Tyler Christians
Psychology
Psychology is the scientific study of conscious experience.
Psychology focuses on:
• Understanding the many factors that influence people’s behavior
• Investigating questions about human behavior in a scientific way
• Building knowledge that is relatively accurate and dependable
• Application – practical application of knowledge to everyday life
1879- psychology’s birth date
Consciousness- awareness of immediate experience.
Origins of Psychology
Structuralism was based on the idea that the task of psychology is to analyze
consciousness into its basic elements and to investigate how these elements are
related. (Wilhelm Wundt, Edward Titchener)
Functionalism was based on the belief that psychology should investigate the function
or purpose of consciousness, rather than its structures. (William James)
Functionalism help promote two important descendants- behaviorism and applied
psychology
Sigmund Freud- psychoanalytic theory
according to Sigmund Freud, the unconscious contains thoughts, memories, desires
that are well below the surface
• Personality, motivation and mental disorders were explained by focusing on
unconscious determinants of behavior
• Defense mechanisms assist us to avoid confronting these conflicts, which
remain hidden in the unconscious
Aim: To recover and resolve unconscious conflicts, motives and defenses
• Therapeutic techniques are used to probe the unconscious mind
John B. Watson-Behaviorism
Behaviorism is a theoretical orientation based on the concepts that scientific
psychology should study only observable behavior.
Behavior- any observable response or activity by an organism.
1
, Tyler Christians
Watson took an extreme position on one of psychologies most fundamental questions-
Nature vs. Nurture. Thus, debate is concerned whether behavior is determined mainly
by genetic inheritance or by environment and by experience.
B.F Skinner-Behaviorism
Skinner’s viewpoints:
Mental states should not be studied as they can’t be studied scientifically
All behavior is fully governed by external stimuli
Free will is an illusion as we are controlled by our environment
Fundamental principle of behavior documented by Skinner:
Organisms tend to repeat responses that lead to positive outcomes, and they tend not
to repeat responses that lead to neutral or negative outcomes.
Carl Rogers-Humanism
• 1950s: Humanism emerged in response to criticisms that psychoanalytic
theory and behaviorism were ‘dehumanizing’
• Psychoanalysis was criticized for its focus on sexual urges as a determinant
of behavior
• Behaviorism was criticized for its focus on animal studies
• Both were criticized for suggesting that people aren’t masters of their own
destinies
Humanism is a theoretical orientation that emphasizes the unique qualities of humans,
especially their freedom and their potential for growth.
Person centered approach to therapy
Aim: Provide conditions in which a client can grow and develop and move toward
becoming more fully functioning
• Genuineness
• Unconditional positive regard
• Empathic understanding
Two political figures prominent in the field of psychology in SA:
Jan Smuts - prime minister from 1919 to 1924 and 1939 to 1948
H. F. Verwoerd – known as the ‘architect of apartheid’ for his role in designing and
implementing apartheid policies; prime minister from 1958 to 1966
2
, Tyler Christians
Pioneering Contributions towards Behavior Therapy
Jospeh Wolpe made a significant contribution to the development of behavior therapy in
the 1940s and 1950s
• Systematic desensitization
• Trained other prominent behavioral psychologists
Chabani Manganyi
• Prominent South African psychiatrist, psychologist and academic
• First black South African psychologist to research personality and
psychobiography
• His work focused on the psychological effects of apartheid and the intersections
of culture, race and mental health
The Psychoanalytic Perspective
This perspective was prominent in psychology in South Africa in the early 1900s
Prominent figures:
• Wulf Sachs (a student of Ivan Pavlov) established the Psychoanalytic Training
Institute in SA in the 1930s
• Marie Bonaparte (trained by Freud) worked as a lecturer and psychoanalyst
• Fritz Pearls was the founder of Gestalt therapy
The Academic Boycott
1960s to 1990s: Academic and professional boycott of universities and academics
South African academics could not participate in international conferences,
international scholars refused to visit South Africa or collaborate with local academics,
and international academic journals did not publish manuscripts authored by South
African academic
It wasn’t until 1994 that a non-racial association was established.
3
, Tyler Christians
What constitutes a South African psychology?
Ratele’s four orientations or approaches of an African Psychology
1. Western-oriented African Psychology
• Assumes psychology is universal, apolitical, objective and value-free
• Behavior is studied in the same way as elsewhere in the world, but the studies take
place in Africa
Criticisms:
• This approach is essentially a ‘clone’ of Western and North American psychology
• The underlying assumption is flawed
2. Cultural African Psychology
• Assumes that people’s perspectives are shaped by culture
• Draws on African cultural and spiritual concepts and worldviews
• Rejects Western cultural domination and foregrounds African culture and how it
shapes the psychological make-up of Africans
Criticisms:
• It treats Africa ‘like a village’ (assuming all Africans share the same beliefs)
• It’s uncritical of harmful African cultural practices
3. Critical African Psychology
• Examines the workings of power and knowledge in various domains and how these
affect Africa and its people
• It focuses on how social structures (e.g. politics and economics) shape psychology
• It opposes the hegemony/dominance of Western values in psychology
4
Psychology
Psychology is the scientific study of conscious experience.
Psychology focuses on:
• Understanding the many factors that influence people’s behavior
• Investigating questions about human behavior in a scientific way
• Building knowledge that is relatively accurate and dependable
• Application – practical application of knowledge to everyday life
1879- psychology’s birth date
Consciousness- awareness of immediate experience.
Origins of Psychology
Structuralism was based on the idea that the task of psychology is to analyze
consciousness into its basic elements and to investigate how these elements are
related. (Wilhelm Wundt, Edward Titchener)
Functionalism was based on the belief that psychology should investigate the function
or purpose of consciousness, rather than its structures. (William James)
Functionalism help promote two important descendants- behaviorism and applied
psychology
Sigmund Freud- psychoanalytic theory
according to Sigmund Freud, the unconscious contains thoughts, memories, desires
that are well below the surface
• Personality, motivation and mental disorders were explained by focusing on
unconscious determinants of behavior
• Defense mechanisms assist us to avoid confronting these conflicts, which
remain hidden in the unconscious
Aim: To recover and resolve unconscious conflicts, motives and defenses
• Therapeutic techniques are used to probe the unconscious mind
John B. Watson-Behaviorism
Behaviorism is a theoretical orientation based on the concepts that scientific
psychology should study only observable behavior.
Behavior- any observable response or activity by an organism.
1
, Tyler Christians
Watson took an extreme position on one of psychologies most fundamental questions-
Nature vs. Nurture. Thus, debate is concerned whether behavior is determined mainly
by genetic inheritance or by environment and by experience.
B.F Skinner-Behaviorism
Skinner’s viewpoints:
Mental states should not be studied as they can’t be studied scientifically
All behavior is fully governed by external stimuli
Free will is an illusion as we are controlled by our environment
Fundamental principle of behavior documented by Skinner:
Organisms tend to repeat responses that lead to positive outcomes, and they tend not
to repeat responses that lead to neutral or negative outcomes.
Carl Rogers-Humanism
• 1950s: Humanism emerged in response to criticisms that psychoanalytic
theory and behaviorism were ‘dehumanizing’
• Psychoanalysis was criticized for its focus on sexual urges as a determinant
of behavior
• Behaviorism was criticized for its focus on animal studies
• Both were criticized for suggesting that people aren’t masters of their own
destinies
Humanism is a theoretical orientation that emphasizes the unique qualities of humans,
especially their freedom and their potential for growth.
Person centered approach to therapy
Aim: Provide conditions in which a client can grow and develop and move toward
becoming more fully functioning
• Genuineness
• Unconditional positive regard
• Empathic understanding
Two political figures prominent in the field of psychology in SA:
Jan Smuts - prime minister from 1919 to 1924 and 1939 to 1948
H. F. Verwoerd – known as the ‘architect of apartheid’ for his role in designing and
implementing apartheid policies; prime minister from 1958 to 1966
2
, Tyler Christians
Pioneering Contributions towards Behavior Therapy
Jospeh Wolpe made a significant contribution to the development of behavior therapy in
the 1940s and 1950s
• Systematic desensitization
• Trained other prominent behavioral psychologists
Chabani Manganyi
• Prominent South African psychiatrist, psychologist and academic
• First black South African psychologist to research personality and
psychobiography
• His work focused on the psychological effects of apartheid and the intersections
of culture, race and mental health
The Psychoanalytic Perspective
This perspective was prominent in psychology in South Africa in the early 1900s
Prominent figures:
• Wulf Sachs (a student of Ivan Pavlov) established the Psychoanalytic Training
Institute in SA in the 1930s
• Marie Bonaparte (trained by Freud) worked as a lecturer and psychoanalyst
• Fritz Pearls was the founder of Gestalt therapy
The Academic Boycott
1960s to 1990s: Academic and professional boycott of universities and academics
South African academics could not participate in international conferences,
international scholars refused to visit South Africa or collaborate with local academics,
and international academic journals did not publish manuscripts authored by South
African academic
It wasn’t until 1994 that a non-racial association was established.
3
, Tyler Christians
What constitutes a South African psychology?
Ratele’s four orientations or approaches of an African Psychology
1. Western-oriented African Psychology
• Assumes psychology is universal, apolitical, objective and value-free
• Behavior is studied in the same way as elsewhere in the world, but the studies take
place in Africa
Criticisms:
• This approach is essentially a ‘clone’ of Western and North American psychology
• The underlying assumption is flawed
2. Cultural African Psychology
• Assumes that people’s perspectives are shaped by culture
• Draws on African cultural and spiritual concepts and worldviews
• Rejects Western cultural domination and foregrounds African culture and how it
shapes the psychological make-up of Africans
Criticisms:
• It treats Africa ‘like a village’ (assuming all Africans share the same beliefs)
• It’s uncritical of harmful African cultural practices
3. Critical African Psychology
• Examines the workings of power and knowledge in various domains and how these
affect Africa and its people
• It focuses on how social structures (e.g. politics and economics) shape psychology
• It opposes the hegemony/dominance of Western values in psychology
4
