- Define psychology - Understand the role of theories in psychology - Define the three areas of focus for psychologists - Define some of the main fields of psychology [SLIDE 1] Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes. There are a number of topics covered by psychologists, including the nervous system, sensation and perception, learning and memory, intelligence, language, thought, growth and development, personality, stress and health, psychological disorders, ways of treating those disorders, sexual behavior, and the behavior of people in social settings such as groups and organizations. [SLIDE 2] As a science, psychology seeks to describe, explain, predict, and control the events it studies. Hence, for psychology, this means describing, explaining, predicting, and controlling behavior and mental processes. This does not mean that psychologists aim to control people like puppets. Instead, they seek to understand the factors that influence behavior and apply their knowledge for the public good. A psychologist may help an individual cope with problems, such as anxiety and depression. [SLIDE 3] A psychologist seeks to interweave descriptive terms and concepts, such as the previously mentioned anxiety and depression, into theories. A theory is a set of hypothesized statements about the relationships among events. A theory can propose reasons for relationships among events. They help us generate explanations and predictions. [SLIDE 4] Some psychological theories combine statements about behavior, mental processes, and biological processes. As an example, many of our responses to drugs such as alcohol and marijuana can be measured as overt behavior, and they are presumed to reflect our (mental) expectations of the drugs and the biological effects of the drugs themselves. A satisfactory psychological theory can allow us to predict behavior. For example, a theory of hunger may allow us to predict when people will or will not eat. [SLIDE 5] Psychologists are interested in behavior, but different psychologists focus on different aspects. The three areas of focus are research, practice, and teaching. Some researchers engage primarily in basic research, often called pure research. Pure research is research conducted without concern for an immediate application. It is undertaken because the researcher is interested in the research topic. Thus, pure research may have no immediate application to personal or social problems, and is often research for its own sake. Even though pure research is sparked by curiosity, some of today's pure research can influence tomorrow's way of life. For example, past work with pigeons and rats have been used to guide applications in today's school systems. [SLIDE 6] Separate from pure research, there are psychologists that engage in applied research. This is research that is conducted specifically to find solutions to particular problems, whether they be personal or social problems. [SLIDE 7] Many psychologists do not conduct research at all, but instead *practice* psychology. They apply psychological knowledge to help individuals change their behavior so that they can meet their own goals more effectively. Still other psychologists primarily teach, by sharing psychological knowledge in classrooms, seminars, and workshops. Of course, psychologists may also engage in all three of the areas mentioned: research, practice, and teaching. [SLIDE 8] Psychologists specialize in various fields and some specialize in two or more. For example, clinical psychologists help people who have psychological disorders to adjust to various demands of life. They evaluate problems such as anxiety and depression by interviewing and conducting psychological tests. In this way, clinical psychologists help their clients resolve problems and change self-defeating behavior. As an example, a clinical psychologist may help clients face perceived threats by exposing them gradually to situations that replicate the perceived threat. Clinical psychologists make up the largest subgroup of all psychologists. [SLIDE 9] Like clinical psychologists, Counseling Psychologists use interviews and tests to define their clients' problems. Their clients typically have adjustment problems but not serious psychological disorders. For example, clients may have trouble making academic or vocational decisions. As another example, LGBT clients may have difficulty coping with prejudice and discrimination from their social surroundings. [SLIDE 10] School psychologists are employed by school systems to identify and assist students who have problems that may interfere with learning. For example, they help schools make decisions about the placement of students into special classes. Similarly, educational psychologists, like school psychologists, attempt to facilitate learning, but they usually focus on course planning and instructional methods for a school system rather than on individual children. Educational psychologists research issues such as how learning is affected by psychological factors such as motivation and intelligence, sociocultural factors such as poverty and acculturation, and teachers. [SLIDE 11] Developmental psychologists study the changes that occur throughout a person's life span. These include physical, cognitive, social, and emotional changes. Their work involves trying to assess the influences of heredity and the environment on development. Personality psychologists identify and measure human traits and determine influences on human thought processes, feelings, and behavior. These individuals are particularly concerned with issues such as anxiety, aggression, sexual orientation, and gender roles. Social psychologists are concerned with the nature and causes of individuals' thoughts, feelings, and behavior in social situations. So, in other words, whereas personality psychologists tend to look within the person to explain behavior, social psychologists tend to focus on social influences. [SLIDE 12] Environmental psychologists study the ways that people and the environment influence each other. This includes addressing both the natural environment and the human-made environment. For example, we know that extremes of temperature and loud noises interfere with learning in school. Also, environmental psychologists study ways to encourage people to recycle and to preserve the last bastions of our declining wilderness. Psychologists in all specialties may be involved in conducting experiments. However, experimental psychologists specialize in basic processes such as the nervous system, sensation and perception, learning and memory, thought, motivation, and emotion. For example, experimental psychologists have studied what areas of the brain are involved in processing math problems or listening to music. They use people or animals such as pigeons and rats to study learning. [SLIDE 13] Industrial psychologists focus on the relationships between people and work, while organizational psychologists study the behavior of people in organizations such as businesses. Human factors psychologists make technical systems such as automobile dashboards and computer keyboards more user-friendly. Consumer psychologists study the behavior of shoppers in an effort to predict and influence their behavior. This latter group may advise store managers on how to lay out the aisles of a supermarket in ways that boost impulse buying or design ads and television commercials to be more persuasive. [SLIDE 14] Health psychologists study the effects of stress on health problems such as headaches, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. They also guide clients toward healthier behavior patterns, such as exercising and quitting smoking. Forensic psychologists apply psychology to the criminal justice system. They deal with legal matters such as whether a defendant was sane when he or she committed a crime. Forensic psychologists may also treat psychologically ill offenders, consult with attorneys on matters such as picking a jury, and analyze offenders’ behavior and mental processes. They may also conduct research on matters ranging from evaluation of eyewitness testimony to methods of interrogation. Sport psychologists help athletes concentrate on their performance and not on the crowd, use cognitive strategies such as positive visualization (imagining themselves making the right moves) to enhance performance, and avoid choking under pressure.