Overview
This lecture provides an introduction to the field of psychology, detailing its history, major perspectives, research methods, and various subfields, including related career opportunities.
Introduction to Psychology
- Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behavior.
- Psychologists use the scientific method, forming hypotheses and theories, to acquire and test knowledge.
- Psychology is both a natural and social science, examining biological and environmental influences on behavior.
Historical Foundations
- Wilhelm Wundt established psychology as an experimental science and founded structuralism, focusing on components of consciousness.
- William James introduced functionalism, emphasizing the function and adaptation of behavior.
- Sigmund Freud developed psychoanalytic theory, focusing on the unconscious mind and early childhood experiences.
- Gestalt psychology emphasized understanding the whole of perception, not just individual components.
- Behaviorism, led by Pavlov, Watson, and Skinner, focused on observable behaviors and learning through reinforcement and conditioning.
- Humanism emerged to highlight individual potential and self-actualization, represented by Maslow and Rogers.
- The cognitive revolution redirected psychology’s focus to mental processes, influenced by developments in linguistics, neuroscience, and computer science.
Diversity in Psychology
- Feminist psychology critiques male-dominated perspectives and studies gender differences and biases.
- Multicultural and cross-cultural psychology address how culture impacts behavior and research.
- Women and ethnic minorities have made significant but often unrecognized contributions to psychology.
Major Areas of Psychology
- Biopsychology studies how biology influences behavior.
- Evolutionary psychology examines behavioral adaptations from an evolutionary perspective.
- Sensation and perception focus on how we experience sensory information.
- Cognitive psychology explores mental processes such as memory and problem-solving.
- Developmental psychology studies psychological changes across the lifespan.
- Personality psychology examines individual differences and consistent patterns in behavior.
- Social psychology investigates how individuals interact and are influenced by others.
- Industrial-Organizational psychology applies psychology to workplace settings.
- Health psychology studies the interaction of biological, psychological, and social factors in health.
- Sport and exercise psychology researches mental factors in exercise and performance.
- Clinical psychology focuses on diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders.
- Forensic psychology applies psychology in legal and justice system contexts.
Careers and Education in Psychology
- Most academic and clinical careers require a PhD or PsyD; some roles are available with a master's degree or bachelor's in related fields.
- Psychologists work in academia, clinical settings, industry, schools, and the legal system.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Hypothesis — a tentative explanation for a phenomenon to be tested.
- Theory — a broad, evidence-supported explanation for some aspect of the natural world.
- Structuralism — an early approach aiming to identify the elements of conscious experience.
- Functionalism — a school of thought focusing on how mental processes help organisms adapt.
- Behaviorism — the study of observable behavior, emphasizing learning and conditioning.
- Humanism — a perspective focusing on innate human potential and self-actualization.
- Cognitive Psychology — the study of mental processes such as thinking, memory, and language.
- Empiricism — acquiring knowledge through observation and experience.
- Operant Conditioning — learning process through reinforcement and punishment.
- Big Five (Five-Factor Model) — five core personality traits: conscientiousness, agreeableness, neuroticism, openness, extraversion.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review key figures and perspectives (Wundt, James, Freud, Watson, Maslow, Rogers, Chomsky).
- Understand differences between major psychology subfields for future chapters.
- Prepare for in-depth study of scientific methods and research ethics in psychology.