The Study of Psychology :
The Study of Psychology Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes (mind)
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Early Pioneers of Psychology :
Early Pioneers of Psychology Experimental psychology focused on the
study of experience:
Structuralism focused on sensations and perceptual experiences (Wundt & Titchener)
Structuralism used the method of Systematic Introspection which required people to look inward and describe their own experiences.
Early Pioneers of Psychology :
Early Pioneers of Psychology Functionalism investigated functions of mental processes in adapting to the environment (James)
Gestalt psychology emphasized perception; the notion that the whole is more than the sum of the parts (Wertheimer)
Psychoanalytic view emphasizes the unconscious mind (Freud) circa 1885.
Pioneers in Psychology :
Pioneers in Psychology Behaviorism focuses on objective and measurable behaviors
Humanistic psychology emphasizes the inner-self and the importance of subjective feelings (Rogers, Maslow)
Cognitive psychology focuses on mental function and reasoning (Piaget, Ellis)
Other Schools of Psychology :
Other Schools of Psychology Handout
on Fields
of Psychology
Pseudopsychologies :
Pseudopsychologies Pseudopsychologies are unreliable approaches that do not use the scientific method
Examples of pseudopsychologies include:
Astrology: system that tries to relate personality to the movement of the stars
Palmistry: idea that reading a person’s character from the lines on their palms
Psychokinesis: notion that humans can move objects through mental concentration
Follicology: notion that personality characteristics are related to hair color
Slide 8:
A Focus on Psychological
Research
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