Psych Notes: Basics of Psychology

Psychology is the study of behavior and mental processes.

• Behavior: anything that can be observed.
• Mental processes: Internal experiences such as thoughts, feelings, sensations, and perceptions

Systematic Study: Systematic collection and examination of data (empirical evidence) to support or disprove.

Nature vs. Nurture

• Nature: certain ideas born innately; "Men are born, not made."
• Nurture: learn through experience; tabula rasa (blank slate), "men are made, not born".

The Birth of Psychology

• Wilhelm Wundt: "Father of Psychology"
• introspection: looking inward into yourself
• conducted first psychological study
• Edward Titchener
• Structuralism
• Wundt, Titchener, Hall (founder and first president APA)
• uses introspection to explore structural elements of the mind
• breaks down mental processes into most basic parts
• Functionalism
• explains how our mental and behavioral processes function and how they enable us to adapt, survive, and flourish
• focused on purpose of behavior
• started by William James, who was influenced by Darwin