The Story

of
Psychology
History &
Approaches
Psychology
With hopes of satisfying curiosity, many people
listen to talk-radio counselors and psychics to
learn about others and themselves.
Dr. Crane
(radio-shrink)
h
t
t
w
.
n
b
c
.
c
o
m
Psychologys Roots
Aristotle, a naturalist and
philosopher,
theorized about
psychologys
concepts:
Mind and body are
not separate
Knowledge grows
from experience.
Aristotle (384-322 B.C.)
John Locke, British
political philosopher
suggested:
Mind is a tabula
rasa or blank
slate
~Experience
writes on slate
John Locke (1632-
1704)
From Speculation to Science:
How Psychology Developed
Prior to 1879
Physiology and philosophy scholars
study questions about the mind
Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920) University
of Leipzig, Germany
Campaigned to make psychology an
independent discipline
Established the first laboratory for the
study of psychology in 1879
Psychology was born!
Psychological Science is Born
Wundt and psychologys
first graduate students
studied the atoms of the
mind (mental processes)
by conducting
experiments at Leipzig,
Germany, in 1879.
This work is considered
the birth of psychology as
we know it today.
W
u
n
d
t

(
1
8
3
2
-
1
9
2
0
)
Wilhelm Wundts
International Influence
Leipzig, the place to study psychology
Graduates of Wundts program set up new
labs across Europe and North America
G. Stanley Hall (1846-1924),
Established the first psychology laboratory
in the U.S. in 1883 AT CLARK UNIV. (I
went there in July!)
Between 1883 and 1893, 24 new
laboratories in North America
Figure 1.1 Early Research Laboratories in North America
Psychological Science is Born
American philosopher William James wrote an
important 1890 psychology textbook. Mary Calkins,
Jamess student, became the APAs first female president.
J
a
m
e
s

(
1
8
4
2
-
1
9
1
0
)

&

C
a
l
k
i
n
s
M
a
r
g
a
r
e
t

F
l
o
y
W
a
s
h
b
u
r
n
Psychological Science is Born
Sigmund Freud, an Austrian physician, and his
followers emphasized the importance of the
unconscious mind and its effects on human behavior.
F
r
e
u
d

(
1
8
5
6
-
1
9
3
9
)
The Battle of the Schools in the U.S.:
Structuralism vs. Functionalism
Structuralism Edward Titchener
Analyze consciousness into basic
elements (Whats IN THERE?)
Introspection (on 2013 AP Test!)
careful, systematic observations of ones
own conscious experience
Functionalism William James
Investigate function of consciousness
Led to investigation of mental testing,
developmental patterns, and sex
differences (What can it DO?)
Psychological Science is Born
Psychology originated
in many disciplines and
countries. It was, until
the 1920s, defined as
the science of mental
life.
Psychological Science Develops
Behaviorists
Watson and later Skinner emphasized the study of
overt behavior as the subject matter of scientific
psychology.
W
a
t
s
o
n

(
1
8
7
8
-
1
9
5
8
)
S
k
i
n
n
e
r

(
1
9
0
4
-
1
9
9
0
)
Psychological Science Develops
Humanistic Psychology
Maslow and Rogers emphasized current
environmental influences on our growth
potential and our need for love and acceptance.
M
a
s
l
o
w

(
1
9
0
8
-
1
9
7
0
)
R
o
g
e
r
s

(
1
9
0
2
-
1
9
8
7
)
h
t
t
p
:
/
/
f
a
c
u
l
t
y
w
e
b
.
c
o
r
t
l
a
n
d
.
e
d
u
h
t
t
p
:
/
/
w
w
w
.
c
a
r
l
r
o
g
e
r
s
.
d
k
The 1950s: Opposition to Psychoanalytic Theory
and Behaviorism
Charges that both were de-humanizing
Diverse opposition groups got together
to form a loose alliance
A new school of thought emerged -
Humanism
Led by Abraham Maslow (1908-1970) and
Carl Rogers (1902-1987)
Emphasis on the unique qualities of
humans: freedom and personal growth
Three 20
th
Century
Conceptual Revolutions in Psychology
PSYCHOANALYSIS
Founded by
Sigmund
Freud
BEHAVIORISM
Pioneers:
John B. Watson
(Founder)
B. F. Skinner
HUMANISM
Pioneers:
Abraham
Maslow
Carl
Rogers
Putting the Psyche Back in Psychology:
The Return of Cognition
Cognition = mental processes involved
in acquiring knowledge
1950s and 60s Piaget, Chomsky,
and Simon
Application of scientific methods to
studying internal mental events
Cognitive psychology: the new dominant
perspective?
Psychologys Biggest Question:
Which came first: Chicken or
Egg? NO!
The most crucial issue that we continue to
try to answer is:
WHAT AFFECTS BEHAVIOR AND
DEVELOPMENT MORE. NATURE OR
NURTURE???
Whats NATURAL SELECTION???
Note how the judges & audience
members react to the performer.
Before she performs.
During. Susan Boyle
After her performance.
Whats happened here?
The Halo Effect: a cognitive bias in which
our judgments of a persons character can be
influenced by our overall impression of him
or her (Thorndike).
Explain how you would prove the
legitimacy of one of these ideas. Use
empirical (scientific, testable) ideas as
your means of proof!
An apple a day keeps the doctor away
Psychology Today
We define psychology
today as the scientific
study of behavior
(what we do) and
mental processes
(inner thoughts and
feelings).
Psychological Associations &
Societies
The American Psychological Association is the
largest organization of psychology with 160,000
members world-wide, followed by the British
Psychological Society with 34,000 members.
Psychologys Three Main Levels of
Analysis (Bio-Psycho-Social)
Psychologys Current Perspectives
Perspective Focus Sample Questions
Neuroscience How the body and brain
enables emotions?
How are messages
transmitted in the body? How
is brain chemistry linked with
moods and motives?
Evolutionary How the natural selection
of traits the promotes the
perpetuation of ones
genes?
How does evolution influence
behavior tendencies?
Behavior genetics How much our genes and
our environments
influence our individual
differences?
To what extent are
psychological traits such as
intelligence, personality,
sexual orientation, and
vulnerability to depression
attributable to our genes? To
our environment?
Psychologys Current Perspectives
Perspective Focus Sample Questions
Psychodynamic How behavior springs
from unconscious drives
and conflicts?
How can someones
personality traits and
disorders be explained in
terms of sexual and
aggressive drives or as
disguised effects of unfulfilled
wishes and childhood
traumas?
Behavioral How we learn observable
responses?
How do we learn to fear
particular objects or
situations? What is the most
effective way to alter our
behavior, say to lose weight or
quit smoking?
Psychologys Current Perspectives
Perspective Focus Sample Questions
Cognitive How we encode, process,
store and retrieve
information?
How do we use information
in remembering? Reasoning?
Problem solving?
Social-cultural How behavior and
thinking vary across
situations and cultures?
How are we as Africans,
Asians, Australians or North
Americans alike as members
of human family? As products
of different environmental
contexts, how do we differ?
Table 1.1 Overview of Six Contemporary Theoretical Perspectives in Psychology
Psychologys Subfields: Research
Psychologist What she does
Biological
Explore the links between brain and
mind.
Developmental
Study changing abilities from womb to
tomb.
Cognitive
Study how we perceive, think, and solve
problems.
Personality
Investigate our persistent traits.
Social
Explore how we view and affect one
another.
Psychologys Subfields: Research
Biological
9.9%
Developmental
24.6%
Cognitive
8.0%
Personality
4.8%
Social 21.6%
Psychometrics
5.5%
Experimental
14.1%
Other 11.5%
Data: APA 1997
Psychologys Subfields: Applied
Psychologist What she does
Clinical
Studies, assesses, and treats people with
psychological disorders
Counseling
Helps people cope with academic,
vocational, and marital challenges.
Educational
Studies and helps individuals in school
and educational settings
Industrial/
Organizational
Studies and advises on behavior in the
workplace.
From the 2014 Test: Community Psychologists were
mentioned TWICE! (They focus on broad problems,
such as poverty or racial issues, that affect a
communities mental health).
Psychologys Subfields: Applied
Data: APA 1997
Clinical
67%
Counseling
15%
Educational
9%
Other
3%
Industrial
6%
Figure 1.6 Membership in the American Psychological Association, 19002004
A clinical psychologist (Ph.D.) studies, assesses,
and treats troubled people with psychotherapy.
Psychiatrists on the other hand are medical
professionals (M.D.) who use treatments like drugs
and psychotherapy to treat psychologically
diseased patients.
Clinical Psychology vs. Psychiatry