Introduction to Psychology: Schools, Theories, and Learning
Psychology: The Science of Mind and Behavior
Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behavior. It focuses on both the internal events that underlie our thoughts and feelings, as well as the behavior itself. Psychology can be studied at different levels:
Levels of Analysis in Psychology
1. Level of the Brain
This level examines the activity, structure, and properties of the brain itself, including brain cells, their connections, the chemical solutions in which they exist, and genes.
2. Level
Read MoreMental Disorders: Deinstitutionalization, Diagnosis, and Treatment
Deinstitutionalization and its Impact
Deinstitutionalization, a policy initiated in the 1960s, aimed to discharge patients from mental hospitals and reintegrate them into the community. However, this policy has resulted in many individuals with severe psychological disturbances becoming homeless or incarcerated. The primary concern with deinstitutionalization is the lack of adequate community resources in many areas to support these discharged patients. Essential needs like food and shelter may be
Read MoreBehaviorism: Concepts and Techniques
Behaviorism
How to Change Behavior
To accomplish tasks you need to do but don’t want to do, you can:
- Set goals
- Develop a plan
- Schedule time for each step
To break a habit, you can:
- Avoid certain situations
- Practice weaker forms of the habit
To conquer a symptom, you can tell yourself that the symptom is distressing but not health-threatening.
Skinner’s Radical Behaviorism
Skinner is a radical behaviorist because he believes that environmental stimuli, rather than internal psychological variables, determine
Read MoreAbnormal Psychology: Understanding and Treating Disorders
Defining and Explaining Abnormal Behavior
What is Abnormal Behavior?
Abnormal behavior is defined as behavior that is deviant (atypical), maladaptive (dysfunctional), or personally distressful.
Theoretical Perspectives on the Causes of Psychological Disorders
Several theoretical perspectives offer explanations for the causes of psychological disorders:
- Biological approaches: These approaches describe psychological disorders as diseases with origins in structural, biochemical, and genetic factors.
- Psychological
Learning New Tricks: Exploring Brain Plasticity and Behavior Change
Early Language Development and the Critical Period Hypothesis
When we arrive in this world, we are dependent on our caregivers. We need to gain control and build up knowledge and understanding of the world. Infants are incredible “learning machines” during their first years of life. Language is an indispensable tool for learning, making sense of the world, and communicating with others. Prior to speech, children use gestures to engage with adults. Then, from the age of 18 months to four years old,
Read MoreNature vs. Nurture in Gender Identity
Nature vs. Nurture in Gender Identity
Introduction
It seems undeniable that as a species, we are the result of a long process of biological evolution as well as cultural development. Therefore, although the relationships between the natural and the cultural are understood in different ways, both aspects form part of who we are. Humans can be male or female, a biological characteristic called sex. Gender, on the other hand, refers to the socially constructed roles, actions, thoughts, feelings, and
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