AP Psychology



AP Psychology

The History and Scope of Psychology

Psychology’s Roots

Psychology’s Big Issues

Psychology’s Perspectives

Key Themes and Terms

Historical Overview

Philosophy & Physiology

Rationalism vs. Empiricism

Structuralism (Wundt)

Functionalism (James)

Freud, Watson, Skinner

Psychology

Psyche

mind/soul

logy

systematic study

of behavior and cognitive (mental) processes

Historical Overview

Psychology: Science of behavior and mental processes

Psychology emerged from:

philosophy- rationalism, empiricism

physiology/biology- brain, nervous system

cognitive revolution- computers, technology

anthropology- multiculturalism

Origins of Psychology

Philosophy

perception of reality

free will

Physiology

scientific tradition

mechanics of behavior, cognition, and perception

Psychology: Scientific Study of

Behavior

Mental processes

Distinguish

mind, brain, and soul

Measure and observe

History of Psychology

Ancient Greece

Nativism, Rationalism, and Empiricism

Middle Ages

Renaissance and Enlightenment

Reason and Freedom

The Physiologists (1800’s)

Pre-Psychology

Beginnings of Modern Psychology (late 1800’s)

Structuralism - components - Wundt

Functionalism - adaptation - James

The Science of Mental Life (late 1800’s to 1920’s)

Freud and Psychoanalysis

Rise of Behaviorism (1920’s into the 1960’s)

Behaviorism – Watson and Skinner

Epistemology: Basis for knowledge

Rationalism

Knowledge attained through logic and reasoning

Empiricism

Evidenced by direct observation

Demonstrable by experiment

Ancient Philosophers/Physicians

Hippocrates (460-375 B.C.)

“Father of Medicine”

Abnormal behavior caused by physical problems of the brain

Plato (437-347 B.C.)

Nativist

Tripartite Soul – Reason, Appetite, and Spirit

Aristotle (384 -322 B.C.)

Empiricist

Theory of Memory basis for several modern theories of cognition and learning

Galen (130-200 A.D.)

Built on Hippocrates idea of relationship between physical states and illness

Middle Ages

Rene Descartes (1596-1650)

“Cogito, ergo sum”

Mind-Body Dualism

Nativist

John Locke (1632-1704)

“Tabula rasa”

Experience

Physiologists

Hermann von Helmholtz (1821-1894)

Speed of nerve connections

Moved studying mind from philosophy to empirical science

Theories of color vision

Ernst Weber (1795-1878) and Gustav Fechner (1801-1887)

University of Leipzig

Studied relationship between sensations and perceptions

The Beginnings of Modern Psychology

Structuralism

Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920)

Germany – University of Leipzig

established psychology laboratory (1879)

first modern psychologist

studied consciousness.

used introspection as research tool.

Edward Titchener (1867-1927)

Chief proponent of structuralism. Used introspection to tap human consciousness. Had troubles with verification of data and reliability.

Functionalism

William James

(1842 -1910) Harvard University

Founder of American Functionalism. Viewed behavior in terms of its adaptive value for the organism. Focused on the flow of consciousness rather than its structure.

Focus on education and business

Pragmatism

Influenced by Darwin

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