PSYC1020 Notes, Semester 1, 2016:

PSYC1020 Notes, Semester 1, 2016: Cognitive Psychology: What is Psychology? 

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“Psychology is the science that studies behaviour and the physiological and cognitive processes that underlie it, and it is the profession that applies the accumulated knowledge of this science to practical problems.” (Weiten, 1992) Several Definitions that reflect distinct scientific paradigms within psychology. What psychology is, depends upon the perspective you use to look at it. Different definitions and different paradigms build on distinct mental foundations.

Is Psychology a Science?  

Science is a discipline can be considered legitimately scientific if it relies upon the scientific method to acquire and evaluate its knowledge base. Scientific Method: o Theory  Testable, General, Parsimonious o Hypothesis o Observations  Unbiased, Repeatable, Controlled, Quantitative o Data

Paradigms: 

Is a perspective, approach or frame of reference, as well as the group of researchers whose work adheres to this shared framework with respect to: o Subject matter  General definition of the field  Specific focal topics o Methods o Language and Concepts o Root Metaphor o Intellectual Influences  Prior  Contemporary

The Five Most Prominent Paradigms in Contemporary Psychology: 

Behavioural: o Subject matter  General definition of the field: The scientific study of behaviour  Specific focal topics: Learning o Methods: Experimental (mostly animal) o Language and Concepts: Stimulus, Response, Conditioning, Reinforcement, Shaping o Root Metaphor: Blank slate, Lump of clay o Intellectual Influences  Prior: Mentalism  Contemporary: Other sciences, especially Darwinian Biology

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Cognitive: o Subject matter  General definition of the field: The scientific study of mental processes (as shown in behaviour)  Specific focal topics: Perception, Attention, Memory, Thinking o Methods: Experimental (mostly human) o Language and Concepts: Input, Output, Codes, Serial Processing, Memory Stores o Root Metaphor: Programmed Computer o Intellectual Influences  Prior: Mentalism, Behaviourism  Contemporary: Computer Science, especially Artificial Intelligence Biological: o Subject matter  General definition of the field: The scientific study of the biological basis of behaviour  Specific focal topics: Behavioural topics, Cognitive topics o Methods: Experimental (where possible), Case Study, Correlational o Language and Concepts: Biological terms, Behavioural terms, Cognitive terms o Root Metaphor: Biological machine o Intellectual Influences:  Prior: Behaviourism  Contemporary: Neuroanatomy and Physiology, Cognitive Perspectives Psychodynamic: o Subject matter  General definition of the field: The study of conscious and unconscious processes as seen in “mental illness”  Specific focal topics: “Mental Illness” o Methods: Case History o Language and Concepts: Ego, Id, Superego, Defence Mechanisms: Repression, Projection etc. o Root Metaphor: Mental Illness o Intellectual Influences  Prior: Philosophy  Contemporary: Victorian culture, Medicine, Darwinian struggle to survive Humanistic (Maslow, 1960s): o Subject matter  General definition of the field: The study of conscious human experience  Specific focal topics: Individual awareness, Conscious choices, Wellbeing o Methods: Case History o Language and Concepts: Personal growth, Self-actualisation, Awareness, Transcendence, Free will, Human potential o Root Metaphor: Growth o Intellectual Influences

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Prior: Psychodynamic, Behavioural Contemporary: “1960s” culture, Existentialist and “Eastern” philosophies