The History & Scope of Psychology

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The History Scope of Psychology
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Psychology

• What does it mean?

Freud
Watson
Inner sensations- mental processes
Observable behavior
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Psychology A Definition

• The science of behavior and mental processes.

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Psychologys Big Issues
Stability v. Change
Continuity v. Discontinuity
Nature v. Nurture
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Stability v. Change

• As the years pass, do we change or remain the
  same?
• Are we become adults or are we always just big
  kids?
• Personality traits, physical appearance, sense of
  humor, tastes, etc

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Continuity v. Discontinuity

• Does growth occur gradually or in stages?

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Nature v. Nurture

• Biology versus Experience
• Am I the way I am because I was born that way or
  because of my surroundings?

Can I ever be like these people, or does nature
give me limitations?
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Psychologys Perspectives
The Big Seven
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Neuroscience Perspective

• Focus on how the physical body and brain creates
  our emotions, memories and sensory experiences.

If you could not remember the names of your
parents and went to a psychologist who adheres
to the neuroscience perspective, what might they
say?
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Evolutionary Perspective

• Focuses on Darwinism.
• We behave the way we do because we inherited
  those behaviors.
• Thus, those behaviors must have helped ensure our
  ancestors survival.

How could this behavior ensured Homers ancestors
survival?
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Psychodynamic Perspective

• Fathered by Sigmund Freud.
• Our behavior comes from unconscious drives.
• Usually stemming from our childhood.

What might a psychoanalyst say is the reason
someone always needs to be chewing gum?
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Behavioral Perspective

• Focuses on our OBSERVABLE behaviors.
• Only cares about the behaviors that impair our
  living, and attempts to change them.

If you bit your fingernails when you were
nervous, a behaviorist would not focus on calming
you down, but rather focus on how to stop you
from biting your nails.
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Cognitive Perspective

• Focuses on how we think (or encode information)
• How do we see the world?
• How did we learn to act to sad or happy events?
• Cognitive Therapist attempt to change the way you
  think.

Meet girl
Get Rejected by girl
Did you learn to be depressed
Or get back on the horse
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Social-Cultural Perspective

• Focus on how your culture effects your behavior.

Even in the same high school, behaviors can
change in accordance to the various subcultures.
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Humanistic Perspective

• Focuses on positive growth
• Attempt to seek self-actualization
• Therapists use active listening and unconditional
  positive regard.

Mr. Rogers would have made a great Humanistic
Therapist!!!
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Psychologys Subfields