Psychology an Introduction

By Dipesh Upadhyay
Email: [email protected]
Cell: 9851158982
Chapter 1

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Day 1
My introduction
Your introduction
• Think of your personality, character, traits, how you influence others
and how you are influenced by others
• Think of an animal, object or whatsoever that describes you in some
way
• Introduce yourself ‘My name is …..’.
• I am this ………. Object/Animal/Symbol
• I am from ……….. place
Day 2
Basic text book
• Understanding Psychology by R.S. Feldman
• Psychology. By S. K. Ciccarelli and J.N. White

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How to excel
• Do not wait till the end
• Prepare from today
• Find out the key words
• Understand, memorize, repeat, rehearse, reproduce
• Read original/main text books
• Make notes in class, home and library
• Ask
• You don’t have to read all the chapter at once i.e. read one or two pages
at a time

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Contents in this chapter
• Meaning and definition of psychology
• History of psychology i.e. structuralism, functionalism, gestalt, cognitive
• Major Perspectives in psychology: 1) Psychodynamic, 2) Biological, 3) Behavioral,
4) Cognitive, 5) Humanistic and Existential, 6) Sociocultural, 7) Evolutionary, and 8)
Developmental
• Recent developments in psychology
• Common sense and psychology
• Goal of psychology
• Similarity and difference with other social sciences
• Scientific methods in psychological research

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What comes to your mind when you hear the
word psychology?
• First ask yourself what beliefs you have regarding ‘psychology’ or
‘psychologist’
• Write it down 2-3 of them
• Do a Google Search ‘Common beliefs/myths about psychology’
• Visit 2-3 websites
• Write down 3-4 beliefs that interests you the most
• Check if you get an answer to your own beliefs
Any queries?
Day 3
Every day explanation of Behavior
• Oh ! I saw this dream what is the meaning of that?
• If a black cat crosses the road does it bring bad luck?
• Like to read horoscope each day?
• Does ‘Rahu’ ‘Ketu’ has influence in your luck?
• Is your ‘Dasha Kharab’?
• Can you think of any ‘ukhan’ or typical Nepali expression showing our
behavior/future/daily life?
• He did not speak to me, does he hate me?
• Why people are behaving strange?
• Have they been possessed?
What are the causes of our behavior- normal
and abnormal?
Shaman’s beating
What is psychology
• Scientific study of behavior and mental process
• Walking, talking, hand movement, gesture: observable from outside
hence known as ‘overt behavior’
• Thinking, memory, problem solving not observable from outside:
hence known as ‘covert behavior’
• Not based on common sense
Day 4
History of Psychology
• Ancient period- Greek thinkers (Plato,
Aristotle)
• Plato – Mind and Body Are Separate
(Dualism)
• Aristotle: Mind Body are the Same
• Practice of exorcism i.e. trephination
(torture)
• Based on common sense
• Supernatural beliefs about how mind
works i.e. possession of evil spirits

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Trephination and Blood Letting
History of Psychology
• Era of Scientific Revolution
• Structuralism - Wilhelm Wundt -
first psychology lab – 1879, Leipzig,
Germany, Structuralism, Method -
Objective Introspection, Tichener
took psychology to USA
• Functionalism – every behavior has a
function i.e. to survive - William James
History of Psychology
• Gestalt psychology
• Max Wertheimer
• Whole is bigger the sum of parts, use of
insights problem solving
• Topics: Insights, Perception, Problem solving
• Freud and Psychoanalysis – Conflicts of
unconscious mind, unfulfilled desires, motives
i.e. sex

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Sigmund Freud and Psychoanalysis
• Neurologist, studying nervous
disorders (no physical reason)
• Unconscious mind where we
push or repress all our
threatening urges, desires
• Impact of childhood
experiences on later life
• Freud’s method –
psychoanalysis – used
hypnosis
History of Psychology
• Rise of Behaviorism
• Pavlov, Watson and Skinner
• Focus on observable behavior not unconscious
mind
• Cognitive psychology
• Focus on thinking, perceiving, how brain works
• Input Process Output – computer as a metaphor
• Research on brain and its systems
(Neuroscience)
• Research on neuroscience and localization of
brain
• Biology of emotions through i.e. brain imaging
techniques i.e. CT Scan, fMRI, MRI scans
Current Day Psychology
• Positive psychology - focus on positive
emotions i.e. happiness
• Multicultural psychology - development
of African, Asian, Minorities psychologies
• Mindfulness and proliferation of
therapies. Eclectic approach i.e. no single
approach
• Widespread use of psychology in many
fields: war, trauma, ptsd, natural disaster,
migration, urbanization, acculturation,
crime, education, organization
• Daily life stressors and lifestyle changes:
Change in family systems, independent
life, isolation, depression, weight loss,
smoking habits, career choices, eating
disorder, terminal illnesses
Perspectives
Perspectives of Psychology
• Psychodynamic Perspective: influenced by Sigmund Freud (Karl Jung, Alfred Adler,
John Bowlby) – unconscious mind (id, ego, superego, tip of the iceberg), unresolved
conflict, painful memories, unaccepted emotions expressed through defense
mechanism, childhood experiences
• Behavioral Perspective: Ivan Pavlov, JB Watson, BF Skinner – observable behavior –
reward and punishment, role of learning and conditioning
• Humanistic Perspective: Carl Rogers, Abraham Maslow. Optimistic view, believes in
human potential, growth by Warmth from Caregivers i.e. mother, Unconditional
positive regard
• Biopsychological/Neuroscience/Bilogical Perspective: neurons, neurotransmitters,
nervous system, brain, hormones, gene
• Cognitive Perspective: Input, process, output. Memory, thinking, problem solving,
intelligence
• Sociocultural Perspective: real or imagined presence of others i.e. culture, custom,
group membership
• Developmental Perspective: growth and changes during different life stages
• Evolutionary Perspective: survival
Psychodynamic Perspective – by Sigmund
Freud
• Unconscious Mind – Tip of the Iceberg
• Structure of Personality – Id, Ego, Superego
• Life and Death Instinct
• Psychosexual stages
• Fixation, Oedipus, Electra Complex
• Defense Mechanism
• Methods used: Dream Analysis, Free Association, Slip of the tongue
Unconscious mind as Freud believed
• Unconscious mind - tip of the iceberg
• Conflicts between id (pleasure), ego
(reality, balance), superego (rules,
morality)
• Role of early childhood experiences
• Psychosexual stages , Defense mechanism,
Fixation
• Electra Complex, Oedipus Complex
• Methods used to study unconscious mind:
dream analysis, symbolic interpretation,
free association, tip of the tongue
phenomenon, insights into defense
mechanism
Structure of Personality: Id, Ego, & Superego

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Psychodynamic
Thinkers
• Freud’s followers – Alfred
Adler, Carl Jug, Anna Freud
• Others - Karen Horney, Erik
Erikson, Sullivan, Bowlby -
attachment style, Kohut –
Self Psychology
• Modern day
psychodynamic
psychologists believe in
role of unconscious mind
but not in many of the
Freud’s ideas
Behavioral Perspective
• Main figures: Pavlov, Watson and Skinner
• Pavlov – Russian physiologist, Experiment on Dog with Meat
and Bell
• Does not believe in unconscious mind
• Believes in observational behavior
• Watson experiment on Little Albert : explained conditioning,
fear and phobia
• Mary C. Jones in unlearning associations
• Skinner’s experiments in Skinner box : explained
reinforcement and punishment (consequence)
• Explains behavior through : association, reinforcement, trial
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Humanistic perspective
• Early thinkers: Abraham Maslow (1908 –
1970) and Carl Rogers (1902 – 1987)
• Focus on: Human potential, Free will and
Self-actualization
• Rogers talk about unconditional positive
regard, empathy and congruence
• Maslow talk about hierarchy of needs and
self actualization
• Most optimistic view of human psychology
Biological Perspectives
• Main pioneers: Darwin (role of genes),
Dunlap (American psychologist wrote a book
“An Outline of Psychobiology”)
• Focus on influence of
• Hormones
• Genes
• Neurons and neurotransmitters (chemicals)
• Brain structures and functions
• Attributes human and animal behavior to
biological events occurring in the body i.e.
neurons and neurotransmitters
• Role of research on neuroscience
Cognitive perspective
• Roots in Gestalt psychology
• Pioneer - Edward Tolman
• Computer as a metaphor i.e. Input-Process-
Output
• Focuses on:
• Memory, Intelligence, Perception
• Thought processes, Problem solving
• Language and learning
• Psychology as a Science of Behavior and
Mental Processes
Sociocultural perspective
• Pioneers - Kurt Lewin, Leon
Festinger
• Behavior of individuals as a result
of the presence (real or imagined)
of other individuals or as a part of
groups or as a part of larger culture
• Focus on: relationship between
behavior, society and culture
• Social Psychology
 Developmental perspective
• Pioneers – Baldwin, Hall, Locke, Vygotsky,
Jean Piaget
• Studies human development and growth
from birth to death
• Nature (genes’ influence on behavior)
• Nurture (environment’s influence on
behavior)
• Nature Nurture Debate

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Evolutionary perspective
• Pioneers – Darwin, Leda Cosmides and
John Toob
• Idea of Natural selection
• Focus on biological bases for universal
mental characteristics
• How human being survive and adjust to
their environment
• Topics include: why people lie, how
attractiveness influences mate selection,
the universality of fear, and why people
enjoy things like music and dance
Picture quiz identify what is the name of this
person what is s/he famous for
Fields or Scope of Psychology
Application of Psychology in Everyday Life
• Basic
• Applied psychology

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Scope: Basic Psychology
• General Psychology
• Abnormal Psychology
• Social Psychology
• Experimental Psychology
• Developmental Psychology

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Scope: Applied Psychology
• Educational Psychology
• Clinical and Counseling Psychology
• Industrial/Organizational Psychology
• Engineering Psychology
• Forensic and Criminal Psychology
• Consumer Psychology/Behavior
• Cross cultural studies
• Legal and Sports, Minorities, gender i.e. LGBT
• Training, conflict, peace, war, natural disaster
• Psychology of daily life i.e. well being, life style i.e. weight loss, smoking
habits, relationships, conflicts, eating habits
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Psychology’s Four Goals
• Description: What is
happening?
• Explanation: Why is it
happening?
• Theory - general
explanation of a set of
observations or facts
• Control: How can it be
changed?
• Prediction: Will it happen
again?

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Psychology and other social sciences
• Sociology
• Anthropology
• Political science
• Economics and buying behavior

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Some cases
Case of Little Hans (Source Internet)

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Case of Little Hans (Source Internet)
• This case was published in 1909 and is about a five year old boy who had a
phobia of horses.
• Because of this phobia, Little Hans didn’t dare traverse into the streets – which
was abundant with horses during this period.
• He had a fear that the horse would come to the house and bite him and this
was a punishment for him wishing that the horse would just lay down and die.
• Freud analyzed the fears and experiences of the boy as told by the boy’s father,
and came to the conclusion that the fear of horses was an ego defense
mechanism.
• The boy actually feared his father.
• He wished that his father would go away or die because he was a competitor
in his mother’s love.
• Therefore, Freud came to the conclusion that the boy had Oedipus complex and
had displaced his feeling of fear from his father to the horse.
• Freud advised Hans’ father to give him reassurance and this proved helpful.
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Case of Ida (Source: Internet)

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Case of Ida (Source: Internet)
• Ida Bauer’s troubles started long before her father took her to Freud in the
hopes of curing her of her hysteria.
• It all started when her mother’s obsession with cleanliness led to Ida’s
complete breakdown at only seven years old, which was treated by
hydrotherapy and electric shock.
• Years later, Ida was proposed to marry a man who was the husband of
Ida’s own father’s mistress.
• Ida refused, and her refusal triggered a hysterical, downward spiral into
depression that went as far as threats to kill herself.
• Freud diagnosed Ida (or Dora, as his published work called her) of a
repressed lesbian attraction to her would-be suitor’s wife.

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Case of Ida
• Her attraction to the woman was further complicated by the fact that she
was already Ida’s father’s mistress, making the relationship between Ida and
her father a strained, competitive one.
• Freud interpreted a dream for Ida: Her family’s house is burning down,
and while Ida’s father just wants to get them out of the house, her mother
wants to look for a jewelry case.
• The case, Freud says, symbolized Ida’s genitals, which her father had failed
to protect.
• Ida cut her treatment with Freud short.
• She continued to struggle with mental illness for the rest of her life, which
ended in 1945.
• Ironically, her father’s mistress became her favorite bridge partner.
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Questions for this case
1. Explain the nature of conscious/unconscious mind.
2. What is defense mechanism? What could be the defense
mechanism describe above?
3. Which research design is being used in the above case? What are
the advantages/disadvantages of it?
4. Make criticism of Sigmund Freud’s work.
Activity: Class Discussion
• Discuss with your bench partners:
• Mechanism of unconscious mind and how it works
• Meaning of Defense Mechanism and how it works
• Criticism of Sigmund Freud’s Methods
• One person in each group will share what they discuss about
Activity for the coming class: Find out in the
internet
• Search in Google
• ‘Most popular research studies in psychology/social
psychology/sociology/psychological anthropology/ethology’
• Select one research conducted that interests you the most
• Share in the class about what interested you the most
• Who conducted the research
• What was the research method
• And when/where it was conducted
• Advantages Disadvantages of such type of research method
For exam
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Thank you