Psychology Class Notes September 15, 2004

19th Century Schools of Thought

I. Structuralism (Born of physics)

a. Introspection  Inside-out approach  Used mostly in therapy.
b. Analogy: Anatomy: You can dissect the dead body, but to no conclusion.
II. Functionalist (Born of social psychology / biology)
a. Analogy: Physiology: How organ systems function together.
b. Outside-in approach  E.g. when we analyzed the three people with the
money. First observe, and then interpret.
c. Limitations:
i. People tend to act differently when people are watching them.
Something very staged and artificial about it  Hawthorne effect
ii. Could assume and interpret wrong
• So, both approaches were naturally very short-lived

20-21st Century Schools of Thought

I. Biological
II. Psychoanalytic (Psychodynamic)
III. Behaviorist / Learning
IV. Cognitive
a. Humanist

Film Series
• What can psychology tell us about relations between the mind and behavior? Our
reaction to embarrassing situations, to how we evaluate social groups.
• Past, present and Promise
• Philip Zimbardo (Scary vampire-ish guy who can’t say his r’s): Discovering
Psychology
• What makes us similar to different people and yet uniquely different? Why do we
think and feel and behave as we do? Are we molded more by heredity or shaped
by experience? How can the same brain which gives us the same capacity for
rationality and love also become the crucible for mental illness?
• New research fueled by new technology will always add to time-tested knowledge
• Ugly picture of brain.
• What causes behavior to occur and change?
• Psychology formerly defined as scientific study of metal processes of brain.
Psychologists then use their search to predict and in some cases control behavior.
Practical problems that plague individuals and society
• While some study mental processes, others work to improve education, to reduce
stress, to promote peace, to counter-act violence.
• Dedicated people who observe behavior under specially made conditions
• The reason to study behavior that it’s the outer science of an inner reason.
• Psychological researches.
• Why do the girls laugh when the handsome teacher leaves the room? Pent up
emotions, he’s bloody hot! The secret connection between the two girls who both
think he’s super hot, nervous etc. Nervous, excited, showing friends how cools
they are, anticipation, self-conscious, sexually aroused, simply showing typical
reaction of adolescent girls.
• Boys and out of the ordinary female teacher. Their reaction: SAME!
• Relate observed behavior to certain aspects of individual involved etc.
• Dispositional Factors: Genetics, etc. vs. Situational factors: Sensory,
environmental.
• Expectations vs. actual thing: EEGs used to show that brain subconsciously notice
that something is wrong, but our expectations color our judgment. Event-related
potential
• P-300 wave: unexpected but important event  brain’s characteristic wave
• Levels of analysis
o Micro: Brain waves, et c.
o Molecular level: Speed of reacting to a stimulus, body language  non-
verbal communication. Facial expression, movement, tone of voice,
primary channels.
o Molar level: Larger units of behavior, of whole person in complex
situations. Cultural background and social experiences must also be
factored in. Violence, nature of prejudice etc.
 New tools can take things studied at molar levels to micro levels.
 Neuroscientists study the subconscious levels of involvement in
social groups.
• Historical contexts:
o Began in 18something, Wundt, first psychological lab
o 1883, John Hopkins University. Hall also introduced Freud to the public.
o 1890: William James psychological texts: Principles of Psychology.
Professor at Harvard, also studied medicine and taught physiology. Wundt
and Hall rejected his principles as unscientific.