Intro to Psych

Define psychology. Discuss the history of psychology and the evolution of its modern perspectives.

Psychology is defined as “the scientific study of the behavior of individuals and their mental processes” (Gerrig & Zimbardo, 2010, pg. 2.) Not only is psychology the study of an individual’s behavior, but also the atmosphere and biological foundations in which one’s behavior is rooted. It is within these studies that a psychologist will ultimately be able to describe one’s behavior, provide an explanation for this behavior, predict the outcome and control one’s behavior accurately.

The origins of psychology were traced back to Greek philosophers Aristotle and Plato within their writings. Psychology didn’t evolve until the 1800’s with Wilhelm Wundt “who, in 1879 in Leipzig, Germany, founded the first formal laboratory devoted to experimental psychology.” (Gerrig & Zimbardo, 2010, pg. 6.) Edward Titchener (among other graduate students around the world) after studying with Wilhelm Wundt founded his own psychology laboratory at Cornell University in the late 1800’s.

Structuralism was the first school of psychology focusing on the breakdown of mental processes into basic components of elements or events. Edward Titchener was a pioneer of structuralism; and William James was the pioneer of functionalism. Rather than focusing on the elements of consciousness, functionalists focused on the purpose of consciousness and behavior. With James’s psychology, “there was a place for emotions, self, will, values and even religious and mystical experience.” (Gerrig & Zimbardo, 2010, pg. 8.)

The Psychodynamic Perspective originated with the work of Sigmund Freud in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Freud’s view of human behavior accentuates the role of the unconscious mind, interpersonal relationships to explain human behavior. “Freud himself emphasized early childhood as the stage in which personality is formed.” (Gerrig & Zimbardo,...