190 likes | 426 Vues
Chapter 1 Introduction to Psychology. KEY POINTS - CHAPTER 1. What is psychology? What are the primary perspectives that guide modern psychology? What are the main career specialties?. Definition of Psychology. The scientific study of behavior and mental processes.
E N D
KEY POINTS - CHAPTER 1 • What is psychology? • What are the primary perspectives that guide modern psychology? • What are the main career specialties?
Definition of Psychology • The scientific study of behavior and mental processes
Current Psychological Perspectives • Psychoanalytic/psychodynamic • Behaviorism • Humanistic • Cognitive • Neuroscience/Biopsychology • Sociocultural
Psychoanalytic/ psychodynamic Emphasizes unconscious processes and early life experiences Freud
Behaviorism Studies objective, observable, environmental influences Skinner, Pavlov
Humanistic • Focuses on self-concept, free will, and human nature as positive • Carl Rogers • Abraham Maslow
Cognitive Emphasizes conscious thought, perception and information processing
Evolutionary Psychology Focuses on natural selection, adaptation, and evolution of behavior patterns
Neuroscience/Biopsychology Focuses on genetics and physiological processes in the brain and nervous system
Sociocultural Focuses on social interactions and cultural determinants
What do psychologists do? • Teach and conduct research in colleges and universities • Provide mental health services (direct service) • Conduct research or apply its findings in nonacademic settings • Combination of the above
Specialties in Psychology • Variety of perspectives • All add to our understanding of psychology • Diversity allows for a wide range of career options
Popular specialties in psychology Experimental psychologists - conduct lab studies of learning, motivation, emotion, sensation and perception, and cognition Educational and school psychologists - study the process of education; focus on the intellectual, social and emotional devt of children in the school environment
Popular Specialties • Clinical psychology - specialize in the evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of mental and behavioral disorders • Counseling psychology - overlaps with clinical, but work with less severe problems
Popular Specialties • Developmental - studies the course of human growth and development from conception to death • Cognitive - examines higher order mental processes: thought, memory, intelligence, creativity and language
Popular Specialties • Gender and/or cultural psychology - examines similarities and differences between men and women and between people of different cultures • Industrial/organizational - applies psy to the workplace: personnel selection and evaluation, job satisfaction, group motivation
Popular Specialties • Social - investigates the role of social forces and interpersonal behavior, including aggression, prejudice, love, attitudes