History and Theory Lectures 1-4

PS1004
History and Theory of Psychology
Coursework
 Pick a title – maximum of 1500 words
 Due 5pm December 7th
 Brief summary, brief opinion about title
Lecture 1
 The scientific study of the mind
o Psychology strives to be objective
 Formulate hypotheses
 Gather relevant data through replicable experiments or naturalistic
observations
 Formulate theories and laws about how the mind works
o Theory
 Statement about assumed relationships between facts and events
 Explanation
 Used to predict similar observations
 Ex.
 Tulving’s (1972) theory of memory
o Formed theory on basis of observations
o Episodic memory vs. semantic memory
 James’ (1890) theory of emotions
o How emotions work
o Suggested that emotions always come after physiological
stimulation/arousal
 Do you first feel fear than run away, or do you run
away and you get scared?
o Hypothesis
 A specific prediction about events
 Used in experiments
 You create a hypothesis about the outcome of the experiment
o Law
 When hypotheses and theories withstand rigorous testing, they may
become laws
 There are few laws in psychology
 It is an inexact science
 Not governed by laws of natures
o Ex. Gravity
 There are very few things that can be tested enough to become a law
o Ex.
 Theory: the mind represents reality
 Hypothesis: people perceive things are actually there
 Revised theory: the mind constructs reality