Considering that summer vacation is coming to a relatively quick close, some students will self-studying for APs (or simply self-studying a discipline in advance). In this yearlong series, we will be covering Psychology, Statistics, and Calculus AB (while referencing previous STEM To Go articles). First, let's delve into Psychology! UPDATE: THERE WILL ALSO BE AP PHYSICS 1 & PRECALCULUS HONORS. NOTE: These notes are notes from a given textbook; these are merely the main ideas of each unit provided. (Main ideas of my textbook, and originally made homework for those interested in really studying, are yours to use for your academic endeavors).
Unit One: Introduction
A. Roots (Philosophical Foundations)
Traces of prescientific psychology go as far as India (Buddha), Ancient Greece (Socrates, his student Plato, and Plato’s student Aristotle), China (Confucius), and so much more. Confucius and Buddha stressed the power of ideas & how to form them. Socrates, Plato, & Aristotle wondered if whether or not the mind and body were linked together (Socrates, Plato, and Descartes did agree that they were separate entities, with some thoughts being innate - or pre-existing. Aristotle believed otherwise, much like what John Locke proposed). Francis Bacon supposed that human comprehension, especially in regards to faith, originates from events or experiences. Locke further explored that claim upon Bacon’s death, articulating (in his essay An Essay Concerning Human Understanding) that the mind at birth is a “blank slate” (or tabula rasa). Bacon and Locke contributed to the coinage of the contemporary term, empiricism, or the perception of knowledge originating from experience.
B. Psychology: How and When?
Besides structuring the foundations of psychological science via philosophical understanding, psychology was also formally established through an invented laboratory and experiment. Founded in 1879 by German philosopher, William Wundt, the first laboratory established an organization of experimental psychology. In addition, psychology was also thus classified into three different branches: structuralism, functionalism, and behaviorism.
Structuralism details the structure of the brain through introspection, which involves looking inward, to allow the participants to self-report their experiences. This, however, is simply unreliable as the answers may vary from person to person. Functionalism answers the question regarding “WHY” do our senses/elements “function” the way they do (some examples include, but are not limited to, why does our nose smell, or why do our ears hear, how does our anger assist us in “survival”). William James discovered, considered, and promoted this particular mind structure, who had mentored Mary Whiton Calkins, who succeeded in becoming a memory researcher & the first female president of the APA (American Psychological Association). Lastly, behaviorism is the view that psychology should be a study of something observable (thus you cannot observe thinking patterns, sentiments, or sensations).
> Figure 1.1 Different Structures of The Mind <
C. Developing With Description
The science of psychology developed more beginning in the 1920s. At that time, Psychology was defined as “the science of mental life”. However, behaviorists - from the 1920s to 1960s - believed that psychology should be “the study of observable behavior” (behaviorists thinking).They believed that psychological science was rooted in observation, especially behavior, but not observing (as mentioned previously) sentiments, thinking patterns, or sensations; thus, they dismissed introspection. From the 1960s and beyond, humanistic psychology was a means to dismiss the behavioristic perspective. It emphasized the potential growth from positive environmental influences (“having needs for love and acceptance satisfied”). Besides this 1960’s promotion, the movement cognitive revolution supported the ideas of how the mind retains/processes/perceives information. As a result , cognitive neuroscience emerged as the interdisciplinary study that brain activity is linked with mental activity. Psychology was, in modern times, defined as “the science of behavior and mental processes”.
D. The Big, Controversial Issue
The big issue encompassing the psychological field was, historically, the nature-nurture issue in which relative contributions of biology and experience - whether they be genetic (nature) or other external factors (nurture) - may explain the actions of an individual or a collective. Ancient Greeks debated over this, also. Referencing previous information, Descartes believed some thoughts were innate, as Darwin’s natural selection, (who and which further promoted Descartes’s claim), claimed that nature selects traits that may enable an organism to survive.
“Nurture works on what nature endows”
E. Psychology's Level of Analysis & Related Perspectives Level of Analyses: a set of differing complementary views ranging from biological to psychodynamic to evolutionary to socio-cultural (for analyzing a particular topic/phenomenon). The Level of Analyses form and integrate a biopsychosocial approach, which considers all biological, psychological, & socio-cultural factors.
>Figure 1.2 Biopsychosocial Approach<
A biological perspective incorporates something biological reasoning that may be employed to analyze/study brain circuits or mechanisms. (i.e. what biological reasoning lies behind in someone being “red in the face”).
From an evolutionary perspective, an individual may analyze how the roots of a particular behavior being employed or "adapted" are a means of survival (typically using natural selection principles). (i.e. how a particular emotion stimulated and transformed into a survival means for our antecedents).
A psychodynamic perspective requires the analysis (or study) of an outburst being an outlet, which is being driven by the "unconscious" mind.
Behavioral Perspective might study what (external) observable behavior that was triggered by some sort of (external) stimuli. (i.e. how do we learn to be happy in particular situations?).
The study of how a person's interpretation of a situation may affect their sentiments later on is called cognitive perspective. (i.e. how do we encode information, and use it for remembering?).
With a humanistic perspective, a person may invest their time studying how achieving self-gratification (usually self-love and acceptance) may affect someone's potential self-growth.
A social-cultural perspective considers how other situations & cultures (ethics or tradition) may affect behavior and thinking patterns (i.e. how are some people alike with family members? how is anger expressed in various cultures?).
>Figure 1.3 Psychological Approaches<
F. Main Subfields in Psychology
Psychology is a scientific discipline surrounding many other subjects, and may interplay with various professions. Since it is a cluster of wide-ranging interests, there are innumerable branches that are linked with it. Psychometrics, for example, is a branch of psychology in which the study is dedicated to the measurement of our abilities, attitudes, & traits.
The main subfields in Psychology surround these main studies: Basic Research and Applied Research.
Some psychologists employ basic research, which refers to the study that intends to build upon the scientific knowledge foundation. This means that this research is purely theoretical, aiming to research it to enhance this psychological knowledge with no intent of solving or treating it realistically, or at all. The following is typically done by these types of studies/researches:
Biological psychology links between the brain and mind (detailed previously).
Developmental psychology studies constant alterations of abilities (physically, socially, mentally, and cognitively) throughout our lifespan.
Cognitive psychology, as described earlier in this article, refers to a study in which - as psychologists dedicate their time in this field - it primarily focuses on how we perceive, think, or craft solutions to our problems.
Educational psychology analyzes the influences regarding teaching style and learning.
Personality psychology is the study of an individual's pattern in thinking, feeling, and characteristic traits.
Social psychology studies/focuses on explanations as to how we may think or perceive something and relate it with one another.
>Figure 1.4 Applications of Basic Research<
Some of these psychologists also perform applied research, which refers to research tackling real applications, curing ailments, and innovating new means (technology, methods, etc..) to solve the problem/pragmatic issues at hand. All scientific research is meant to be applied in real circumstances, and the documented list below follows the format and aim for this type of research:
Industrial-Organizational (I/O) psychology employs or applies psychological methodology and concepts in workplaces.
Human Factors psychology, meanwhile, covers the interaction between people, machines, and their physical environment.
Clinical Science applications (including psychologically-related vocations, which are recorded here). - Counseling Psychology requires the psychologist to assist/help people to cope with their endeavors. - Clinical Psychology (Clinical Psychologist) is a branch in the psychology discipline that assesses, studies, and treats those with mental, behavioral, and emotional (complex psychological) disorders. To assess and assist their person, they administer tests, while also promoting resilience and strength. Sometimes, they launch both basic and applied research. - A psychiatrist is a licensed medical doctor who performs psychotherapy, prescribes treatment (often mental-health related), and treats physical outcomes from a psychological disorder.
>Figure 1.5 Applied Research Implementations<
TEXTBOOK REFERENCE:
Myers, David. Myers’ Psychology for AP®. Reprint, Worth Publishers, 2011.
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