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Psyche2nd Lecture

The document discusses the beginnings of psychology as a scientific discipline and traces its emergence from philosophy and physiology in the 17th century. It then covers Wilhelm Wundt, who opened the first psychology lab in 1879 and is considered the father of psychology. The document also outlines different approaches in psychology such as behavioral, cognitive, psychodynamic and others.

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momina humayun
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15 views

Psyche2nd Lecture

The document discusses the beginnings of psychology as a scientific discipline and traces its emergence from philosophy and physiology in the 17th century. It then covers Wilhelm Wundt, who opened the first psychology lab in 1879 and is considered the father of psychology. The document also outlines different approaches in psychology such as behavioral, cognitive, psychodynamic and others.

Uploaded by

momina humayun
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The Beginnings of Psychology: Philosophy and Physiology

• During the 17th-century, the French philosopher Rene Descartes


introduced the idea of dualism, which asserted that the mind and
body were two entities that interact to form the human experience.
• Historians acknowledge that three German scientists—Ernst Weber,
Gustav Fechner, and Hermann von Helmholtz—were the first to
systematically study behavior and mental processes. But it is Wilhelm
Wundt (1832–1920) who is generally thought of as the “father” of
psychology.
Psychology Emerges as a Separate Discipline

• During the mid-1800s, a German physiologist named Wilhelm


Wundt was using scientific research methods to investigate reaction
times. His book published in 1874, Principles of Physiological
Psychology, outlined many of the major connections between the
science of physiology and the study of human thought and behavior.

• Wundt’s vision for the new discipline included studies of social and
cultural influences on human thought ( Benjafield, 1996 ).
• He later opened the world’s first psychology lab in 1879 at the
University of Leipzig. This event is generally considered the official
start of psychology as a separate and distinct scientific discipline.
Different approaches in Psychology
• An approach or perspective is a particular view as to why, and how, it
is we think, feel, and behave as we do.
• These approaches are :
• Neuroscience
• Behavioral
• Evolutionary
• Developmental
• Psychodynamic
• Cognitive
Neuroscience Perspective
• Focus on how the
physical body and
brain creates our
emotions, memories
and sensory
experiences.
Behavioral Perspective

Focuses on our
OBSERVABLE behaviors.

Only cares about the behaviors


that impair our living, and
attempts to change them.

If you bit your fingernails when you


were nervous, a behaviorist would
not focus on calming you down, but
rather focus on how to stop you from
biting your nails.
Evolutionary Perspective
Focuses on Darwinism.
We behave the way we do because we
inherited those behaviors.
Thus, those behaviors must have helped
ensure our ancestors survival.
Example : with advancement in technology our
parents attitudes have changed somehow
Developmental
• Developmental approach, also known as Human Development, is the
scientific study of progressive psychological changes that occur in
human beings as they age.
• Example: compare your 1st semester with 4th
Psychodynamic
• Sigmund Freud was the founder of the psychodynamic approach to
psychology. This school of thought emphasized the influence of the
unconscious mind on behavior.
• Usually stemming from our childhood.
Cognitive
• Focus on our information processes of perception, attention,
language, memory, and thinking, and how they influence our
thoughts, feelings and behaviors.
Focuses on how we think (or encode information)
How do we see the world?
How did we learn to act to sad or happy events?
Cognitive Therapist attempt to change the way you think.
Social-Cultural Perspective

• Focus on how your culture effects your behavior.

Even in the same


high school,
behaviors can
change in
accordance to the
various
subcultures.
Humanistic Perspective
Focuses on positive growth
Attempt to seek self-actualization
people try to achieve their maximum potential (self
actualization)
Promote health and self-growth

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