Objective

s To be able to understand the scientific

nature of Psychology
 To enumerate the goals of Psychology
 To briefly trace the historical
development of Psychology
 To describe the different schools of
thought and contemporary approaches
in psychology
Objective
s To be familiar with the different methods
used by psychologists
 To identify different issues tackled by
the different subfields of psychology.
Definitio
n
Psychology – A scientific study of human behavior
and mental processes.
Etymologically, it came from the Greek words,
Psyche which means “soul” or “mind”, and Logos
which means “the study of.”
Definitio
n Behavior - Any response or activity of an
organism. It can either be simple or complex;
overt or covert; conscious or unconscious;
voluntary or involuntary; rational or irrational.
Goals of
Psychology
 To Describe
 To Explain
 To Predict
 To Control

 They use scientific methods to find

answers that are far more valid and
legitimate than those resulting
from intuition and speculation
Activit
y To test your knowledge of psychology, try
answering the following questions – True or False?
1. Infants love their mothers primarily because their
mothers fulfill their basic biological needs such as
providing food.
2. Geniuses generally have poor social adjustment
3. The best way to ensure that a desired behavior will
continue after training is completed is to reward that
behavior every single time it occurs during training
rather than rewarding it only periodically.
4. People with schizophrenia have at least two distinct
personalities.
5. If you are having trouble sleeping. the best way to
get to sleep is to take a sleeping pill.
Activit
y To test your knowledge of psychology. try answering
the following questions:

6. Children's IQ scores have little to do with how well

they do in school.
7. Frequent masturbation can lead to mental illness.
8. Once people reach old age, their leisure activities
change radically.
9. Most people would refuse to give painful electric
shocks to other people.
10.One of the least important factors affecting how
much we like another person is that person‘s
physical attractiveness
 Guess
 soldiers often face unique combinations of stressors
within combat and war settings, so they are helped
by????
 Psychologist uses field experiments and objective
observation to understand collective behavior??????
Important People in
the Dev’t. of
Psychology
Important People in
the Dev’t. of
Psychology
Plato
Plato proposed the idea that the mind consisted of
three interwoven parts, called the Tripartite Mind.
The Logistikon: This was the intellect, the seat of
reasoning and logic.
The Thumos: This was the spiritual centre of the
mind, and dictated emotions and feelings.
The Epithumetikon: This part governed desires
and appetites.
Plato proposed that the human
psyche was the seat of all knowledge
and that the human mind was
imprinted with all of the knowledge
it needed. As a result, learning was
a matter of unlocking and utilizing
this inbuilt knowledge, a process he
called anamnesis.
Important People in
the Dev’t. of
Psychology
Aristotle (384 –322 BC) – He made
assumptions out of observation
regarding human behavior. He believed
that all beings, humans included, have
souls, which animate them. Humans,
however, compared to other animal,
have rational souls.
Thus, humans are not only, physical, but
also rational. He also theorized about
learning, memory, motivation, emotion,
• Aristotle attempted to address the relationships
between impulses and urges within the human mind,
• Aristotle believed that, alongside the 'Libido,' were 'Id'
and 'Ego,' the idea of desire and reason, two forces
that determined action
proposed that allowing desire to dominate reason would
lead to an unhealthy imbalance and the tendency to
perform bad actions. H
 The History of Psychology
and Ancient Greek Medicine
 introduced the study of physiology into the history of
psychology, proposing that there were physical
reasons underlying many mental ailments.
 Chief amongst these was the Father of Medicine,
Hippocrates, who proposed that epilepsy had a
physical cause and was not some curse sent by the
fickle Greek Gods.
 Unlike Aristotle, who saw the heart as the seat of
thought and reason, Hippocrates understood the
importance of the brain.
 Following on from Hippocrates was the physician,
Galen, who provided the link between the Greeks and
Islamic psychology
 He proposed the idea of four 'humours' within the
human body, each responsible for a different aspect
of the human condition, and believed that an
imbalance between the four would affect physical and
mental wellbeing.
Sanguine: The blood, related to the element of air and
the liver, dictated courage, hope and love.
Choleric: Yellow bile, related to the element of fire and
the Gall Bladder, could lead to bad temper and anger, in
excess.
Melancholic: Black bile, associated with the element of
earth and the spleen, would lead to sleeplessness and
irritation, if it dominated the body.
Phlegmatic: Phlegm, associated with the element of
water and the brain, was responsible for rationality, but
would dull the emotions if allowed to become dominant.
 Important People in
the Dev’t. of
Psychology
Rene Descartes
(1596 – 1650) - supported the
view that humans enter the
world with an inborn store of
knowledge. He argued that
some ideas (such as God, the
self, perfection and infinity) are
innate. He is also notable for
his conception of the body as
a machine that can be studied.
Important People in
the Dev’t. of
Psychology
John Locke
(1632–1704) - Believed
that at birth the human
mind is a “tabula rasa”
or a blank slate, on
which experience
“writes” knowledge.
Important People in
the Dev’t. of
Psychology
Charles Darwin
(1809 – 1882) - He is the
author of the Law of
Natural Selection or
Theory of Evolution;
inspired the Psychological
school of thought,
Functionalism.
Important People in
the Dev’t. of
Psychology
Francis Galton
(1822–1911) - He was
concerned with the study
of individual differences.
He was considered as the
“Father of Mental tests”
Important People in
the Dev’t. of
Psychology
Ernst Weber (1795–1878); Gustav Fechner;
Herman von Helmholtz (1821–1894) German
Physicians who started experimenting with behavior
through scientific methodologies.
Important People in
the Dev’t. of
Psychology
Wilhelm Wundt – Considered as the “Father of
Modern Psychology.” He established the first
experimental laboratory for the study of Psychology,
in Leipzig, Germany, 1879. He created a machine
that measured the time lag between people’s
hearing a ball hit the platform and their pressing a
telegraph key. Wundt has seeking to measure the
“atoms of the mind” – the fastest and simplest
mental processes.
Important People in
the Dev’t. of
Psychology
Wilhelm Wundt - in hislaboratory in Leipzig,
Germany
Important People in
the Dev’t. of
Psychology
G. Stanley Hall
A student of Wundt’s
who established what
many consider as
the first American
psychology laboratory
at Johns Hopkins
University in 1883.
Important People in
the Dev’t. of
Psychology
Hermann Ebbinghaus
- A German who reported
on the first experiments
on memory, 1885.
1.Structuralism(Edward
Titchener)
Study of parts of conscious experiences through
introspection
Conscious experiences are composed of sensation,
feelings and images
Introspection is a process of studying the self or self
examination.(introduced by St Thomas of aquinas)
The study of the elements of consciousness.
The idea is that conscious experience can be broken
down into basic conscious elements,
As a physical phenomenon can be viewed as
consisting of chemical structures, that can in turn be
broken down into basic elements.
Schools of
Thought
2. Functionalism
(William James) – Defines
behavior or the mental
phenomena in terms of their
functions in man’s adjustment
to his environment. It is very
much influenced by Darwin’s
Theory of Evolution.
 Schools of
Thought
3. Gestalt Psychology
(Max Wertheimer, Wolfgang Kohler, Kurt Koffka)
Believed that the human mind imposes meaning to
related experiences. It advocates that the study of
human behavior should be wholistic. “The whole is
greater than the sum of its parts.
Schools of
Thought
4. Behaviorism
(John B. Watson)
Emphasized the need to
study what is observable.
Its objective was to predict
and control behavior.
S-R Psychology.
Schools of
Thought
5. Psychoanalysis
(Sigmund Freud) – Much of
our behavior is governed by
unconscious motive and
primitive biological instincts. It
considered all humans
basically would like to gain
pleasure and avoid pain.
Contemporary
Approaches
 Neuroscience - Views behavior from the
perspective of biological functioning

 Psychodynamic - Believes behavior is

motivated by inner, unconscious
force over which a person has little
control
Contemporary
Approaches
 Behavioral - Focuses on observable
behavior

 Cognitive - Examines how people

understand and think about the world

 Humanistic – Contends that people can

control their behavior and that they
naturally try to reach their full potential
The Scientific
Method
 The approach used by psychologists to
systematically acquire knowledge and
understanding about behavior and other
phenomena of interest.
1. Identifying questions of interest,
2. Formulating an explanation, (Theories and
Hypotheses)
3. Carrying out research designed to support
or refute the explanation.
Methods Used in
Psychology
1. Descriptive Research – An approach to
research designed to systematically
investigate a person, group, or patterns of
behavior.
a.Naturalistic Observation - Research in
which an investigator simply observes some
naturally occurring behavior and does not
make a change in the situation
b.Directed Observation (Survey) - Research
in which people chosen to represent a larger
population are asked a series of questions
about their behavior, thoughts, or attitudes.
Methods Used in
Psychology
1. Descriptive Research – An approach to
research designed to systematically
investigate a person, group, or patterns of
behavior.
c.Archival Research - Research in which
existing data, such as census documents,
college records, and newspaper clippings, are
examined to test a hypothesis.
d.Case Study - An in-depth, intensive
investigation of an individual or small group of
people.
Methods Used in
Psychology
2. Correlational Method - The correlational
method involves systematically measuring
the relationship between two or more
variables
Correlation Coefficient : +1.00 to -1.00
Positive Correlation
Negative Correlation
Methods Used in
Psychology

Correlational Method
Methods Used in
Psychology
3. Experimental Method - Considered as the
most scientific of all methods. The
researcher investigate a phenomenon by
preparing 2 identical groups and altering the
conditions of one of the groups; afterwards,
measuring the difference. Independent
Variable Dependent Variable
Methods used in
Psychology

Experimental Method
Fields in
Psychology
1. Developmental Psychology – The study of
human development and the factors that shape
behavior form birth to old age.
Fields in
Psychology

2.Social Psychology – The study of how people

think about, influence, relate with one another, and
the ways interaction with other people influence
attitudes and behavior.

3.Personality Psychology – The study of

individual differences.
Fields in
Psychology
4.Clinical psychology

The study of the treatment of emotional and

behavioral problems (mental illness, drug addiction,
marital and family conflict)
Fields in
Psychology
5. Counseling Psychology – The study that deals
with personal problems such as academics, social
or vocational problems; counseling psychologists
deal with less serious problems compared to clinical
psychologists.
Fields in
Psychology
6. School and Educational Psychology – The
study that deals with the evaluation of learning and
emotional problems of individual in school.
Fields in
Psychology
7. Industrial/Organizational Psychology – The
study involving the selection of people most suitable
for particular jobs, the development of training
programs in organization, and the identification of
determinants of consumer behavior.
Fields in
Psychology
8. Environmental Psychology – The study that deals
with the relationship between humans and the
environment.
Fields in
Psychology
9. Behavioral Neuroscience – The study
that employs the biological perspective,
seeking to discover the relationships between
biological processes and behavior.
Fields in
Psychology
10. Experimental Psychology – The study that
employs the behavioral and cognitive perspective
as well as the experimental method in studying how
people react to sensory stimuli, perceive the world,
learn and remember, and respond.
Fields in
Psychology
11. Forensic Psychology – the study that
applies psychology to the law and legal
proceedings.
Fields in
Psychology
12. Sports Psychology – The study that applies
theories and knowledge in psychology to enhance
athletes’ and coaches’ performance.
Fields in
Psychology
15. Health Psychology – The study of the
cognitive, affective, behavioral, and interpersonal
factors affecting health and illness.
Fields in
Psychology
16.Cross-Cultural Psychology -
investigates the similarities and
differences in psychological functioning
in and across various cultures and
ethnic groups.
17.Behavioral Genetics - studies the
inheritance o f traits related to behavior
Fields in
Psychology
18.Cognitive psychology - focuses on
the study of higher mental processes
19.Evolutionary psychology - considers
how behavior is influenced by our
genetic inheritance from our ancestors.
20.Psychology of Women - focuses on
issues such as discrimination against
women and the causes of violence
against women
Activit
y Identify which subfield of psychology is
related to the issues or questions posed
below:
1. Joan, a college freshman, is worried about
her grades. She needs to learn better
organizational skills and study habits to
cope with the demands of college.
2. At what age do children generally begin to
acquire an emotional attachment to their
fathers?
Activit
y3. It is thought that pornographic films that depict
violence against women may prompt aggressive
behavior in some men.
4. What chemicals are released in the human body
as a result of a stressful event? What are their
effects on behavior?
5. Luis is unique in his manner of responding
to crisis situations, with an even
temperament and a positive outlook
6. Jeanette's job is demanding and stressful. She
wonders if her lifestyle is making her more
prone to certain illnesses, such as cancer and
heart disease.
Activit
y7. A psychologist is intrigued by the fact that
some people are much more sensitive to
painful stimuli than others are.
8. A strong fear of crowds leads a young
woman to seek treatment for her problem.
9. What mental strategies are involved in
solving complex word problems?
10. Jessica is asked to develop a management
strategy that will encourage safer work
practices in an assembly plant.