PSYC 100 Lecture Notes - Scientific Method, Behaviorism, Sociobiology

• School: University of Maryland
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 100
• Professor: Ryan Curtis

Document Summary

Psychology: the science (we use scientific method) of understanding human (run experiments on other animals in order to understand humans) individuals" affect (feeling states: emotions, moods), behavior, and cognition (conscious and subconscious mental processing, thinking, dreaming, storing memories) Much of what exists was/is adapted: socio-cultural. Group norms guide thought and behavior, done to fit in (ex: going to college, greetings, monogamy) Attractive (could be sociobiological as well) vs. repulsive. Masculine vs. feminine: social learning theory based on previous experiences. Social learning theory (behaviorism): organisms are designed to seek pleasure and avoid pain, want rewards and avoid punishments. Behavior determined by experience with outcome, gives reason to do/not to do something. As soon as subject begins thinking, no longer social learning social cognitive. Ex: saw someone wearing uggs, got compliments, kept them.