Ch 1 Psych Openstax
Psychology - the scientific study of the mind and behavior
Psychologists use scientific method to gain knowledge
the scientific method starts with a Hypothesis
Hypothesis - a tentative explanation based off an assumption that
explains why something happens before actually knowing the true
explanation or reason.
should fit into the context of a scientific theory
Scientific Theory - a broad explanation or group of explanations
for some aspect in the natural world that is consistently supported
by evidence overtime
best understanding we have of that part of the natural world
After coming up with a Hypothesis, Researcher makes observations or
conducts an experiment to test the validity of their Hypothesis
The results are then published or presented at research conferences for
others to benefit or add to
Scientists test things that can be seen and measured.
Ex: hypothesis that a bird sings because they are happy cannot be tested
no way to measure bird’s happiness
But if you change bird to human the hypothesis can be tested because
we are able to ask people if they sing when they are happy. making the
hypothesis measurable and perceivable
“psychological science is empirical, based on measurable data”
Normally science is about matter and energy since those can be measured;
reason why there isn’t much scientific understanding about the mind;
because thoughts as we experience them are not matter nor energy.
Ch 1 Psych Openstax 1
, Scientific method is a form of Empiricism
Empirical Method - a method where you obtain knowledge based on
observations that include experimenting; as opposed to a method
based on logical arguments and previous authorities
Psych became a separate academic discipline in the late 1800s
before it was considered a subtype of philosophy
some parts of psychology have to do with natural science like biology;
behavior is biological
our behavior is influenced by interactions with others; making psychology
a social science as well
Why Study Psychology?
hone critical thinking skills
Critical Thinking - the active application of a set of skills to information for
understanding and evaluating the information
when evaluating information you assess its reliability and usefulness
maintain an attitude of skepticism
be aware of internal biases
make use of logical thinking
ask appropriate questions and make observations
learn the scientific method
develop better communication skills
These three factors together elevate our scientific literacy and prepare us to
critically evaluate information we may face. (”in a world full of competing
Facts”)
studying psychology also helps people understand the complex factors of
someone’s behavior
Ch 1 Psych Openstax 2
, 1.2 History of Psychology
Wundt and Structuralism
Wilhelm Wundt was a German scientist who was the 1st to be referred to as a
psychologist
Famous book: Principles of Physiological Psychology published 1873
viewed psych as a scientific study of the conscious experience; believed
goal of psych was to identify components of consciousness and how the
components combine to result as our conscious experience
used Introspection (”internal perception”) - a process by which someone
examines their own conscious experience as objectively as possible,
making the human mind like any other aspect of human nature that a
scientist observed
considered his version experimental introspection
he used instruments that measured reaction time
Believed in Voluntarism - that people have free will and should know the
intentions of a psychological experiment if they were participating
Voluntarism - relying on voluntary action; any policy or practice
based on voluntary action.
also wrote Volkerpsychologie in 1904; in it he suggested that psych should
include study of culture because it consists of studying people
established a psych lab at University of Leipzig 1879
he and students experimented on reaction times
subject would receive stimulus such as light, sound, or image
subject would need to push button and that’s how reaction time was
recorded
the process of introspection remained highly subjective despite all efforts
Ch 1 Psych Openstax 3
Psychology - the scientific study of the mind and behavior
Psychologists use scientific method to gain knowledge
the scientific method starts with a Hypothesis
Hypothesis - a tentative explanation based off an assumption that
explains why something happens before actually knowing the true
explanation or reason.
should fit into the context of a scientific theory
Scientific Theory - a broad explanation or group of explanations
for some aspect in the natural world that is consistently supported
by evidence overtime
best understanding we have of that part of the natural world
After coming up with a Hypothesis, Researcher makes observations or
conducts an experiment to test the validity of their Hypothesis
The results are then published or presented at research conferences for
others to benefit or add to
Scientists test things that can be seen and measured.
Ex: hypothesis that a bird sings because they are happy cannot be tested
no way to measure bird’s happiness
But if you change bird to human the hypothesis can be tested because
we are able to ask people if they sing when they are happy. making the
hypothesis measurable and perceivable
“psychological science is empirical, based on measurable data”
Normally science is about matter and energy since those can be measured;
reason why there isn’t much scientific understanding about the mind;
because thoughts as we experience them are not matter nor energy.
Ch 1 Psych Openstax 1
, Scientific method is a form of Empiricism
Empirical Method - a method where you obtain knowledge based on
observations that include experimenting; as opposed to a method
based on logical arguments and previous authorities
Psych became a separate academic discipline in the late 1800s
before it was considered a subtype of philosophy
some parts of psychology have to do with natural science like biology;
behavior is biological
our behavior is influenced by interactions with others; making psychology
a social science as well
Why Study Psychology?
hone critical thinking skills
Critical Thinking - the active application of a set of skills to information for
understanding and evaluating the information
when evaluating information you assess its reliability and usefulness
maintain an attitude of skepticism
be aware of internal biases
make use of logical thinking
ask appropriate questions and make observations
learn the scientific method
develop better communication skills
These three factors together elevate our scientific literacy and prepare us to
critically evaluate information we may face. (”in a world full of competing
Facts”)
studying psychology also helps people understand the complex factors of
someone’s behavior
Ch 1 Psych Openstax 2
, 1.2 History of Psychology
Wundt and Structuralism
Wilhelm Wundt was a German scientist who was the 1st to be referred to as a
psychologist
Famous book: Principles of Physiological Psychology published 1873
viewed psych as a scientific study of the conscious experience; believed
goal of psych was to identify components of consciousness and how the
components combine to result as our conscious experience
used Introspection (”internal perception”) - a process by which someone
examines their own conscious experience as objectively as possible,
making the human mind like any other aspect of human nature that a
scientist observed
considered his version experimental introspection
he used instruments that measured reaction time
Believed in Voluntarism - that people have free will and should know the
intentions of a psychological experiment if they were participating
Voluntarism - relying on voluntary action; any policy or practice
based on voluntary action.
also wrote Volkerpsychologie in 1904; in it he suggested that psych should
include study of culture because it consists of studying people
established a psych lab at University of Leipzig 1879
he and students experimented on reaction times
subject would receive stimulus such as light, sound, or image
subject would need to push button and that’s how reaction time was
recorded
the process of introspection remained highly subjective despite all efforts
Ch 1 Psych Openstax 3
