Lesson 1 PSYCHOLOGY

PRINCIPLES IN PRACTICE

Heads up!
Before we begin …

◼ You will be learning A LOT of new terms

and words in this class.
◼ As we proceed in class - make notes of new
terms that we discuss AND their
definitions & examples!
◼ Plain & simple – Love learning….
◼ If we know what we were doing, it would
not be called research, would it? (Albert
Einstein)

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Lesson 1: OUTLINE
Topic 1: Why study Psychology?
Topic 2: What do Psychologists do?
Topic 3: What is research?
Topic 4: What is Psychological research?
Topic 5: What is field methods?
Topic 6: How to conduct research?
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Topic 1: What is psychology?

◼ Derived from 2 Greek words:
- Psyche means mind/soul
- Logos means study

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New definition of Psychology?

◼ “…the scientific study of
human and animal
behavior and mental
processes.”
Why SCIENTIFIC?
Why Psychology is
considered a science?

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❑ Scientific study requires several things:

Testable Hypotheses
Empirical evidence
Critical Thinking

❑ What is Scientific Thinking?

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1. Involves asking questions - one of the most

important is, “WHY?”
2. Critical thinking - assess claims on the basis of
well-supported reasons and evidence - not on
emotional or anecdotal reasoning.
4. Involves examining evidence - “Let me have my
opinion!” doesn’t count
5. Involves analyzing assumptions and biases -
scientific thinkers do not take anything as proven
fact and work hard to overcome their own biases in
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Lesson 1 PSYCHOLOGY
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Analyze the following statements? Which ones are

scientific and not?

◼ I like Fords better ◼ Fords are better than

than Hondas Hondas.

And what about this statement?

3. Fords are the best in the world and Hondas do not
exist; they are a conspiracy of the Japanese
government.
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More sample practice……

• What happens to our brains when we eat

chocolate?
• Are women just gold-diggers and men just
superficial?

• How do people overdose on drugs?

• Why are we fooled by magic tricks?

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What is a BEHAVIOR?
◼ Includes feelings, ◼ Kinds of Behavior
attitudes, beliefs and -cognitive (mental
thoughts processes)
◼ Activities of man - Affective (has
◼ Everything that we something to do with
do that can be feelings/emotions
directly observed.
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Kinds of Behavior

◼ Overt/covert
◼ Conscious/unconscious
◼ Rational/irrational
◼ Voluntary/involuntary

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Behavior Vs. Mental Processes

◼ Behaviors are directly seen.. How? Observe

and measure.
◼ Mental Processes are COGNITION
◼ thought processes
◼ Emotions
◼ Perception
◼ ‘learning

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Lesson 1
Section 3: A History of Psychology
PSYCHOLOGY
PRINCIPLES IN PRACTICE

Why Study Psychology

Psychology is
as old as
human history.

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◼ The ancient people

theorized about various
psychological
problems.
◼ …believed that the
gods punished people
by causing them
confusion and
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The Middle Ages

◼ …believed that agitation and
confusion were signs of
possession by demons
◼ …punishment for sins or
deals made with the devil
◼ Tests were used to determine
if a person was possessed.
◼ To drive the spirit away is to
perform THREPHINING

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Why Study Psychology?

◼ Psychology is a ◼ Psychologists use the

social science which scientific method to
means it is: make observations
◼ Based on findings ◼ Studying Psychology
that are subjected to offers practical
careful scrutiny
solutions to everyday
◼ Grounded in facts
problems
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Section 2: What do psychologists do?

◼ Psychologists accept that something is true ONLY if

the evidence shows it is so.
◼ Some are interested in RESEARCH – investigating and
forming theories – and finally testing those theories
◼ Others apply knowledge through THERAPY to help people.
◼ And finally there are those who TEACH in classrooms and
workshops.

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Lesson 1
Section 3: A History of Psychology
PSYCHOLOGY
PRINCIPLES IN PRACTICE

Psychology Today: Where are psychologists employed?

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4 Goals of Psychology

1. Description – 3. Prediction – predict

describe particular when a behavior that is
behaviors by being studied will
careful happen in the future
observations 4. Change – change
2. Explanation – inappropriate behavior
explain behaviors
by conducting
experiments
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◼ Real World Example

◼ In 2006, the St. Louis Cardinals employed
the services of a sports psychologist to meet
with players, coaches and staff members.
◼ The Cardinals won the World Series in 2006.
◼ Do you think the psychologist made a
difference??

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◼ Actually → Sports psychologists can help

athletes improve performance by measuring
athletes’ heart rates and other body processes
and by interviewing athletes
◼ Psychologists predict that athletes perform best
when anxiety is moderate.
◼ Psychologists help athletes control their behavior
and mental processes by teaching them how to
control anxiety.

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What is Research?

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What is psychological research?

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Quick Fund Survey

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What is Field Methods?

Field methods refer to a set of techniques and approaches

used in various disciplines to collect data, conduct research,
or gather information directly from the natural environment
or the field. These methods are typically employed in fields
such as anthropology, ecology, geography, geology, sociology,
and environmental science, among others. Field methods
are valuable for studying real-world phenomena,
understanding natural processes, and conducting empirical
research.

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NATURE OF FIELD METHODS

◼ Field methods can vary widely depending on

the discipline and the specific research goals.
Researchers carefully plan and adapt their
methods to suit the needs of their study,
ensuring that data collected in the field is
accurate and relevant to their research
questions.

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Key aspects of field methods:

◼ Data Collection: Field ◼ Fieldwork: Researchers

methods involve the collection of often spend extended periods of
primary data by researchers time in the field, which can be a
through direct observation, natural environment, a community,
measurement, or interaction with a workplace, or any setting relevant
the subjects or objects of study. to the research question. Fieldwork
This can include surveys, allows researchers to immerse
interviews, specimen collection, themselves in the context of their
experiments, and participant study and gather in-depth
observation.
information .

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Key aspects of field methods:

◼ Data Analysis: Field ◼ Ethical

data collected through various
methods must be analyzed to
Considerations:
draw meaningful conclusions. Researchers must consider ethical
Researchers may use statistical issues related to their fieldwork,
analysis, content analysis, especially when working with
thematic coding, or other human subjects or sensitive
techniques depending on the environments. Informed consent,
privacy, and the protection of
nature of the data.
natural resources are important
ethical considerations .
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