A BRIEF HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY

• History of Psychology can be traced through centuries.

• It started at least during the time of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle in
ancient Greece
• These philosophers have debated psychological topics as where human
knowledge comes from,
- the nature of mind and soul, the relationship of the mind and the body
• Scientific Psychology thus ahs its roots in philosophy and especially in the
philosophical view called EMPIRICISM
A BRIEF HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY

• Scientific Psychology thus has its roots in philosophy and especially in the
philosophical view called EMPIRICISM
• Empiricism in 1600s – John Locke, Goerge Berkely, and David Hume argued that
our MINDS are more like a blank slate
• BLANK SLATE – “TABULA RASA” (Latin Word) on which our experiences write a
lifelong story.
- thus, knowledge comes to us only through our experiences and observations
THE BIRTH OF PSYCHOLOGY

•1879 – was the birth date of modern scientific psychology

•Wilhelm Wundt established the first formal psychology research laboratory, at the
University of Leipzig, Germany
•Wundt was a physiologist, he had been studying vision, hearing, and other sensory
perceptual systems.
•GOAL OF HIS STUDY: TO STUDY CONSCIOUSNESS
•Consciousness
– the mental experience that arises from these systems
- the awareness of external stimuli and our own mental activity
•Thus, Wundt began psychology’s transformation from the philosophy of mental
processes to the science of mental processes.
THE BIRTH OF PSYCHOLOGY

• Wundt, wanted to describe the basic elements

consciousness including how they are organized
and how they relate to one another
• INTROSPECTION – looking inward
- his method to study conscious experience
THE BIRTH OF PSYCHOLOGY

• Edward Titchener, an Englishman who studied under Wundt,

later used introspection in his own laboratory at Cornell
University to study sensation, feelings, and images associated
with conscious experience
• The study/works of Wundt and Titchener were known as
STRUCTURALISM ---------three mental experiences: images,
feelings and sensations
FUNCTIONALISM
•William James
•Rejected the idea of structuralism
•James claimed was to understand how sensations, memories, and all other mental vents that
make up our ever-flowing “streaming of consciousness” help us adapt to our environments
•Focused was on the function of consciousness in guiding our ability to make decisions, solve
problems, and the like.
•Studies : measures individual differences in learning, memory, and other aspects of
intelligences
“ THEY ARGUED THAT IT IS NOT THE STRUCTURE THAT SHOULD BE STUDIED”
INSTEAD OF SELF-ANALYSIS OF THE CONSCIOUS MENTAL EXPERIENCE, FUNCTIONALISTS
STUDIED HOW THE MIND AFFECTS WHAT AN INDIVIDUAL DOES
GESTALT PSYCHOLOGY

• 1912, another group of German psychologists, led by Max Wertheimer,

Kurt Koffka , and Wolfgang Kohler
• Argued against the value of trying to break down human experiences or
consciousness into its component parts.
• THEY ARE CALLED GESTALT PSYCHOLOGISTS – pointed out that the whole
shape of conscious experience is not the same as the sum of its parts
-------consciousness should be studied as a whole, not piece by piece.
PSYCHONANLYSIS

• Sigmund Freud
• structuralism and functionalism studied about conscious experience
• A physician in Vienna, Austria was exploring the unconscious
• Freud began to question that biological factors were behind all the behavior and mental
processes including illnesses.
• After several observation form his patients, he was convinced that the causes of some people’s
ailment were not physical but -------deep seated problems
• The study of cause and cure of personality disorder
• Stress the roles of motives and desires often hidden and repressed in the subconscious or
unconscious ---------when it is repressed = abnormal behavior
BEHAVIORISM

• John B. Watson
• Argued that psychologist should ignore mental processes/events and concerning
themselves observable behavior
• He did address consciousness (Structuralism and Functionalism) and unconscious
behavior as Freud claimed
• The study of consciousness would just prevent psychology a true science
• Thus, studies should all be observable….. S-R (Stimuls-Response)
BRACHES AND AREAS
OF SPECIALIZATION
OF PSYCHOLOGY
General Psychology
- Explains the underlying principles of human behavior – the study of how and why people behave this way
or what that way.
Comparative Psychology
- Treats on the behavior and mental processes of the different species
- Also known as Animal Psychology where activities of both man and animal are compared and
differentiated, particularly in relation to genetic and evolutionary theories.
Developmental or Genetic Psychology
- Concerns itself with the study of human behavior in all its aspects of growth and development
- Physical, mental, emotional, social, and moral developments are being studied
Child Psychology
- Study of human behavior from its post-natal beginnings up to early adolescence.
- Concerns with deals with stages of growth and maturation, the effects of environmental influences upon
individual patterns of development, and psychological and social interactions between the child and the
society into which he is born and in which he is reared.
Adolescent Psychology
- Study of the behavior from puberty to later life, approximately from twelve to twenty year old. It involves
the physical and mental maturation of an individual, as well as the emotional and social maturity.
Senescent Psychology
- The study of human behavior in old age.
Consumer Psychology
- Concerned with the investigation of the varied facets of marketing and buying behavior, effects of
advertising, studies of mass media, and other problems arising from the relationship between
buyer and seller.
Business Psychology
- The study of principles of psychology as applied to business and deals particularly with the
behavior of consumers.
- Psychological methods are employed to gain more customers and impress prospective buyers.
Dynamic Psychology
- Is a scientific interpretation of mental phenomena emphasizing internal drives and motives as the
cause of behavior
- In contemporary psychology, this is also referred to as personality psychology which is largely
concerned with the understanding of the nondeviant individual case.
Abnormal Psychology
- The study of human behavior and etiology or cause of personality defects, or man’s behavior which
deviates from the average reaction, hence abnormal.
Psychiatry Psychology
- Is psychology applied in medicine. It is concerned with the treatment of mental diseases.
Social Psychology
- Is the study of the behavior of groups of individuals in their relationship to other groups.

Cognitive Psychology
- Concerned with the mental processes involved in acquiring and using knowledge.

Forensic Psychology or Legal Psychology

- The study on the application of the principles of human behavior to law, or any legal
proceedings

Community Psychology
- Dedicated to promote health at the community level.
- Community psychologist prevent and treat psychological problems by working out to evaluate
and improve community organizations
 Areas of Specialization
Clinical Psychology
- Is dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of emotional and behavioral disorders.
- Closely work with psychiatrists
Counseling Psychology
- Concerns with dealing with normal people who encounter normal problems like academic, career , relationship
and/or social-personal issues.
Educational and School Psychology
- Deals with the application of psychological principles and techniques to help answering questions pertaining to
how children learn better with other children, how to help both eh gifted and mentally retarded children develop
their fullest potential; what the schools can do to overcome social, physical, and cultural handdicaps.
Experimental and Physiological Psychology
- Study basic psychological processes as sensation, perception, learning, memory, cognition, motivation, and
emotion.
- Ex. How we see, hear, feel pain.
Industrial-Organizational Psychology
- Concerned with methods of selecting, training, counseling, and supervising personnel in business and industry
- The study of human nature and reactions as related to problems of industry, especially affecting personnel and
job efficiency.
 METHODS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH

1. Introspection Method
2. Observation Method
2.1 Uncontrolled or Informal
2.2 Naturalistic Observation
2.3 Controlled or Formal Observation
3. Life-History Method
4. Survey Method
5. Experimental Method
6. Statistical Method
 METHODS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH
1. Introspection Method
- A subjective method of observation
- Studies and records the individual’s feelings and experiences and later interprets them.
2. Observation Method
- Visual and oral method of examining, describing, and interpreting the reactions of individuals and
groups in a laboratory, classroom, or out-of-school situations.
2.1 Uncontrolled or Informal
 does not follow any particular scope of behavior to be observed
 It is casual and observer/psychologist is free to observe the individual under studied.
2.2 Naturalistic Observation
 observing things as they naturally happen
 Known as field study method
2.3 Controlled or Formal Observation
 follows certain rules, in gathering materials in order to draw the best conclusions.
 In this method, certain requirements or specifications delimit the activity of the observer
 METHODS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH
3. Life-History Method
- Involves extensive studies of individuals by tracing the development o a particular form
of behavior
3.1 Day Book
- known as “diary” of development, a careful record of day-to-day activities
- used in child study and development
3.2 Clinical Method
- contains information concerning the emotional and personality adjustment
of human beings
- known as case history method (all available data gathered from the individual,
parents, and others are studied by the psychologists to discover the cause of,
and the solution to some social adjustment problems.
3.3 Biographical Method
- an analysis of the records of men’s lives as written by themselves or others.
 METHODS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH
4. Survey Method
- The use of written questionnaires or interviews data are obtained from a large group
particularly that group which will constitute a representative sample.
- This is used in obtaining norms surveys or opinion polls
5. Experimental Method
- Used to study behavior which can be brought into laboratory and studied under
controlled conditions
- Experiments may be done in a laboratory, in a classroom, or anywhere else in the
community
- Usually involve comparisons between the behavior of a controlled group and that of an
experimental group
6. Statistical Method
- The science of that deals with the collecting and handling of numerical data, and the
making of inferences from such data
LEVELS OF INVESTIGATION
 methods o looking into the reasons for man’s behavior

BIOLOGICAL LEVEL
 concerned with the bodily bases of behavior
 includes generic processes, age, brain, pathology, drugs, hormones, nutrition, illness, fatigue, and
bodily injury

PSYCHOLOGICAL LEVEL
 concerned with understanding the nature and role of psychological variables in human behavior
 categories of behavior are striving, thinking, feeling, and acting and more specific manifestations such
as value, beliefs, attitudes, emotions, dreams, habits, learning, problem-solving, decision-making,
conflicts.

SOCIOLOGICAL LEVEL
 concerned with the effects of sociocultural conditions upon the behavior of individuals and groups.
Sociological variable are social role, status, leadership, patterns of communication, propaganda, social
pressures, and interpersonal relationship.