Perspectives

Question 1

What is psychology?

Answer 1

scientific investigation of mental processes

Question 2

Historical roots of psychology?

Answer 2

European and American - western views

Question 3

Willhelm Wundt

Answer 3

• established idea of psychology
• identify elements of consciousness
• trained introspection - careful, systematic
• introspection - rigorous way on reflecting conscious experience

Question 4

Structuralism

Answer 4

Edward Titchener (1876-1927)

• believed task of psych was to analyse consciousness into basic elements and see the relation
• influenced by Wundt’s thinking
• how consciousness is structured

Question 5

Functionalism

Answer 5

William Games (1842-1910)

• psych should investigate function or purpose of consciousness
• objective methods, comparative psych
• applied psych findings to practical situations
• had function or purpose in guiding behaviours

Question 6

Behaviourism

Answer 6

John B. Watson (1878-1958)

• scientific psych should only study observable behaviour
• rejected idea that we should be talking about consciousness
• behaviour can be measured and verified

Question 7

Gestalt Psychology

Answer 7

Max Wertheimer (1880-1943)

• psych best views as organised, structured wholes, not analysed into component elements
• if you look at things in isolation it doesn’t really mean anything - LOOK AT TOGETHER
• relation to structuralism and behaviourism
• experiments in perception, problem-solving

Question 8

Psychoanalysis

Answer 8

Sigmund Freud (1956-1939)

• unconsciousness contains thoughts, memories and desires (well below consciousness awareness but have significant influence over behaviour)
• shifting peoples thinking away from consciousness vs. behaviour to conscious vs. unconsious
• austrian
• unconsciousness fronting allowing us to see perhaps true desires

Question 9

Radical Behaviourism

Answer 9

B.F. Skinner (1904-1990)

• return to observable behaviour
• organisms tend to repeat responses that lead to positive outcomes and tend to not repeat responses that lead to negative outcomes
• rejecting nature vs. nurture argument (did acknowledge)
• free will was an illusion - narrative we tell ourselves

Question 10

Humanism

Answer 10

Abraham Maslow (1908-1970) & Carl Rogers (1902-1987)

• take an optimistic view of human nature
• emphasise on unique qualities of humans, especially freedom and potential for personal growth
• humans are not humans or rats
• person at centre of what we do

Question 11

What happened in the 1950s in Psych?

Answer 11

• renewed interest in consciousness and significant development of the biological bases of behaviour
• profession experienced growth
• importance on biological factors