Psychology
  • Scientific study of behavior (usually human) and mental processes and how it is affected by biology and environment.
  • Observable - gestures, speech, physiological changes
  • Inferred - thoughts, dreams
  • Wilhelm Wundt - founding father
  • 1879 - official starting date
    • Areas of Psychology

    Education, Clinics, Private Practice

    Major Perspectives in Psychology

    Biological – how bodily events (hormones, genes, NT) affect behavior, feelings, thoughts

    Evolutionary – Hour our species evolutionary past may explain our present behaviors and traits

    Learning – hour environment and experience affect a person’s actions

    Cognition – what goes on in a person’s head, mental processes, thoughts

    Sociocultural – focuses on social and cultural forces, other people, groups

    Psychoanalytical – unconscious motivations, early childhood experiences, inner forces

    Humanistic – positive psychology, ability and freedom to grow

    Why use Scientific Method?

    • Many students feel that the information presented to them is so obvious that why should we do research on it. Look at the following statements:
      • Look before you leap OR He who hesitates is lost
      • Two heads are better than one OR Too many cooks spoil the broth
      • Haste makes waste OR Time waits for no man
      • Opposites attract OR Birds of a feather flock together
      • Never put off tomorrow what you can do today OR Cross that bridge when you come to it
      • Absence makes the heart grow fonder OR Out of sight, out of mind
      • It is better to be safe than sorry OR Nothing ventured, nothing gained
    • Which is true?
    Nonscientific Sources of Knowledge
    • Common sense
      • If most people believe it, it must be right.
        •  It was once believed that women and various minority groups shouldn't be able to vote, "unintelligent" individuals should not be allowed to have children, "early ripe, early rot", etc.
      • If it seems to make sense, it must be right.
    • Appeal to Authority
      • If an authority or expert says it, it must be so.
        • Movie stars and "doctors" touting a new diet or piece of exercise equipment.
    • Unsystematic Observation
      • Falls short because it is based on casual observations. Anecdotes, case studies, selective reports.
        • Fortune tellers must be able to predict the future, because one predicted event did occur. You ignore all the wrong predictions.
        • That happened to a friend of mine so it must be true for everyone OR that therefore means the theory is wrong.
    • Faith Based
    Basis of Scientific Method
    • Skepticism - an attitude that doubts all claims not supported by solid research evidence.
      • The basis for critical thinking
    • Carefully evaluate what you are told.
    • What is the basis for the statement being made?
      • Is it based on the speaker's beliefs or on solid scientific study?
    • What is the evidence to support the statement?
      • Quality as well as quantity
    • What alternative explanations are possible?
    8 Critical Thinking Guidelines

    Ask questions

    Define your terms

    Examine the evidence

    Analyze assumptions and biases

    Avoid emotional reasoning

    Don’t oversimplify

    Consider other interpretations

    Tolerate uncertainty

    Scientific Method

    • Relies on careful, precise, & systematic observations.
    • Demands objectivity.
    • Provides for the gradual accumulation of knowledge through research. Replication.
      • Mozart effect - a belief that music could help a child improve his or her intelligence level. One study demonstrated that college students did better on a section of an IQ test while listening to Mozart. This information became over-applied. Georgia wanted to give tapes to newborn children; people were playing music in the classroom, etc. This effect has not been replicated.