Psychology is the science of mental processes and behavior. It analyzes human behavior at multiple levels including the person, group, and brain. The field has evolved over time from early structuralism and functionalism to modern approaches like psychodynamic theory, behaviorism, humanistic psychology, cognitive psychology, and evolutionary psychology. Each new approach sought to better understand the mind through methods like introspection, observation, experimentation, and the study of biological and evolutionary factors.

1. Chapter 1 Psychology: Yesterday and Today

2. What Is Psychology? Psychology is the science1 of mental processes and behavior. 1Systematic knowledge gained through observation and experimentation.

3. Levels of Analysis The person The group The brain

4. Is psychology all common sense?

5. The Evolution of a Science Structuralism Wilhelm Wundt & Edward Titchener (student of Wundt) Focused on identifying the “building blocks” of consciousness (sensations & feelings) Introspection: Looking within Not objectively verifiable Wundt set-up 1st Psychology Lab in 1879

6. The Evolution of a Science Functionalism William James Influenced by Charles Darwin Studied how consciousness helped an individual survive and adapt to an environment Animal observations provide clues for human behavior James set-up the first psychology laboratory in America

7. The Evolution of a Science Gestalt Psychology Max Wertheimer Focused on consciousness and principles of perceptual organization The whole is greater than the sum of its parts

8. The Evolution of a Science Psychodynamic Theory Sigmund Freud The mind has separate components Conscious and unconscious components Much of behavior in influenced by the unconscious Psychoanalysis

9. The Evolution of a Science Behaviorism John Watson & B. F. Skinner The mind cannot be observed Behavior can be observed Science should study the observable Reinforcement Stimulus-response

10. The Evolution of a Science Humanistic Psychology Carl Rogers & Abraham Maslow Client-centered therapy We strive for self-actualization

11. The Evolution of a Science The Cognitive Revolution Alan Newell & Herbert Simon Focus on mental processes (information processing) Computer metaphor Cognitive neuroscience

12. The Evolution of a Science Evolutionary psychology Lida Cosmides, John Tooby, David Buss, & Steven Pinker Evolutionarily successful cognitive strategies and goals survived Cultural universality