PSY 103GENERAL PSYCHOLOGYWeek 01

Week 1: Content

Changes in definition of psychology Current perspectives Subfields of psychology Four big ideas

Week 1: Learning Outcomes

After this lesson, you should be able to:define psychology (CLO 2)discuss how psychology’s focus has changed over time (CLO 1)describe psychology’s current perspectives (CLO 1)identify four big ideas that run throughout psychology (CLO 2)explain how psychological principles can help students learn and remember (CLOs 2, 4)brainstorm how psychology is/could be relevant in the local context (CLOs 2, 4)

Changes in Definition of Psychology I

Early definitions until 1920s Psychology = science of mental life Wundt – 1979 establishment of 1st psychology

laboratory Watson, Skinner: Behaviorism: 1920s-1960s

Psychology = objective science that studies behavior without reference to mental processes

Freud: Psychodynamic Psychology Psychology = emphasis on unconscious

thought processes and emotional responses to childhood experiences

Changes in Definition of Psychology II

Rogers, Maslow: Humanistic Psychology: Psychology = emphasis on growth

potential of healthy people Cognitive Psychology:

Psychology = scientific exploration of how information is perceived, processed and remembered

Cognitive Neuroscience: Psychology = scientific exploration of brain

activity underlying mental activity

Current Definition of Psychology

Psychology

= science of behavior and mental processes

Psychology as Science

Current Perspectives

Neuroscience Evolutionary Behavior genetics Psychodynamic Behavioral Cognitive Social-cultural Humanistic

Subfields of Psychology

Biological (Week 3) Developmental (4) Clinical (13, 14) Counseling (10, 14) School (4, 6, 7, 8) Educational (4, 6,

7, 8) Personality (11) Social (12) Environmental (10)

Cognitive (5, 6, 7, 8)

Industrial (10, 11) Organizational (10,

11) Consumer (6, 12) Health (10, 14) Sport (10, 14) Forensic (7) Human factors (5)

Human Factors Psychology

http://daytonabeach.erau.edu

Human Factors Psychology

www.hfes.org

Four Big Ideas

Critical thinking Bio-psycho-social approach Two-track mind Human strengths

Critical Thinking

How do we know that? Who benefits from this? Is the conclusion based on guesswork

and gut feelings, or on evidence? How do we know one event caused the

other? How else could we explain things?

Biopsychosocial Approach

Two-Track Mind – Dual Processing

Human Strengths

Positive psychology: Positive emotions Positive character traits Positive institutions

Homework for Week 2

Read from Chapter 1 the following sections BEFORE class: 1-1 1-2 1-3 1-6 1-7 1-8 1-9 1-11 1-12 1-13

Complete Worksheet 1 BEFORE class Complete Quiz 1 on modules 1 and 2 at the beginning of

class

One Minute Paper

Please describe briefly (1-2 sentences each):

1. Which one of today’s topics do you find most interesting?

2. Which topic is most unclear after today’s class? (If nothing is unclear, state that)