PSYC1001 Lecture 2: Psychological Perspectives
PSYC1001
1ST MARCH 2018
PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES
× Definition of psychology: the scientific study of behaviour and mental processes
- Behaviour ® overt (observable) actions; physiological correlates of actions (relating
the different forms of changes of behaviours into changes in mental processes)
- Mental processes ® thoughts (memories, imagery, concepts); emotions (fear,
happiness, anger, arousal); interactions between the two (e.g. decision making- a
lot of this is dependent on ‘gut reaction’ which produces an emotional response to
particular scenarios)
× Goals of scientific psychology
1. Description of behaviour precisely, using careful observations
2. Prediction of specific conditions under which certain behaviours may/may not
occur- part of generating a hypothesis- e.g. a particular behaviour or cognitive
change occurs due to a certain form of mental processing- should be able to make
the prediction that if this processing is changed, the behaviour will also change ®
logical, scientific progression
3. Explanation through identifying the particular cause(s) of behaviour
4. Facilitating changes in behaviour- taking that information and using it appropriately
to bring about changes in people’s cognitions and how they think, e.g. through
therapy
× “Aren’t the answers to most psychological questions common sense?”
× Psychology can reveal things about our society that we didn’t know
- For example, Milgram’s studies of Obedience to Authority- volunteer asked to play
role of “teacher” in learning experiment- however the ‘student’ is a stooge and the
process is entirely staged (i.e. focus is on the behaviour of the teacher)
× Required to administer electric shocks when student responds incorrectly-
the more they supposedly “got wrong”, the stronger the administered
shocks were to be given
Science
Common Sense
Objective data collection
Subjective data collection
Systematic observation
Hit or miss observation
Reliance on evidence
Ignores counterevidence
Document Summary
Definition of psychology: the scientific study of behaviour and mental processes. Behaviour overt (observable) actions; physiological correlates of actions (relating the different forms of changes of behaviours into changes in mental processes) Mental processes thoughts (memories, imagery, concepts); emotions (fear, happiness, anger, arousal); interactions between the two (e. g. decision making- a lot of this is dependent on gut reaction" which produces an emotional response to particular scenarios) Aren"t the answers to most psychological questions common sense? . Psychology can reveal things about our society that we didn"t know. Required to administer electric shocks when student responds incorrectly- the more they supposedly got wrong , the stronger the administered shocks were to be given. Perceived authority of the person giving orders (mere presence of an. Level of direct responsibility for the outcome (blind obedience is more likely to occur when people shift the responsibility for their actions onto someone or something else)
