Module 1:

The Nature & Scope of Psychology

OBJECTIVES:
1. DEFINE PSYCHOLOGY AND BE FAMILIAR WITH ITS
SCOPE,
2. DISCUSS THE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES &
FIELDS/SPECIALIZATIONS OF PSYCHOLOGY,
3. DISTINGUISH THE DIFFERENT RESEARCH METHODS
USED BY PSYCHOLOGISTS, AND
4. VALUE THE IMPORTANCE OF STUDYING PSYCHOLOGY.
•PSYCHOLOGY
-COMES FROM THE ROOT WORD
PSYCHE OR MIND AND LOGOS
OR STUDY.
-FORMALLY DEFINED AS A
SCIENTIFIC STUDY OF
BEHAVIOR AND MENTAL
PROCESSES.
•BEHAVIOR
-OVERT - SEEN
-COVERT - HIDDEN
-RATIONAL - THINK OVER
-IRRATIONAL - EMOTION OVERFLOWS
-CONSCIOUS - AWARENESS
-UNCONSCIOUS - LESS AWARE
-SIMPLE - ONE OR TWO SENSE THAT WORK FOR YOU
GOALS  Explain

 Describe

 Predict

• CONTROL
SCHOOLS OF
THOUGHT
STRUCTURALISM:
THE STUDY OF
CONSCIOUS
EXPERIENCE
•WILHELM WUNDT
-FOUNDED PSYCHOLOGY AS
AN ACADEMIC DISCIPLINE
IN 1979
-ESTABLISH THE 1 ST

PSYCHOLOGY LABORATORY
AT THE UNIVERSITY F
LEIPZIG, GERMANY
• STRUCTURALISM – THE STUDY OF
THE MOST BASIC ELEMENTS,
PRIMARILY SENSATIONS &
PERCEPTIONS THAT MAKE UP OUR
CONSCIOUS MENTAL
EXPERIENCES.
• INTROSPECTION – THOUGHT TO BE
THE NECESSARY TOOL.
 Functionalism:
Functions of the Mind
• WILLIAM JAMES
- VIEWED MENTAL ACTIVITIES AS
HAVING DEVELOPED THROUGH
AGES OF EVOLUTION.
- INTERESTED IN THE GOALS,
PURPOSES, & FUNCTIONS OF
THE MIND.
- PUBLISHED THE PRINCIPLES OF
PSYCHOLOGY
•FUNCTIONALISM
– THE STUDY OF THE FUNCTION
RATHER THAN THE STRUCTURE OF
CONSCIOUSNESS.
Behaviorism:
Observable
Behaviors
• JOHN B. WATSON
- HE REJECTED THE VIEW OF
FUNCTIONALISM &
STRUCTURALISM BY HIS
BOOK ENTITLED
“PSYCHOLOGY AS A
BEHAVIORIST VIEWS IT”
• BURRHUS FREDERICK SKINNER
- SUPPORTED BEHAVIORISM &
POPULARIZED THIS APPROACH
- HIS THEORIES & METHODS
PERMEATED PSYCHOLOGY HAVE
BECOME POPULAR ESP. HIS
TECHNIQUES ON REINFORCEMENT &
CONTROLLING THE CONSEQUENCES
THAT FOLLOW BEHAVIOR.
•STIMULUS RESPONSE (S-R)
PSYCHOLOGY
-FOCUSED ON HOW OBSERVABLE
RESPONSES ARE LEARNED,
MODIFIED, OR FORGOTTEN.
-THIS APPROACH STRESSED THE
IMPORTANCE OF LEARNING &
THE ENVIRONMENT.
GESTALT APPROACH
• Max Wertheimer,
Wolfgang Kohler, &
Kurt Koffka – these
names are associated
to this approach.
• GESTALT PSYCHOLOGY
– AN APPROACH TO
PSYCHOLOGY THAT
FOCUSES ON THE
ORGANIZATION OF
PERCEPTION & THINKING
IN A “WHILE” SENSE
RATHER THAN N THE
INDIVIDUAL ELEMENTS OF
PERCEPTION.
 “GESTALT” MEANS FORM OR
CONFIGURATION.

“THE WHOLE IS GREATER THAN THE SUM OF ITS

PARTS”
PSYCHOANALYTIC
APPROACH
•SIGMUND FREUD
- DEVELOPED THIS
APPROACH IN
VIENNA, AUSTRIA.
• PSYCHOANALYTIC APPROACH
- BASED ON THE BELIEF THAT CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES
INFLUENCE THE DEVELOPMENT OF LATTER
PERSONALITY TRAITS & PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS.

- Emphasized he influence
of unconscious fears,
desires, & motivations on
thoughts & behaviors.
CONTEMPORARY APPROACHES IN
UNDERSTANDING BEHAVIOR
•COGNITIVE APPROACH
- CONCERNED WITH MENTAL
PROCESSES SUCH AS
PERCEIVING, REMEMBERING,
REASONING, DECIDING, &
PROBLEM SOLVING.
- EMPHASIS IS ON LEARNING
HOW PEOPLE COMPREHEND.
 THE BIOLOGICAL OR
BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE
APPROACH
•HUMANISTIC APPROACH
- EMPHASIZE ON FREE WILL
- THIS APPROACH ASSUMES THAT
PEOPLE HAVE THE ABILITY TO
MAKE THEIR OWN CHOICES
 Abraham Maslow

Carl Rogers
•SOCIOCULTURAL
APPROACH
-STUDIES THE WAYS BY
WHICH SOCIAL &
CULTURAL
ENVIRONMENTS
INFLUENCE BEHAVIORS.
•EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY APPROACH
- STRESSES THE IMPORTANCE OF ADAPTATION,
REPRODUCTION, & SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST IN
EXPLAINING BEHAVIOR.
MODEL OF STUDYING BEHAVIOR
1. INTROSPECTION METHOD
-INTRODUCED BY ST. AUGUSTINE
-A METHOD OF MENTAL SELF-ANALYSIS
WHEREIN THE PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCHER
RECORDS HIS OWN FEELINGS& EXPERIENCES,
ANALYZES, & LATER INTERPRETS THEM.
2. HISTORICAL METHOD
- DEALS WITH THE PAST
RECORDED DATA OF AN
INDIVIDUAL OR
PHENOMENON.
SUBTYPES OF HISTORICAL METHOD
A. DAYBOOK METHOD
-REFERS TO THE DAILY
ACTIVITIES OF THE
OBSERVED INDIVIDUAL
STARTING FROM DAY 1 TO
PRESENT.
B. BIOGRAPHICAL METHOD
- IS DONE BY ANALYZING THE
RECORDS AND DOCUMENTS
PERTAINING TO THE INDIVIDUAL
OR EVENT BEING INVESTIGATED
C. AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL METHOD
– IS THE CAREFUL ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
OF THE LIFE OF THE INDIVIDUAL BEING
INVESTIGATED
D. CUMULATIVE RECORD
– REFERS TO THE GATHERED DATA/INFORMATION ON THE
STUDENT’S PERSONAL & ACADEMIC BACKGROUNDS
E. ANECDOTAL RECORD
– CONSTITUTE THE
DESCRIPTIONS OF AN
INDIVIDUAL’S UNUSUAL OR
UNEXPECTED BEHAVIOR IN
A GIVEN SITUATION OR
EVENTS
3. DESCRIPTIVE METHOD
-IS DONE BY DESCRIBING THE
RESPONDENT’S BEHAVIOR OR
PHENOMENA WITHOUT INTERFERING
WITH THE BEHAVIOR ITSELF,
 ESSENTIALS OF
UNDERSTANDING
PSYCHOLOGY
A. ARCHIVAL RESEARCH
-IS DONE TROUGH
EXAMINATION OF EXISTING
DATA.
B. NATURALISTIC OBSERVATION
-SIMPLY BY OBSERVING SOME
NATURALLY OCCURRING
BEHAVIOR & DOES NOT MAKE
A CHANGE IN THE SITUATION.
C. SURVEY
-A WAY TO OBTAIN
INFORMATION BY
ASKING PEOPLE
ABOUT A PARTICULAR
SUBJECT OR EVENT.
D. CASE STUDY
- AN IN-DEPTH,
INTENSIVE
INVESTIGATION OF
AN INDIVIDUAL OR A
SMALL GROUP OF
PEOPLE.
4. EXPERIMENTAL METHOD
- A RESEARCH APPROACH THAT USES EXPERIMENTAL
VARIABLES: INDEPENDENT VARIABLES & DEPENDENT
VARIABLES.
- TWO GROUPS INVOLVED: EXPERIMENTAL GROUP AND
CONTROL GROUP
5. QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN
- USED TO DEMONSTRATE BEHAVIORAL DIFFERENCES
ASSOCIATED WITH DIFFERENT TYPES OF SUBJECTS.
Fields/Specializations in
Psychology
1. CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY
-A SPECIALTY WHICH DEALS
WITH THE DIAGNOSIS &
TREATMENT OF EMOTIONAL &
BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS.
2. COUNSELING PSYCHOLOGY
-CONCERNED WITH PERSONAL ISSUES.
3. INDUSTRIAL-ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY
- DEALS WITH THE APPLICATION OF PSYCHOLOGICAL
PRINCIPLES & RESEARCH METHODS IN THE
WORKPLACE IN ORDER TO IMPROVE
PRODUCTIVITY, SERVICE, & QUALITY OF WORK LIFE.
4. DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
- INVOLVES THE STUDY F PSYCHOLOGICAL, COGNITIVE, &
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT & THE FACTORS THAT SHAPE
BEHAVIOR FROM BIRTH TO OLD AGE.
5. SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
- FOCUSES ON HOW PEOPLE THINK, INFLUENCE, &
RELATE WITH ONE ANOTHER, & ON THE WAYS
INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER PEOPLE INFLUENCE
ATTITUDES & BEHAVIORS.
6. EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
- EMPLOYS BEHAVIORAL & COGNITIVE PERSPECTIVES AS WELL
AS THE EXPERIMENTAL METHOD IN STUDYING HOW PEOPLE
REACT TO SENSORY STIMULI, PERCEIVE THE WORLD, LEARN,
REMEMBER, & RESPOND.
7. SCHOOL & EDUCATIONAL
PSYCHOLOGY
- DEALS WITH THE EVALUATION
OF LEARNING & EMOTIONAL
PROBLEMS IN THE ACADEME.
 OTHER PSYCHOLOGY SPECIALTIES

1. CONSUMER PSYCHOLOGY
- CONCERNED WITH THE
MOTIVATION, PERCEPTION,
LEARNING, & DECISION-
MAKING OF CONSUMERS.
2. ENGINEERING
PSYCHOLOGY
- REFERS TO THE STUDY OF
HOW PEOPLE & MACHINES
ARE RELATED & HOW TO
IMPROVE THIS
RELATIONSHIP
3. ENVIRONMENTAL
PSYCHOLOGY
- DEALS WITH THE STUDY
OF THE EFFECTS OF THE
PHYSICAL, TEMPORAL, &
SOCIAL-PSYCHOLOGICAL
CONDITIONS OF WORK
ON THE WORKER.
4. FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY
-APPLIES PSYCHOLOGY TO THE LAW &
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.
5. HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY
- APPLIES THE PRINCIPLES OF PSYCHOLOGY TO
THE UNDERSTANDING OF HEALTH & ILLNESS.
6. PEACE PSYCHOLOGY
- THE STUDY OF THE PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS
OF VIOLENCE, SOCIAL INEQUALITIES, PEACE
MAKING, & THE PURSUIT OF SOCIAL JUSTICE.
7. PERSONALITY PSYCHOLOGY
- THE STUDY OF INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES & THE
DEVELOPMENT OF PERSONALITY THEORIES &
TESTS FOR ASSESSING PERSONALITY TRAITS
8. POLITICAL PSYCHOLOGY
- STUDIES THE INFLUENCE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL
PROCESSES ON POLITICAL BEHAVIOR & THE EFFECT OF
THE POLITICAL SYSTEM N THE THOUGHTS, FEELINGS, &
MOTIVES OF INDIVIDUALS
9. PSYCHOLOGY OF WOMEN
-EMPHASIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF PROMOTING
RESEARCH ON WOMEN
10. SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY
- APPLIES THEORIES AND
KNOWLEDGE IN
PSYCHOLOGY TO ENHANCE
THE PERFORMANCE OF
ATHLETES & COACHES