Module 1 – The Science of Mind

Definition  Intelligence, for example, is influenced by both

genetics and experience.
Psyche (psuche) – mind, spirit, soul
Natural Sciences Roots
Logos – the objective study of
17th and 18th centuries
Psychology
 new technologies, including light microscope (used
- the objective study of the mind; scientific study of
by Anton von Leeuwenhoek to discover red blood
behavior, mental processes, and brain functions
cells in 1676.)
- the scientific study of the mind
 Discoveries about sensation and movement showed
- leading to better understanding and appreciation of
that the mind was physical.
self & others
Hermann von Helmholtz (1821-1894) – asked his participants
Behavior – refers to any action that we can observe.
to push a button when they felt a touch.
Mind – the brain and its activities, including thought,
 Studies of reaction time reinforced the idea that the
emotion, and behavior.
mind was physical.
Historical Beginnings  These experiments resulted to the discoveries about
the physical aspects of mind convinced scientists
 Psychology was rooted from Philosophy. that the mind was not supernatural and could be
 Questions regarding the nature of the self studied scientifically.
 The effects of early experiences
 The existence of free will Ancient Greek philosophers – Observations can be accounted
 The origin of knowledge for by natural, not supernatural, explanations.
 Nature (biological factors) and Nurture British empiricists – knowledge is the result of experience.
(environmental factors)
Ancient physicians – The brain is the source of mind.
Pre-modern period
Scientific Psychology
 Charles Darwin – Natural Selection, Survival of the
fittest, Theory of Evolution Wilhelm Wundt – German psychologist, founded the first
 Sir Francis Galton – use of measurement to psychological laboratory & used the experimental approach
differentiate people about man’s interaction with his environment

Philosophical Roots  Labeled as “Father of Modern Psychology.”

 James McKeen Cattell – colleague of Wundt opened
 Relationships between: his laboratory in Pennsylvania.
o self-interest and community welfare
o between body and mind History of Psychology in the Philippines
o between humans and other species
Through scholarship grants – Filipino academicians brought
 Psychologists consider questions of the unconscious
Psychology to the Philippines.
mind and abnormal behavior, but philosophers
investigated these issues thousands of years before University of Santo Tomas & University of San Carlos, Cebu –
the first psychologist was born. first schools to teach Psychology.

Philosophers University of the Philippines – first Department of

Psychology headed by Agustin Alonzo in 1926.
Aristotle (384 – 322 BCE) – believed that all knowledge is
gained through sensory experience Filipinos who received Ph.D. in Psychology in the US

John Locke (1632–1704) – originator of British school of Sinforoso Padilla – established the first psychological clinic at
empiricism (17thr century); viewed the mind as a “blank U.P.
slate” at birth, which then was filled with ideas gained by
Jesus Perpinan – opened the psychological clinic in F.E.U.
observing the world
Elias Bumatay – became Dean of the College of Education at
Contemporary psychologists – believe that experience
National University.
interacts with inborn characteristics to shape the mind.
Module 1 – The Science of Mind
Estefania Aldaba-Lim – started the psychology program in Psychodynamic approach – founded by Freud; this school of
PWU in 1948 & the Philippine Psychological Corporation in thought emphasized the influence of the unconscious mind
1962. on behavior.

Pioneering Approaches/Perspective in Psychology Cognitive approach – focus on our information processes of

perception, attention, language, memory, and thinking, and
• An approach or perspective in psychology is a
how they influence our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
particular view as to why, and how, it is we think,
feel, and behave as we do. Goals of Psychology

Structuralism – the mind is broken into the smallest elements Describe – make classifications into meaningful categories or
of mental experience. qualitative form

 Edward Titchener – emphasized experience and its Understand – explain and interpret facts about behavior
observation to understand people
Predict – draw out future events based on understanding of
Functionalism – saw behavior as purposeful and contributing relationships between conditions and situations
to survival.
Control – monitor behavior for purposeful use
 William James - conscious processes function in the
Research in Psychology
adjustment of man to his environment
Experimental method – comparison of two groups where
Gestalt – whole is different from the sum of the parts.
one is experimental group and the other is the control group.
 Wolfgang Kohler, Max Wertheimer and Kurt Kofka –
Naturalistic observation – scientific observation.
developed Gestalt psychology
Case Histories – asking the person involved data needed
Behaviorism – understanding others is via stimulus-response
and/or gathering data from people significant to the subject.
formula
Survey method – preparing questionnaire or interview forms
 John B. Watson – believed in observable behavior
in gathering data.
Psychoanalytic Psychology – behavior is governed by hidden
Clinical method – finding the causes of some emotional or
motives and unconscious desires
social maladjustment using diagnostic observations.
 Sigmund Freud proposed the theory of unconscious
Branches in Psychology
motivation.
Major Specialties:
Modern Perspectives in Psychology
 Clinical Psychology
Behavioral Psychology – is basically interested in how our
 Counseling Psychology
behavior results from the stimuli both in the environment
 Industrial/Organizational Psychology
and within ourselves.
 Developmental Psychology
Biological approach – believes us to be as a consequence of  Social Psychology
our genetics and physiology.  Experimental Psychology
 School and Educational Psychology
 It is the only approach in psychology that examines
thoughts, feelings, and behaviors from a physical Additional branches:
point of view.
 Cognitive Psychology
Evolutionary psychology – focus on how evolution has  Consumer Psychology
shaped the mind and behavior.  Cross-cultural Psychology
 Engineering Psychology
Developmental psychology – also known as Human
 Environmental Psychology
Development, is the scientific study of progressive
 Forensic Psychology
psychological changes that occur in human beings as they
age.  Health Psychology
 Neuropsychology
 Peace Psychology
Module 1 – The Science of Mind
 Personality Psychology
 Physiological/Biological Psychology
 Political Psychology
 Psychology of Women
 Sports Psychology