PSY 101

• Psychology is not the same as Psychiatry, which is the study and treatment of mental illness.
• Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes.
• Psychology links well with other sciences like sociology, anthropology and the likes, focusing their study on humans.
• Socrates introduced the method of Introspection based on his concept of “Know Thyself”.
• Sigmund Freud is considered as the Father of Psychology.
• Wilhelm Wundt is considered as one of the founders of psychology.
• Single-Case Experimental Design is used to study the effects of an intervention on an individual, often used in clinical or applied settings.
• 28% of psychologists work in academic settings of universities and colleges.
• 13% of psychologists work in a variety of other kinds of jobs and career settings.
• 49% of psychologists work as clinical or counseling psychologists, in either private practice or therapy settings.
• 4% of psychologists work in secondary school and other settings.
• Psychology can be described as the systematic, scientific study of behaviors and mental processes.
• Behaviors refer to observable actions or responses in both humans and animals.
• Mental processes are not directly observable, they refer to a wide range of complex mental processes, such as thinking, imagining, dreaming and studying.
• The goals of psychology are to describe, explain, predict and control an organism’s behavior.
• Socrates suggested a research method that is still used in Psychology, Introspection based on his concept of “Know Thyself”.
• Aristotle delved into personality, sensation, perception, thought, intelligence, etc.
• Descartes' dualism set the stage for discussions on the nature of consciousness and the relationship between mental and physical phenomena.
• Wilhelm Wundt established the first psychological laboratory in Leipzig, Germany, and is considered the father of experimental psychology.
• Cultural Relativism – Cultural relativism is a key concept, suggesting that behaviors, norms, and values should be understood within the cultural context in which they occur.
• Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs – Abraham Maslow proposed a hierarchy of needs, with basic physiological and safety needs at the lower levels, followed by psychological needs for love and belonging, esteem needs, and ultimately, self-actualization at the pinnacle.
• Sociocultural Approach - Changing your behavior in line with other people or external factors is called Social Influence.
• Research Methods - Psychologists conduct and analyse their research using various approaches such as experimental research, correlational research, descriptive research, longitudinal research, cross-sectional research, quasi-experimental research, and meta-analysis.
• Holism - Humanistic psychology adopts a holistic perspective, considering individuals as integrated wholes rather than as a collection of isolated parts or behaviors.
• Socialization and Development - The socio-cultural approach explores how individuals acquire cultural knowledge and values through socialization processes within their communities.
• Sociocultural Approach -The sociocultural approach focuses on the role of ethnicity, gender, culture and socioeconomic status in behavior and mental processes.
• Cross-Cultural Research - Cross-cultural research compares psychological phenomena across different cultures to identify universal principles as well as cultural variations.
• Personal Responsibility and Freewill - The humanistic approach emphasizes personal responsibility and free will.
• Cultural Influence on Behavior – This approach emphasizes how cultural norms, values, and customs impact an individual's thoughts, emotions, and actions.
• Sociocultural Approach - The sociocultural approach looks at how people’s behavior, thoughts and feelings are influenced by the actual or imagined presence of other people.
• The principle of closure in Gestalt psychology suggests that the mind fills in missing information to create a complete and recognizable form.
• Innate Behaviors are behaviors that are present at birth and are not learned.
• Evolutionary Explanation of Mental Processes is the idea that mental processes can be explained through the lens of evolution.
• Structuralism breaks conscious experience into objective sensations (sight/taste) and subjective feelings (emotional responses, mental images).
• Behaviorism, led by John B. Watson and later B.F. Skinner, emphasized the study of observable behavior, rejecting the study of consciousness.
• The principle of wholeness in Gestalt psychology emphasizes that individuals perceive objects as whole entities rather than isolated parts.
• Structuralism is the study of the most basic elements, primarily sensations and perceptions, that make up our conscious mental experiences.
• Gestalt psychology, developed by Max Wertheimer and others, focused on the holistic nature of perception and cognition.
• Structuralism, led by Wilhelm Wundt and Edward Titchener, focused on analyzing the basic elements of consciousness through introspection.
• Behavior Modification is a therapeutic approach that utilizes principles of operant conditioning to bring about desired changes in behavior.