Introduction, Brief History of Psychology

HH/PSYC 1010 Lecture 1 - Introduction, Brief History of Psychology | 7 key themes Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes. Such vast subjects of coverage include how people think, feel, and do daily. Goals of Psychology: 1. 2. 3. 4. Describe behavior Understand behavior Predict behavior Control or change behavior Brief History of Psychology: 1. Formative Philosophical Influ ● Ancient Greece: The mind and behavior became issues of interest for thinkers like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. ● Also, the mind-body dualism was advanced further by René Descartes, who claimed that the mind and the body are two separate things. 2. Structuralism and Functionalism ● Wilhelm Wundt: Established the first laboratory in psychology in 1879 at the University of Leipzig in Germany. ● He can be called at times the father of psychology because he developed the first independent experimental science and his ideas, Structuralism, remain somewhat influential even to this day. ● William James: An American Psychologist who developed functionalism, which emphasized the purpose of consciousness and behavior. 3. Psychoanalysis ● Sigmund Freud: Developed psychoanalysis, a theory that emphasizes how unconscious drives and conflicts influence behavior. ● He also developed arguably one of the best-known theories in psychology, the psychosexual stages, in which inner conflicts generated by sexual drives guide human development. 4. Behaviorism: ● John B. Watson: He advanced Behaviorism, the theory which promoted only the study of observable behavior by removing the study of consciousness. ● B.F. Skinner: Also extended behaviorism through his research in operant conditioning, which involves reinforcement and punishment. HH/PSYC 1010 5. Humanistic Psychology ● It was he and the two of them, especially Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow, who stressed the central importance of self-actualization, the freedom of will, and the potential for human development. 6. Cognitive Revolution ● 1960s: Moved to an interest in mental processes. Approaches included vital figures, e.g., Jean Piaget and his model of stages of cognitive development, Noam Chomsky and his. 7. Psychological Perspectives: ● Modern psychology combines perspectives on biological, cognitive, behavioral, and sociocultural. ** 7 KeyThemes of Psychology ** 1. Empirical Evidence: - Psychology relies on research and empirical evidence to understand behavior and mental processes. 2. Theoretical Diversity: - There is no doubt that multifactor complexity has to be explained with various theories and perspectives of human behavior. 3. Sociohistorical Context: - Theories and practices in psychology should not be any other than a product of the social and historical context under which it is developed. 4. Behavior Determinants: - Behavior results from interactions between multiple biological, psychological, and environmental factors. 5. Cultural Heritage: - Of all the factors determining behavior and mental processes, culture is seen as the most influential factor. 6. Nature vs. Nurture: - The ongoing debate of whether genetics are underlain by tangible control or whether behavior and mental processes are governed by the environment—nature or nurture. 7. Subjectivity of Experience: - The world experience would have to be entirely subjective to entirely depend on individuality and personal views. HH/PSYC 1010 Chapter 1: The Evolution of Psychology: From a Philosophical Perspective: Psychology finds its roots in ancient philosophical questions that revolve around the nature of mind and behavior. Scientific Beginnings: - The establishment of psychology as a scientific discipline began with Wilhelm Wundt's laboratory in 1879. Major Schools of Thought: - Structuralism: A focus is based upon the structure of the mind. Functionalism: Emphasized the functions of mental processes. Psychoanalysis: The science of the unconscious. Behavioralism: Study of directly observable, overt behavior. Humanistic Psychology: Highlighted personal growth and self-actualization. Cognitive Psychology: The scientific study of internal mental processes.