Intro to Psychology
This morning, please watch the following video: Intro to Psychology. As you watch please take notes on key points in the video.
What is psychology?
The science and/or philosophy that attempts to understand human behavior and development.
Psychology studies environment, culture, how we think, learn, and remember; how we communicate, and how we differ from one another in personality and abilities. It often uses experimental and observational science to measure and observe behavior. It is not simply the study of mental illness, but a scientific approach to understand the human mind.
Like philosophy, there are various branches of psychology where each type attempts to address questions or problems in a specific way. The major branches of psychology include:
What are some reasons why writers need to know a little psychology? Let's discuss, then take a look at a short article by author Elaine Hatfield.
The Bell Jar & One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest:
What is psychology?
The science and/or philosophy that attempts to understand human behavior and development.
Psychology studies environment, culture, how we think, learn, and remember; how we communicate, and how we differ from one another in personality and abilities. It often uses experimental and observational science to measure and observe behavior. It is not simply the study of mental illness, but a scientific approach to understand the human mind.
Like philosophy, there are various branches of psychology where each type attempts to address questions or problems in a specific way. The major branches of psychology include:
1. Abnormal psychology: examines abnormal behavior and mental disorders. Counselors and clinical psychologists often study this branch of psychology.In this unit we are going to focus on behaviorism, psychotherapy, cognitive psychology, social, developmental, and personality psychology specifically.
2. Behavioral psychology (Behavioralism): popular in the early 20th century, this branch studies behavior acquired through conditioning. It is still used in therapy, business, and educational institutions.
3. Biopsychology (physiological): focuses on the brain and its function (or non-function). Neuroscientists, pharmacists, etc. study this branch.
4. Cognitive psychology: focuses on internal states of the mind, such as motivation, learning, decision-making, attention span, and IQ.
5. Comparative psychology: deals with animal behavior, animal psychology, and how it relates to us.
6. Cross-cultural psychology: deals with how various cultural factors influence behavior.
7. Developmental psychology: deals with how humans develop from childhood to adulthood.
8. Educational psychology: deals with how humans learn and all aspects of education.
9. Experimental psychology: uses scientific methods to research the brain, behavior, and development.
10. Forensic psychology: deals with psychology as it relates to law.
11. Health (Medical) psychology: deals with biology, and how psychology affects health.
12. Personality psychology (psychology of difference): deals with personality and how patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behavior help to make a person unique.
13. Social psychology: deals with social behavior: communication, social influences, etc. as it influences behavior.
What are some reasons why writers need to know a little psychology? Let's discuss, then take a look at a short article by author Elaine Hatfield.
The Bell Jar & One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest:
1. Today, please read the following articles about the work of psychologists Hans Eysenck, David Rosenhahn, Rollo May, Walter Mischel, and Leon Festinger. As you read and digest these theories, please take notes on key/important points the psychologists are making.Lab: Please complete or work on the following during our lab time:
2. As you read your chosen novel, begin to question or interact with what occurs in the book in light of what you have read today. You should be able to identify which theories connect to or provide deeper understanding in the plot, characters, and setting of the book you are reading. You will have time to discuss these issues next class. Please take notes (to turn in for credit) on how the novel illustrates or refutes the theories you read today.
3. Keep reading your chosen book. You will need to complete your reading by the end of next week (Dec. 11).
A. You may work on the reading and analysis of The Bell Jar or One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.B. You may select a short story, or poem you have been working on and develop your protagonist's personality. Consider why the character does what he/she does. How would you describe and analyze this character's personality, human development, or behavior in light of what you have learned today? Continue working on fleshing out your protagonist by rewriting and including more backstory to your character(s).HOMEWORK: Continue writing. Continue reading The Bell Jar or One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Take notes on the articles given to you today. Complete step 2 of the assignment above (how does the novel you are reading illustrate or refute the theories you have read today?)
C. You may write a story, poem, play, essay, etc. based on anything you learned about psychology today.
D. You may continue to write your story, poem, play, essay, etc. from our previous unit on Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea or Indonesia & the Philippines (see posts below).
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