©Ane Venter
Chapter 1
The Evolution of Psychology
Please note: Lecture notes are in RED
Extra notes are in BLUE
1
,©Ane Venter
PSYCHOLOGY
→ The scientific study of the:
• MIND
• MENTAL PROCESSES
• BEHAVIOUR.
→ Greek words: Psyche (soul)
Study of the Human mind
Logos (Study)
1. Mind
→ Originates in the brain + Fosters human consciousness.
→ Produces mental processes:
o Thoughts
o Memory
Consequently, influence behaviour
o Perception
o Reasoning
→ Conscious + unconscious processes = characteristics qualities define human beings as sentient
beings.
2. Mental Processes
→ Activities in the brain that are required to produce sequence of systematic actions, changes, and
functions.
→ Sequence aims to develop towards an outcome.
→ Disturbance / disruption of mental processes = disorder in the mind
o Mind fails to produce an appropriate sequence of mental processes.
o Pattern of behaviour becomes affected,
3. Behaviour
→ Any response carried out by an organism.
→ More than just good or bad.
2
, ©Ane Venter
→ Behaviour = action
o Reaction to stimulus
o Functional pattern in a system that functions normally
→ Degree of reactive action is a lot lower in functional patterns of a system.
Fluidity in the Development of the Discipline
Definition of fluidity
→ Framework = supporting structure.
1: the quality or state of being fluid
→ Psychology must evolve to survive.
→ Psychology 2: the physical property of a substance that
o Fundamentally classic enables it to flow
o Structurally contemporary (Merriam Webster Dictionary)
→ Fluidity = CENTRAL to evolution of psychology.
Diversity in Knowledge Systems
→ Framework of psychology = centres on mental + behavioural processes
= Significant in all areas of life.
→ Incorporates diverse array of knowledge systems across the world.
→ To appreciate evolution of psychology:
o Consider era in which psychology became influential.
o Environmental and cultural influences at the time.
o Cross disciplinary discoveries that contributed to the development of psychological knowledge
and skills.
→ PSYCHOLOGY IS NOT AN INVENTION.
o Thinking, experiencing, understanding, and behaviour = existed before we formulated theories,
• Needed these processes to develop theories.
o DID invent frameworks used to classify study of psychology.
→ World you live in = defines frame of reference + how you define information
→ Framework of psychology comprises various models.
o Models have certain assumptions + values = explain psychological processes.
o Models are called PARADIGMS
• Develop from different sources and are influenced continuously.
3
Chapter 1
The Evolution of Psychology
Please note: Lecture notes are in RED
Extra notes are in BLUE
1
,©Ane Venter
PSYCHOLOGY
→ The scientific study of the:
• MIND
• MENTAL PROCESSES
• BEHAVIOUR.
→ Greek words: Psyche (soul)
Study of the Human mind
Logos (Study)
1. Mind
→ Originates in the brain + Fosters human consciousness.
→ Produces mental processes:
o Thoughts
o Memory
Consequently, influence behaviour
o Perception
o Reasoning
→ Conscious + unconscious processes = characteristics qualities define human beings as sentient
beings.
2. Mental Processes
→ Activities in the brain that are required to produce sequence of systematic actions, changes, and
functions.
→ Sequence aims to develop towards an outcome.
→ Disturbance / disruption of mental processes = disorder in the mind
o Mind fails to produce an appropriate sequence of mental processes.
o Pattern of behaviour becomes affected,
3. Behaviour
→ Any response carried out by an organism.
→ More than just good or bad.
2
, ©Ane Venter
→ Behaviour = action
o Reaction to stimulus
o Functional pattern in a system that functions normally
→ Degree of reactive action is a lot lower in functional patterns of a system.
Fluidity in the Development of the Discipline
Definition of fluidity
→ Framework = supporting structure.
1: the quality or state of being fluid
→ Psychology must evolve to survive.
→ Psychology 2: the physical property of a substance that
o Fundamentally classic enables it to flow
o Structurally contemporary (Merriam Webster Dictionary)
→ Fluidity = CENTRAL to evolution of psychology.
Diversity in Knowledge Systems
→ Framework of psychology = centres on mental + behavioural processes
= Significant in all areas of life.
→ Incorporates diverse array of knowledge systems across the world.
→ To appreciate evolution of psychology:
o Consider era in which psychology became influential.
o Environmental and cultural influences at the time.
o Cross disciplinary discoveries that contributed to the development of psychological knowledge
and skills.
→ PSYCHOLOGY IS NOT AN INVENTION.
o Thinking, experiencing, understanding, and behaviour = existed before we formulated theories,
• Needed these processes to develop theories.
o DID invent frameworks used to classify study of psychology.
→ World you live in = defines frame of reference + how you define information
→ Framework of psychology comprises various models.
o Models have certain assumptions + values = explain psychological processes.
o Models are called PARADIGMS
• Develop from different sources and are influenced continuously.
3
