Into the Mind of a Psychologist
Taught by: Dorian, Dylan, Isaac, Jake
The Scopes of Psychology
Psychology provides knowledge into why people behave they way they do.
It helps to better understand why we do things the way we do
Also, why we behave certain ways in different situations
Our feelings, behaviors, attitudes, and thoughts
It's also strengthens our appreciation, tolerance, and differences of people around us
The study of psychology helps educate people on the fiction the media says is psychology facts
It evaluates the claims of the media and establishes if they are scientifically based or true statements
Psychology: the scientific study of the behavior of humans and other animals
Three different studies in Psychology
Scientific study
Studies behavior
Study of other animals as well as humans
Psychology is a scientific study
Involves knowing how to deal with people efficiently
More than common sense
Scientific method research provides enlightening and reliable information about behavior that we may not be able to figure out by ourselves
Common sense, causes opinions rarely based on facts
Scientific method, investigates the subject
Can't answer everything, theories constantly change
The study of behavior
Study behavioral and mental processes
Hope that mental process theories can be based off observations of behavior
Psychology does not only study behaviors that can be observed by an onlooker
It does not only study only dreams and repressed memories
Also studies observable behavior and mental processes
The Study of humans and other animals
Study Rats, Dogs, Cats, and even Insects
There are 5 main reasons for the study of animals
Simpilar Model
easier to understand a simpler model
Research can provide greater control
More control of variables, causing more precise conclusions
Also conditions, hunger, rest, and stress can be monitored
Ethical considerations
Questions ethically would be raised if certain experiments were performed on people
Testing of animals is still ethical
Practical one
Animals are all ready for experimentation
Minimal cost
Always available
To learn more about animal behavior
provide important info to feeding, social, and reproductive behaviors of species
helpful for their survival
helps save the animals environments
- Psychology defined as a scientific study of behavior, but it is truly much more than that
The Roots of Psychology
History's Greatest Psychologist
Wilhelm Wundt
William James
Sigmund Freud
Fields of Specialization
Cognitive psychology
- Focuses on ways in which organisms process information
- Psychologists study internal mental processes such as thinking, memory, language, problem-solving, and creativity
Developmental Psychology
- Concerned with factors that influence development shape behavior throughout the life cycle, from conception to old age
- Psychologists often focus on specific phase of development and examine how a particular ability or trait evolves and unfolds during that phase
Social Psychology
- Concerned with studying the impact of social environments on the individual
- Psychologists study attitude formation and change, social perception, conformity, social roles, prejudice, interpersonal attraction, and aggression
Personality Psychology
- Focuses on exploring uniqueness of the individual, describing the key elements that make up personality and investigating how personality develops and influences people's personalities
- Psychologists have different opinions on key elements of personality
Experimental Psychology
- Primary activity is conducting research
- Psychologists prefer to conduct research in laboratory, where they have precise control over factors that influence behavior
Biological Psychology (aka Physiological Psychology) (aka Neuroscience)
- Focuses on relationship between behavior and physiological processes within the brain and nervous system
- Psychologists study brain structures and processes involved in emotion, learning, memory, physiological disorders and the effects of drugs
Clinical/Counseling Psychology
- Both involved in diagnosis and treatment of psychological problems
- Psychologists tend to work in schools
Clinical psychologists deal with more serious and behavioral problems
- Counseling psychologists deal with social problems and problems of adjustment
Educational Psychology
- Focuses on the study and application of learning and teaching methods
- Psychologists study ways to improve educational curricula and help train teachers
School Psychology
- Focuses on evaluating students' interests and abilities
- Psychologists assist schools in developing programs for gifted and challenged students
- Help resolve student learning and emotional problems
Industrial/Organizational Psychology
- Uses psychological concepts to make the workplace a more satisfying environment for both employees and management
- Psychologists design programs within companies to improve morale, increase job satisfaction, create better communication, enhance productivity, and increase workers' involvement in decision making
Engineering Psychology (aka Human Factors Psychology)
- Focuses on creating optimal relationships among people, the machines they operate, and the environments they work in
Health Psychology
- Focuses on interaction between behavioral factors and physical health
Positive Psychology
- Study of human behavior aimed at discovering and promoting the positive strengths and attributes that enable individual to thrive and succeed
Forensic Psychology
- Works with the legal, court, and correctional systems to develop personality profiles of criminals, make decisions about disposition of convicted offenders, and helps law enforcers understand behavioral problems
Artificial Intelligence
- Researchers develop computer models to simulate human cognitive processes and to solve problems
Connectionism
- Learning theory proposed by Thorndike
- Researchers develop computer hardware that simulates parallel connections among neurons in the brain
- Focused on discovering the neurobiological mechanisms underlying learned associations
- Machines more powerful than artificial intelligence
Evolutionary Psychology
- Uses Darwin's theory of natural selection to explain modern human behavior
Cultural Psychology
- Investigates how cultural and religious traditions and practices shape and contribute to differences in human behavior
Careers in Psychology
Psychological Associations
American Psychological Association (APA) is the major professional organization of psychologists in the United States
Association for Psychological Science (APS) was founded for the purpose of better representing the academic and research interests of psychology and to more effectively promote psychology as a science
The Goals of Psychology
Understanding, predicting, controlling, and influence
Psychologists are spread out in many field involved with dealing with people
Seeks to help people
Understand why people do something. Why they react certain ways. This can help people to be healthier. Scientists and doctors will learn to help people in ways that could never have been thought of before. The power of the mind is very great. Hopefully the use of science to help predict when someone might do something.
The use of research to help control people's behaviors, preventing certain actions from occurring, influencing how people do something, thus controlling them to prevent or promote certain actions.
Controlling examples are helping worker productivity, someone with posts traumatic stress deal with thus helping them control episode.
Continue developing the field as it is still in its adolocesene.