Intro to Psychology

Psychology: the science of behavior and mental processes
Science: based on research
Behavior: observable, measurable


Goals of psychology
-observe
-predict
-explain
-describe
-control

Mind and body are connected
-the Hebrews
-Aristotle
-Augustine

Mind and body are distinct
-Socrates
-Plato
-Descartes

Some ideas are inborn
-Socrates
-Plato

The mind is a blank slate
-Aristotle
-Locke

Wilhelmina Wundt-father of psychology

Structuralism: broke down mental processes into the most basic components (structures) of conscious experience
-what did you see? Hear? Taste? Smell? Feel? (Introspection)

Functionalism: focused less on the how of sensation and perception, but rather on the why. Emphasized the process of how thoughts formed, changed , and how they adapted


1. Neuroscience perspective: focus in how the physical body and brain creates our emotions, memories, and sensory experiences
2. Evolutionary perspective: focuses on Darwinism, we behave the way we do because we inherited those behaviors
3. Psychodynamic perspective: fathered by sigmund Freud;  our behavior comes from unconscious drives
4. Behavioral perspective: focuses on our observable behaviors; only cares about the behaviors that impair our living, and attempts to change them
5. Cognitive perspective: focuses on How we think (or encode information)
6. Social-cultural perspective: focus on how your culture affects your behavior
7. Humanistic perspective: focuses on positive growth, attempt to seek self-actualization