (135 yrs)

Psychological Investigations (the goals)- Describe, Explain, Predict, Control

Some of the earlier pioneers in psychology:

Wilhelm Wundt- a physiologist, attempted to apply scientific principles to the study of the
human mind. He came up with his process of objective introspection, the process of objectively
examining and measuring one’s own thoughts and mental activities.

Edward Titchener- Englishman who eventually took Wundt’s ideas to Cornell University in
Ithaca, New York. Titchener expanded on Wundt’s original ideas, calling his new viewpoint
structuralism because the focus of study was the structure of the mind.

William James- focused on how the mind allows people to function in the real world—how
people work, play, and adapt to their surroundings, a viewpoint he called functionalism.

The basic ideas and who were the important people behind the early approaches known
as Gestalt, psychoanalysis, and behaviorism:

Gestalt psychology: Gestalt (Gesh-TALT) is a German word meaning “an organized whole” or
“configuration,” which fit well with the focus on studying whole patterns rather than small pieces
of them. (Max Wertheimer).

Freudian psychoanalysis: the theory and therapy based on Freud’s ideas, has been the basis
of much modern psychotherapy (a process in which a trained psychological professional helps a
person gain insight into and change his or her behavior. (Sigmund Freud)

John B. Watson had tired of the arguing among the structuralists; he challenged the functionalist
viewpoint, as well as psychoanalysis, with his own “science of behavior,” or behaviorism

7 Modern Perspectives:

Psychodynamic: focuses on the role of the unconscious mind and its influence on conscious
behavior, early childhood experiences, development of sense of self, and other motivations

Behavioral: focuses on how behavioral responses are learned through classical or operant
conditioning based on early work

Humanistic: focuses on human potential, free will, and possibility of self-actualization

Cognitive: focuses on memory, intelligence, perception, thought processes, problem solving,
language, and learning

Sociocultural: focuses on the behavior of individuals as the result of the presence (real or
imagined) of other individuals, as part of groups, or as part of a larger culture

Biopsychological: focuses on influences of hormones, brain structures and chemicals,

disease, etc.; human and animal behavior is seen as a direct result of events in the body

Evolutionary: focuses on the biological bases for universal mental characteristics, such as why
we lie, how attractiveness influences mate selection, the universality of fear, and why we enjoy
things like music and dance

Psychological Professionals:

The Five Steps of the Scientific Method:

1. Perceiving the question
2. Formulating a hypothesis
3. Testing the hypothesis
4. Drawing Conclusions
5. Report your result

Descriptive methods:
- Naturalistic Observation: Sometimes all a researcher needs to know is what is
happening to a group of animals or people. The best way to look at the behavior of
animals or people is to watch them behave in their normal environment.
- Observer Effect
- Participant observation
- Observer Bias
- Laboratory Observation: Sometimes observing behavior in animals or people is just
not practical in a natural setting
- Case Studies: Another descriptive technique is called the case study, in which one
individual is studied in great detail.
- Surveys: In the survey method, researchers will ask a series of questions about the
- topic they are studying.
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