Definition & Goals

1. Definition & Goals Section A Module 1

2. Definition of Psychology • Psychology is the systematic, scientific study of behaviors and mental processes • Behaviors refers to observable actions or responses in both humans and animals (eating, speaking, laughing, running, reading, and sleeping) • Mental processes are not directly observable (thinking, imagining, studying, or dreaming) • The current definition is very broad but psychologists usually have four specific goals in mind when they study behavior or mental process

3. Goals of Psychology • The psychologists four goals are: • Describe the different ways that organisms behave • Explain the causes of the behavior • Predict how organisms will behave in certain situations • Control an organism’s behavior

4. Modern Approaches Section B Module 1

5. More Approaches, More Answers • Six approaches to reaching goals • Biological approach focuses on how our genes, hormones, and nervous system interact with our environment to influence learning, personality, memory, motivation, emotions, and coping techniques • Cognitive approach how we process, store, and use information and how this information influences what we attend to perceive, learn, remember, believe, and feel • Behavioral approach studies how organisms learn new behaviors or modify existing ones, depending on whether events in their environments reward or punish these behaviors • Psychoanalytic approach stresses the influence of unconscious • Humanistic approach emphasizes that each individual has great freedom in directing his or her future, a large capacity for personal growth, a considerable amount of intrinsic worth, and enormous potential for self-fulfillment • Cross-cultural approach examines the influence of cultural and ethnic similarities and differences on psychological and social functioning of a culture’s members

6. Biological Approach • Biological approach is used by researchers called psychobiologists and they use a number of different research methods including computerized photos of brains • Psychobiologists show that genetic factors influence a wide range of human behaviors • Genes use a chemical alphabet to write instructions for the development of the brain and body and the manufacture of chemicals that affect everything we do • Researchers recently developed a test that identified high levels of certain proteins in the blood of infants who later developed autism

7. Biological Approach • Why do my hands sweat? (pg 6) • Why does test anxiety affect our output? (pg 6)

8. Cognitive Approach • Psychologists use the cognitive approach to study why autistic individual differ in the development of language and social skills • Why do autistics have problems acquiring cognitive, language, and communication skills? (pg 7) • Cognitive Neuroscience involves taking pictures of structures and functions of the living brain during performance of a a variety of mental or cognitive processes, such as thinking, planning, naming, and recognizing objects • Can you worry too much? (pg 7) • What are the two components to test anxiety? (pg 7) • How does women’s test anxiety differ from men? (pg 7)

9. Behavioral Approach • A basic example a behavior principle are rewards or punishments that can modify, change, or control behavior • B.F. Skinner developed the behavioral approach into a major force in psychology • His ideas stress the importance of environmental reinforces and the exclusion of mental processes • His ideas are called strict behaviorism • Albert Bandura develop a behavioral model called social learning approach that stressed that our behaviors are influenced by environmental events, observation, imitation, and thought processes • Can I redirect my worrying? (pg 8) • What are the six self management practices that are related to increasing studying time and achieving better scores? (pg 8)

10. Psychoanalytic Approach • Psychoanalytical approach would look at why other personalities develop to deal with difficult experiences • Sigmund Freud treated a number of patients with psychological problems • Freud believed that the first five years have a profound affect on our lives • Freud felt that bad thoughts and memories were stored deep in the unconscious • Dream analysis was one of the ways he brought the unconscious out • Psychoanalytic approach would search for hidden or unconscious forces underlying test anxiety • Is test anxiety related to procrastination? (pg 9) • What type of students are regular procrastinators? (pg 9)

11. Humanistic Approach • Developing close personal relationships and reaching true potential is the humanistic approach • Humanists believe that we may have to struggle to reach our potential but we have control of our fate and are free to become whatever we are capable of being • It emphasizes the positive side of human nature • Abraham Maslow was one of the major figures that established humanistic approach • Many behaviorists regard the humanistic approach as a philosophic way of life because it has a lack of rigorous experimental methods • How can students reach their potentials? (pg 10) • What are similar characteristics that successful students share? (pg 10)

12. Cross-Cultural Approach • The differences in diagnosing autism in the U.S., China, and Germany show the influence of cultural factors • How do other cultures deal with test anxiety? (pg 11) • Cultural plays a big role in determining the intensity and expression of anxiety • What three countries had the highest test anxiety scores? (pg 11) • What type of successful students are admired in America? (pg 11) • By combining all six approaches psychologists stand a better chance of reaching their four goals of describing, explaining, predicting, and controlling behavior