INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF PSYCHOLOGY:

BEHAVIOR, EXPERIENCES, AND FEELING - I, II, III, IV
 

Genetics
Early Experiences
Life Space
Learning
Expectancies

I. The Sciences of Behavior
          1. Ethology
          2. Sociology
          3. Psychology

II. This Course will deal with Three Classes of Events
  1. Behavioral
  2. Physiological
  3. Psychological

III. The Facets of Psychology.  Psychology is a Philosophy, a Science, an Applied Technology
  A. Philosophy
            1. AQAAR
                  a. Paradigms provide a filter and a focus
                  b. Concept of Zeitgeist
            2. Historical Antecedents:
                  a. Copernicus - 1543
                  b. Darwin - 1859
                  c. Freud - 1890
                  d. Man as a Conceptual Animal
                  e. Language
   B. Science
            1.Basic Concepts and Assumptions in All Sciences:
                  a. Multum non Multa
                  b. Determinism
                  c. Mechanism
           2. Basic Concepts and Assumptions of Psychology
                  a. Behavior is Functional
                  b. Behavior Follows the Minimax Principle
                  c. Behavior Always Involves Conflict
                  d. Behavior is Only Understandable in Context
            3. Basic Methods of Psychology
                  a.     Replicability
                  b.     Statistics, Significance, Meaningfulness
    C. Applied Technology
            1.   Psychologists and the Application of What We Know.  Examples:
                  a.  Advertising
                  b.     Testing
                  c.     Human engineering

IV. Focus on Explanations and Determinants
                1. Function of an Explanation

                 A. Prediction & Control
                 B. Understanding/Integration
                2. Types of Explanations
                 A. Analogy
                 B. Nonobservable Internal State
                 C. Reductionism
                 D. Antecedent Conditions
                3. Molar-Molecular Explanations
                4. The Search for Antecedent Conditions
                5. Biological Variability
                 Probability Statements
                 Total Knowledge
                 If...Then Statements

V. Framework for Classifying the Antecedent Conditions which Determine Behavior, Thoughts, Feelings
                1. The Peanut Butter Theory of Behavior, an Overview
                 A. Genetics
                 B. Early Experience
                 C. Life Space
                 D. Learning
                 E. Expectancies

VI. Genetics:  Basic Limit Setter
          1. Nature-Nurture and 10th Grade Biology

  A. Mendel
  B. Chromosomes and Genes; the Genome
          2. Heredity as a Limit Setter
  A. On Potential
  B. On Rate to Achieve Potential
          3.
          A.     As Go Up Phylogenetic Scale, the Behavioral Specificity of Heredity Decreases
          B  If Can Assume or Assure a Constant Environment, Then Can Make Behavioral Predictions on
              Basis of Heredity.
          4. Heritability and the Heritability Index
                A. Japan's "McDonald's Generation"
                B. Intelligence and Socioeconomic Level
          5 Armadillos
          6.  Muscle Twitches and Gold Medals
 

VII. Early Experience
      1. Critical Period Concept:  Sex; Stress and Learning
      2.  Rene? Spitz and Human Infants; Harry Harlow and Baby Rhesus
          Monkeys; Seymour Levine and Rat Pups
      3. Enriched Environments and Deprived Environments: Behavior and
          The Brain; Stimulation and Growth

VIII. Life Space -- The Range of Behaviors Possible; Determines Options and
Opportunities, and Stresses
 1. Aspects: Time Period; Geographical Location; Age; Sex; Race; Self-Concept
 2. The Design of Environments

  A. Physical vs Psychological: e.g., Crowding
  B. Encouraging Certain Behaviors
  B. Slowing Certain Behaviors
 3. Apartment Buildings and Corridors
 4. Matching Press of the Environment with the needs of the Individual
     A. Football and Life

IX. Learning - Determines Specific Behaviors
          1. Behavior: Controlled By Its Consequences
          2. The Law of Effect, Thorndike
          3. Pragmatism and Grandma's First Law

X.   Expectancies
          1. The "Pull" From the “Future”
          2. Locus of Control -- Rotter
  Internal/External
          3. Perceived Control
          4. Pygmalion Effect; Goethe
 

XI.   Psychological Models of Man.  Models are a combination of Assumptions
      and Facts.  They provide a paradigm.
        Past
                A. Freud and the Psychoanalytic Model
                B. Watson, Skinner, and the Behaviorist Model
                C. Maslow, May, Rogers, and the Humanist Model
        Present
                D. Sociobiology; As the World Turns...
        Future
                E. Interactionism--"The Truth!"

XII. Putting it all together
                A. There Are No Ghosts
                B. Science, Including Psychology, is a Series of "If..., then..." Statements
 
 

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