4 goals of psychology
- Describe
- Explain
- Predict
- Control
Pyschodynamic perspective
Unconscious influences, early life experiences
ex: major depression
bad experience (childhood)
Behavioral perspective
Influence of learning
ex: a child who cries and is rewarded, will cry again to get his mothers attention in the future
Humanistic perspective
Psychological growth and human potential
ex: trying to be the best they can be
Cognitive perspective
Mental processes/thinking
ex: blowing a piece of life out proportion
Sociocultural perspective
Influence of social situations and culture
ex: culture doesn’t allow you to grow
Biopsychological perspective
Physical and biological bases of behavior
ex: chemical imbalance- seratonin
Evolutionary perspective
Influence of natural selection-Darwin
ex:
Biological influences
- genetic predispositions
- genetic mutations
- natural selection of adaptive physiology and behaviors
- genes responding to the environment
Psychological influences
- learned fears and other learned expectations
- emotional responses
- cognitive processing and perceptual interpretations
Social-cultural influences
- presence of others
- cultural, societal, and family expectations
- peer and other group influences
- compelling models (media)
Psychiatrist
(MD, DO)
Can write prescriptions
Psychiatric Social Worker
(MSW, LCSW)
Drug programs, etc.
Psychologist
(PhD, PsyD, MA)
CANNOT prescribe meds
Therapist
Means nothing
Scientific method
- Question
- Hypothesis
- Test hypothesis
- Draw conclusions
- Report results
Hypothesis
- State variables and operationally define them
- Must be testable via observation or experience
Test hypothesis
- Design study and collect data
- Descriptive methods vs. experimental methods
Descriptie method
- Use of ‘blind’ observer
- Laboratory observation
- Case study
- Group of population, random sample being surveyed
- Inaccurate answers
- Wording
Illusory correlation
- Superstitions (irony)
- No relationship
Independent variable
-Variable that is manipulated
Dependent variable
-Depends upon the independent variable
Experimenter effect
- Experimenter influences the outcome
- Acting different because you are influenced and know you are being watched
Double-blind
-Both subject and researcher are blind
