November 2, 2011

The Nature and Scope of Psychology

1. Psychology is a science that studies the behavioral characteristics of human individual aspect and even
the animals.
2. The significance of the study of psychology is an important contribution in developing / forming ones
attitude, characteristics and view point of his/her life and to the other life.
3. Schools of thought of psychology.
Structuralism lead by Edward Bradford Tichener. According to this theory was the structure of
the mind.
Functionalism by John Dewey. The domain of psychology should be the study of matter and its
component elements.
Behaviorism by John B. Watson. The subject matter of psychology should be the objective
observable actions of organisms and its aim is production and control of actual behavior.
Gestalt by the Group of German Psychologist. A German word translated as configuration, or
form, pattern, or organization.
Psychoanalysis by Sigmund Freud. Wherein the disturb subject may find catharsis this libidinal
wishes can be ferreted out from ones subconscious.
Purposivism by William McGougall. The secretion of ones hormones is responsible for the
motive force that propels one to strive towards the attainment of ones goals.
4. Branches of Psychology
General Psychology
Comparative Psychology
Genetic or Developmental Psychology
Dynamic Psychology
Physiological Psychology
Abnormal Psychology
Educational Psychology
Industrial Psychology
Social Psychology
Therapy and Counseling
Human Engineering
Clinical Psychology
Psychometric or Psychometrics Psychology
5. Methods of Psychology
Introspection is a method which consists of reporting subjective experiences when stimulated
by appropriate objects or events.
Observation it is a visual method in determining, interpreting and relating action of
individuals in his/her environment.
Questioners, Opinionnaires, Inventories it is a method use to gather facts, use to gather
opinions that could be useful in the development.
Testing Techniques or The Statistical Method this method is commonly used in medical
physicians in testing ones mental ability and social responsibility by giving set of questions.
Clinical Method This is combination of both naturalistic observation and testing.
Statistical Method is a method that reduces data to descriptive terms that could be
comprehends with a minimum of effort.
Survey Method it is similar to any other scientific observation that needs a collection of a
large number of facts and classification or grouping of these facts.
Experimental Method it is a method basis of all scientific works following such procedures.
Interviews it is a person to person conversation to gather thoughts and ideas.
6. Fields of Psychology
Clinical and Counseling Psychology
a. Clinical Psychology it is in the field of clinic associated with professionals, doctors in the
field of psychiatry.
b. Counseling Psychology It deals with schools in elementary, high schools, and even college
that intervene less serious problems.
Developmental, Social and Personality Psychology
a. Developmental Psychology focus on developmental changes from birth to old age.
b. Social Psychology may work on attitude surveys and public opinions.
c. Personality Psychology focus on differences among people for the purpose of classifying
them and for a study of certain unique qualities.
Experimental and Physiological Psychology
a. Experimental Psychology it is a precise laboratory controls to study peoples reaction
sensory stimuli.
b. Physiological Psychology relate behavior with biological processes.
School and Educational Psychology
a. School Psychology are usually trained in child development and in clinical and educational
psychology.
b. Educational Psychology specialize in teaching and learning.
Industrial and Engineering Psychology
a. Industrial Psychology may work with one company or act as consultant for a number of
companies.
b. Engineering Psychology design mechanics to minimize human errors.
Engineering Specialties
a. Forensic Psychology work concerns the legal and judicial field.
b. Psychology in Computer Science help in the planning and analyzing of experimental data.
c. Evaluation and Research Psychology become active in the examination of governmental
programs for out of school youth.




































November 3, 2011

Principles of Growth and Development

1. Identify the following:
Growth is the progressive increase and continuous advancement of the child from birth to
maturity.
Development defines as a progressive series of changes that occur in an orderly, predictable
pattern as a result of maturation and experience.
Maturation is the unfolding of the individuals inherent traits. It provides the raw material for
learning and determines the more general patterns and sequences of behavior.
Heredity often referred to as a nature, is the transmission of genetic characteristics from
parents to offspring.
2. Mechanics of Heredity
Within a cell nucleus genes are lined up on tiny thread like bodies called chromosomes, which
can be seen under a microscope. The chromosomes are arranged in pairs, and each species has its own
number of pairs. Human beings have 23 pairs of chromosomes in every normal body cell. When one of
the normal human cell divides, each of the 46 chromosomes in the cell nucleus splits in 2. The cell
matter that surrounds the nucleus also separates and the 2 new cells are exact copies of the parent
cell. Each new cell contains a full set of 46 chromosomes, or 23 pairs.
3. Reproduction Process
Human males produce spermatozoa (singular, spermatozoon or sperm). Females produce ova
(singular ovum, or egg). Females usually produce a single ovum once a month while males
produce spermatozoa in large numbers almost any time.
4. Stages of Pre-natal Development
Period of Ovum fertilization to the end of the second week.
Period of Embryo end of the second week to the end of the second lunar month.
Period of the Fetus end of the second lunar month to birth.
5. Factors that may influence the unborn child.
German Measles
Syphilis, Malaria, Small Pox, Chicken Pox, and Mumps
Maternal Malnutrition
Alcohol and Smoking
The effects of X-rays and other form of radiation may affect the mentality of the child.
Emotional States of Mothers
Endocrine Irregularities
Blood Incompatibility
The Use of Drugs
The effects of pills or Medicines
6. Different Development in the Post-Natal Period
Sensory Development much of the neonates behavior is essentially reflective.
Motor Development it involves muscular reactions like walking, grasping, jumping, etc. often
requiring an enter action between sensory and motor functions.\
Language Development at two-three months, an infant spontaneously and coos at others.
Intellectual Development intelligence connotes adaptive behavior to the environment and
the organization and reorganization of thought and action.
Social Development social responsiveness is defined in most child studies in terms of (1)
more interest in people than in material things; (2) cooperativeness rather than aggression
toward others in play; (3) respect for the property of others.
Emotional Development specific emotions cannot be reliably identified in early life.
Moral Development morality is conformity to certain standards of behavior usually imposed
by society of a group.
7. Factors that affect each post-natal development
Moral Development
a. Illness and physical injury: Polio or other debilitating diseases may delay the development of
walking in the child.
b. Intelligence (low grade): Idiots, for instance, may be delayed for as long as four years before
they are able to walk.
c. Size of the body: Babies that are too obese may find it hard to carry their bodies in locomotion.
d. Lack of opportunity to learn: Hopi Indians carry their babies slug across their backs while they
go about their work.
e. Fear: Children who are allowed to walk too early may toddle and stumble and lose their self-
confidence.
f. Hampering Clothes: In the cold countries, babies are sometimes bundled in clothes which
impede the free use of the arms and legs.
g. Nutrition: Diets which are not rich in the essential bone-building nutrients like calcium,
phosphorus, vitamins and others may weaken the child.
Language Development
Various factors aside from maturation and learning influences speech development of
infants. The standards and examples of the parents and the adults will affect the articulation of
the child. Parents sometimes use baby talk, i.e., they sometimes mimic the childs speech.
Intellectual Development
a. Heredity: Ones intellectual capacities are contained in the genes inherited from both parents
at the moment of conception.
b. Environment: Fraternal twins are more alike in intelligence than ordinary sibling showing that
sharing a common intrauterine environment and both being subjected to any congenital effect
like nutritive or glandular condition during pregnancy influences intellectual development.
c. Maturation: Ones intellectual capacity is directly proportional to ones degree of maturation.
d. Learning: Concepts learned at home and in school from the raw materials for judging and
reasoning.
e. Health and physical condition: Poor health may dull ones interest or enthusiasm for
intellectual activities.
Social Development
The social development of the child, like the other aspects of development, proceeds
from the interaction of the organism with the environment. Although readiness is the first
requisite for social interaction, children still have to learn social responsive.
Emotional Development
a. Maturation: The time at which an emotion appears is limited mainly by maturation and cannot
be hastened by learning or training.
b. Learning: As the childs abilities in motor activities and language increases, there is a less cause
for physical frustration.
c. Physical condition: The healthy is less temperamental and more able to react with emotional
stability to environmental conditions.
d. Environment: Interactions with different people increase the childs repertory of emotional
reactions.
Moral Development
a. Home and family environment: A good home is the greatest asset of the child. The integrity of
the parents serves as the best model for the child.
b. Intelligence: There is evidence that the bright child is more honest in the performance of his
educational tasks than the average or dull child.
c. Maturation and learning: The childs moral concepts and behavior is directly consistent with his
level of maturity and the amount and degree of learning he has imbibed thru his elders and the
environment.
8. Positive and negative child rearing practices
Positive Practices
a. Firm and consistent in expectations of how children should behave.
b. Warm and affectionate
c. Respects childrens opinions
d. Rewards responsible behavior and encourages independent action and decision-making.
Negative Practices
a. Very controlling or demanding
b. Concerned more with their needs than with their children
c. Very permissive
d. Fails to rewards responsible behavior and to discourage immature ones.



November 6, 2011


Conflicts, Frustration and Defense Mechanism

1. Define the following:
Adjustment is the changes in our environment require adjustment responses.
Frustration is a result from the blocking or thwarting of goal-directed behavior resulting in an
unpleasant state of tension, anxiety and heightened sympathetic activity.
Conflict it occurs in the mind of the person.
2. Different types of Conflict
Approach-approach Conflict occurs when two positive goals, both equally attractive, are
presented at the same time.
Avoidance-avoidance Conflict the individual is attracted at the same time to two goals which
are incompatible to each other.
Approach-avoidance Conflict is often the most difficult to resolve. In this conflict, the person
is both attached and repelled by the same goal object.
Double-approach-avoidance Conflict in everyday life, conflicts are seldom as simple as the
ones we have presented.
3. Defense Mechanism the adaptiveness and success of a defense mechanism are of different
dimensions. Success refers to whether or not the self-deception is convincing to the person.
4. Advantages and disadvantages of defense mechanism
Advantage
a. They help us meet the anxiety-creating situations immediately and allow us time to gather
strength to meet them more directly at a later time.
b. One may learn new ways of behaving by assuming parts of the observed role of others as in
Identification.
c. It may lead to a more consistent and valuable view of ones self.
d. The resultant behavior may have a potential value as in sublimation.
Disadvantages
a. Defense mechanisms usually work to circumvent problems rather than to face them
directly.
b. Their excessive use may lead to greater personal or social difficulty.
c. The roles adopted may remain unrealistic as in identification or work through the exploits of
others as in compensation.
d. They do not generally solve the problem which requires their use and therefore are not fully
tension-reducing.