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PSYCH100.04 & 82 Introduction to Psychology Professor McCloskey Class meeting times: Tuesday & Friday 12:45-2:00PM If you are not registered for this class please leave now. What is a Syllabus? The syllabus is a "contract between faculty members and their students, designed to answer student's questions about a course, as well as inform them about what will happen should they fail to meet course expectations" You are expected to be aware of the lecture and quiz schedule AND check for regular updates Psychology Department Research Requirement As a Psych 100 student, you are required to participate as a subject in research conducted at Hunter College. If you do not fulfill the mandatory 3 credits, you will receive an incomplete on your transcript regardless of your standing in the class. If you choose not to participate in an experiment you can take quizzes instead. Further information is on your syllabus and posted on BlackBoard Attendance Class attendance will be taken at the end of most classes and is required. Expect lecture material that will not be covered in your text & will not be posted on BlackBoard. The only way to get this information is to attend class. If you miss a class, YOU are responsible for obtaining the material covered - I do not distribute copies of lecture notes or post my slides. If you arrive late to class please take a seat near the door as quietly as possible. If you must leave class early please inform me before class starts and sit near the exit and leave quietly. DO NOT walk out while I am talking. Your Grade will be Based on: There will be four (4) in-class multiple choice exams based on the lectures, videos and supplemental materials in class, your text and any additional course readings. The lowest grade will be dropped. There will be weekly quizzes on BlackBoard of which the lowest two (2) will be dropped. Not to be Repeated There will be no make-up exams or quizzes for any reason. There is NO extra credit in this class. How is my grade calculated? Your two highest exam scores and the average of your quiz scores will weigh equally (The total four (4) scores will be added together and divided by four (4)). ((Exam + Exam + Exam + Quiz Average)/4) Discussion Board on BlackBoard There will be three regular open forums (see below) and forums that will be open for questions relating directly to each exam. These discussions are extremely helpful- USE THEM! Random questions you would like to ask A forum for questions you would like to ask about information that is not covered in class, such as questions about a disease or how areas of the nervous system work together, please post your questions in this forum. Questions brought up in class that your professor needed to look up later This forum is for questions about material discussed in class that I said that I would have to look up the correct answer to or further research. I will ask you to post the question on the forum in

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class and I will research the answer and post the answer to your question in this forum. Questions you forgot to ask in class Was there something you wanted to know about today's lecture, but forgot to ask? You would be able to post your question in this forum. Chapter 1 What is Psychology? What is Psychology? The discipline concerned with behavior and mental processes and how they are affected by an organisms physical state, mental state, and external environment Represented by the Greek letter (psi) Empirical- Relying on evidence gathered by careful observation, experimentation, and measurement Psychology A systematic study of behavior and experience It is always uses empirical methods! Examples = Perception, Learning, Memory, Development, Physiological changes, Psychophysics, Biopsychology and much more Not just for humans Psychology, pseudoscience, and popular opinion Can you distinguish between psychobabble and empirical psychology? There is a difference between beliefs promoted in the popular culture and findings that have been scientifically supported. In the beginning Psychology= study of the mind 600 BC - Greek words psyche (soul, spirit, or mind) + logos (study of a subject matter) Intellectual roots in physiology and philosophy The life which is unexamined is not worth living ~Socrates Philosophical basics Free will versus Determinism *** Free Will= behavior is caused by a persons independent decision. Determinism= everything that happens has a cause in the observable world. Mind-brain problem-Descartes Dualism= the mind is separate from the brain Monism= conscious experience is inseparable from the brain Nature-Nurture issue Nature= behaviors are inherited/genetic Nurture= behaviors influenced by environment/learned Forerunners of modern psychology Who is the Father of psychology?

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Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920) University of Leipzig, Germany Campaigned to make psychology an independent discipline Established the first laboratory for the study of psychology in 1879

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Focuses on the scientific study of the mind. Defined psychology as the scientific study of conscious experience Insisted that Psychological methods be as rigorous as the methods of biology, chemistry & physics. Early research laboratories in North America. This map highlights the location and year of founding for the first 24 psychological research labs established in North American colleges and universities. Many of these labs were founded by the students of Wilhelm Wundt. (Based on Garvey, 1929; Hilgard, 1987) Two intellectual schools of thought developed regarding the science of psychology Structuralism led by Edward Titchener Focused on analyzing consciousness into basic elements Introspection careful, systematic observations of ones own conscious experience Functionalism led by William James Influenced heavily by Charles Darwin The inquiry into how people and animals adapt to their environments Focused on investigating the function or purpose of consciousness Led to investigation of mental testing, developmental patterns, and sex differences Psychology (pre-1920) Behaviorism Psychology (1920s-1960s) Structuralism vs Functionalism Women of Psychology Mary Calkins Student of William James at Harvard but was not awarded a Ph.D. Founded psych lab at Wellesley College (1891) Maragaret Washburn First woman to receive Ph.D. in Psychology. Wrote The Animal Mind, which helped begin the Behaviorist movement. Leta Hollingworth Debunked popular theories that suggested women were inferior to men. Did pioneering work on adolescent development, mental retardation & gifted children. (1863-1930) Behaviorism: Redefining Psychology (once again) John B. Watson (1878-1958): United States Founder of Behaviorism Psychology = scientific study of behavior Behavior = overt (observable) response or activity by an organism Radical reorientation of psychology as a science of observable behavior Study of consciousness abandoned John Watson and the Nature-Nurture Debate Nurture, not nature give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, and my own special world to bring them up in

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and Ill guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become any type of specialist I might select doctor, lawyer, artist, merchant-chief, and yes, even beggar-man and thief

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Behaviorist school of thought emphasized the environment Contributed to rise of animal research Extremely influential but not unchallenged Freud Brings the Unconscious into the Picture

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Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) Austrian physician Approach to psychology grew out of efforts to treat mental disorders Developed Psychoanalytic theory Emphasis on unconscious processes influencing behavior Freuds Ideas: Controversy and Influence Behavior is influenced by the unconscious Unconscious conflict related to sexuality plays a central role in behavior Controversial notions met with significant resistance Significant influence on the field of psychology Behaviorism Revisited: B.F. Skinner B.F. Skinner (1904-1990): United States of America Environmental factors determine behavior Responses that lead to positive outcomes are repeated Responses that lead to negative outcomes are not repeated Beyond Freedom and Dignity More controversy regarding free will The Humanists Revolt By the 1950s, both behaviorism and psychoanalytic theory were influential schools of thought, yet many found these theories unappealing Charges that both were dehumanizing Diverse opposition groups got together to form a loose alliance A new school of thought emerged - Humanism Led by Abraham Maslow (1908-1970) and Carl Rogers (1902-1987) Emphasis on the unique qualities of humans: freedom and personal growth History of psychology review Wundt -Defined psychology as the scientific study of conscious experience Structuralism (Titchener) Focused on analyzing consciousness into basic elements Functionalism- (James) Focused on investigating the function or purpose of consciousness Behaviorism (Watson) overt (observable) response or activity by an organism-influenced by environment Freud- Behavior is influenced by the unconscious Skinner- Environmental factors determine behavior + and outcomes Humanism (Maslow and Rogers) -Emphasis on the unique qualities of humans: freedom and personal growth Psychology Comes of Age as a Profession The 1950s also saw growth of the practical side of psychology Applied psychology the branch of psychology concerned with everyday, practical problems Clinical psychology the branch of psychology concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of psychological problems and disorders Psychology Returns to Its Roots: Renewed Interest in Cognition and Physiology Cognition = mental processes involved in acquiring knowledge 1950s and 60s major progress in the study of cognitive development, memory, language, and problem solving

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Physiology = biological basis of behavior 1950s and 60s many discoveries which highlighted the interrelations among mind, body and behavior Psychological approach that focuses on how bodily events affect behavior, feelings, and thoughts This perspective involves Hormones Brain chemistry Genes Evolutionary influences
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Psychology Broadens Its Horizons: Increased Interest in Cultural Diversity Historically, psychology has been largely a Western enterprise Middle and upper class white males studying middle and upper class white males More recently, increasing interest in how cultural factors influence behavior Growing global interdependence Increased cultural diversity in Western world Psychology Adapts: The Emergence of Evolutionary Psychology Evolutionary psychology examines behavioral processes in terms of their adaptive value for members of a species over the course of many generations Central premise: natural selection favors behaviors that enhance organisms reproductive success Buss, Daly & Wilson, Cosmides & Tooby 80s and 90s Studied natural selection of mating preferences, jealousy, aggression, sexual behavior, language, decision making, personality, and development Thought provoking perspective gaining in influence, but not without criticism Psychology Today: Vigorous and Diversified Psychology is the science that studies behavior and the physiological and cognitive processes that underlie it, and it is the profession that applies the accumulated knowledge of this science to practical problems. Psychology as both science and profession Research : Seven major areas Applied Psychology: Four major areas Biopsychology-explain behavior in terms of biological factors Evolutionary-behaviors explained by evolutionary history Learning & Motivation- behavior depends on past behaviors and current motivations Cognitive-how we think and acquire knowledge Developmental-behavioral capacities of different ages and how behavior changes with age Social- influential factors of humans on indivduals and other humans Comparative- studies how different species perform the same task

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Some examples of areas of study in Psychology

Services in the field of psychology

Clinical- helping people with physiological problems Psychiatry -helping mentally disturbed with the use of medicine

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Industrial/Organizational (I/O)- study of people at work Ergonomics- how to make machinery easier and safer to operate Good website for different professions to major in psychology www.apa.org/students/
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Type of therapist

Education (all after undergraduate degree)

Clinical psychologist PhD 5+ years Psychiatrist MD + psychiatric residency 8 years Social worker Masters degree+ 2 years supervise exp (4+) Psychiatric nurse AA degree, Masters + supervised exp
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Clinical psychologists are not Psychotherapists Anyone who does any type of psychotherapy Psychoanalysts Individuals who receive training in psychoanalysis Psychiatrists Medical doctors who diagnose and treat mental disorders Employment of psychologists by setting. Careers in Psychology Studying Psychology: Seven Organizing Themes (general overview of psychology) Themes related to psychology as a field of study: Psychology is empirical (Theme 1), theoretically diverse (Theme 2), and it evolves in a sociohistorical context (Theme 3). Themes related to psychologys subject matter: Behavior is determined by multiple causes (Theme 4), shaped by cultural heritage (Theme 5), and influenced jointly by heredity and environment (Theme 6). Finally, peoples experience of the world is highly subjective (Theme 7). Websites that are useful in looking at the field of psychology www.apa.org/ American psychological Association-General resources www.rider.edu/~suler/gradschl.html Information on graduate school www.psychology.org/links/ This is an encyclopedia for psychology terms www.psychwww.com General information on psychology

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Improving Academic Performance Set up a schedule for studying Find a good place to study Reward your studying Improving your reading

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Survey Question Read Recite Review Practice Tests Improving Test-Taking Strategies Testwiseness-the ability to use the characteristics and format of a cognitive test to maximize ones score Make sure you read the question correctly Dont read things into questions Descriptive Studies: Establishing the Facts 1.14 How participants are selected for psychological studies, and why it matters 1.15 The methods psychologists use to describe behavior 1.16 The advantages and disadvantages of using descriptive research methods Selecting participants Representative sample A group of randomly chosen participants that accurately represents the larger population that the researcher is interested in Descriptive methods Methods that yield descriptions of behavior, but not necessarily causal explanations Include Case studies Observational studies Psychological tests Surveys Case studies Observational studies Psychological tests Standardized tests The test is constructed to include uniform procedures for giving and scoring the test. In order to score tests in a standardized way, an individuals outcome or score is compared to norms. To establish norms, the test is given to a large group of people who are similar to those for whom the test is intended. By having norms or established standards of performance, we know who scores low, average, or high. Reliability Surveys Questionnaires and interviews that ask people about experiences, attitudes, or opinions Requires attention to proper sampling procedures Popular polls and surveys rely on volunteers Volunteer bias Correlational study A descriptive study that looks for a consistent relationship between two phenomena Correlation A numerical measure of the strength and direction of the relationship between two things

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A correlation does not establish causation.

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Variables Characteristics of behavior or experiences that can be measured or described by a numeric scale Variables are manipulated and assessed in scientific studies. Direction of correlations Scatterplots Coefficient of correlation The statistic used to express the relationship between to variables Can range from -1.00 through 0.0 to +1.00

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The Experiment Why psychologists rely so heavily on experiments What are the defining features of an experiment An experiment A controlled test of a hypothesis in which the researcher manipulates one variable to discover its effect on another Informed consent Human research subjects must participate voluntarily, and must know enough about a study to make an intelligent decision about whether to participate.

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Experimental variables Independent and dependent variables When psychologists set up an experiment, they think, If I do X, then my participants will do Y. The X represents the independent variable. The Y represents the dependent variable. Control condition In an experiment, a comparison condition in which subjects are not exposed to the same treatment as are those in the experimental condition In some experiments, the control group is given a placebo, an inactive substance or fake treatment. Random assignment For experiments to have experimental and control groups composed of similar subjects, random assignment should be used. Each individual participating in the study has the same probability as any other of being assigned to a given group. Experimenter effects Advantages and limitations of experiments Advantage Allows for the determination of cause-and-effect relationships Limitations The sample may not be representative of a population. Participants may act in ways they ordinarily would not.

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Descriptive statistics Inferential statistics

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Statistical procedures that allow researchers to draw inferences about how statistically meaningful a studys results are The most commonly used inferential statistics are significance tests. Statistical tests that show how likely it is that a studys results occurred merely by chance
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Choosing the best explanation Judging the results importance Statistical techniques can help determine if results are really important. Effect size is the amount of variance among scores in the study accounted for by the independent variable.

Meta-analysis is a procedure for combining and analyzing data from many studies. It determines how much of the variance in scores across all studies can be explained by a particular variable.