History & Systems in Psychology chapter 1 笔记

chapter 1  Introduction

Greek roots: psyche and logos

• Psyche = mind
• Logos = study of a subject
• Study of the mind

Contemporary psychology 当代心理学

• Science

studies behaviour 

             physiological 生理学的 

       cognitive processes 

• applies accumulated knowledge累积知识  of this science to practical problems 实际问题

WHAT IS SCIENCE?

回答问题 by examining nature自然研究 ， 而不是依靠church dogma教会的教条, authorities权威, superstition迷信

Criteria条件 :Empirical observation 实证观察

         Theory

Empirical observation 

1. observation of nature 自然观察
2. categorised in some way 
3. observations must be noted
4. Explain what was observed

Scientific theory:

1. Organises整理 empirical observations
2. as guide for future observations
3. Allows for confirmable propositions命题

Seeks to discover lawful relationships

1. Consistently observed relationship between 2 or more classes of

empirical events 一致观察到2个或更多类别的

经验事件

2. Laws must be general
3. Correlational laws 相关定律 – only prediction is possible只能进行预测 
4. Causal law因果定律  – predict and control 预测和控制

Determinism决定论 

• Assumes that what is being investigated is -lawful

                                                                     -terms of causal laws

• knowing all causes of an event is not necessary; 不必知道所有事情的原因

assumes that they exist and as more causes are known,假设它们存在和更多原因被知道

predictions become more accurate预测变得准确

Summary:

1. Empirical observation
2. Theory formulation
3. Theory testing
4. Theory revision
5. Prediction
6. Control
7. Search for lawful relationships
8. Assumption of determinism

REVISIONS IN THE TRADITIONAL VIEW OFSCIENCE

Karl Popper

1. Scientific activity starts with a problem and the problem

determines what observations scientists will make

科学活动开始于 提出问题， 问题决定什么观察 

2. Propose提出 solutions (theories)   
3. Attempt to find fault错误 with the proposed solutions

(criticism批评/refutations反驳)

Thomas Kuhn 托马斯·库恩

1. physical sciences, one viewpoint观点 shared by members of a science (paradigm范列)
2. The paradigm determines what constitutes a research problem

and how the solution to that problem is sought 

范式决定什么构成研究问题 和 如何寻求问题的解决方案

3. Good: focus on a small range of phenomena 
4. Bad: blinds scientists to other phenomena 

THE HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY

• 2 distinct不同的 periods
• 5th century BC 公元前五世纪 - early Greek philosophers
• Late 19th century (1879) psychology became a separate and independent discipline

• People, ideas, schools of thought
• Zeitgeist时代精神 – movement arising within a historical and social context
• Contextual forces – Zeitgeist + social, political, and economic

factors

HOW DO WE STUDY THE HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY?

• The personalistic个人主义 theory
• The naturalistic自然主义 theory

WHY STUDY THE HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY?

• Perspective观点

• Ideas seldom born fully developed 很少想法能够完全发展
• developed over a long period of time
• Seeing ideas in historical perspective allows you

to appreciate subject matter of modern psychology

• Deeper understanding
• Recognition of fads时尚 and fashions
• Avoiding repetition重复 of mistakes
• A source of valuable ideas

PERSISTENT QUESTIONS IN PSYCHOLOGY

• Mind and body interact
• Brain causes mental events but mental events cannot cause

behaviour

Free will自愿的， 自由意志的 versus determinism决定论 

Determinism: idea that everything that happens has a cause or determinant, 

x observe or measure

Free will:behaviour is caused by a person’s independent decisions独立决定

The nature-nurture先天与后天 issue

differences behaviour relate to differences in heredity and environment?

E.g. boys and girls, adopted children, certain psychological disorders心理障碍

Tutorial 1 – The Study of the History of Psychology

1.       List and explain the benefits of studying the history of psychology.

·         perspective, seeing historical perspective allows you to appreciate subject matter of modern psychology

·         Deeper understanding , know where the psychology subject matter came from, and recognise relationship among ideas, theories and research

·         Recognition of fads and fashion,

·         Avoiding repetition of mistakes

·         A source of valuable ideas

2.       Contrast and compare personalistic and naturalistic conceptions of scientific history.

Personalistic theory	Naturalistic theory
·         change in scientific history are attributable归于 to ideas or unique individuals	·         change in scientific history are attributable to Zeitgeist or intellectual climate
·         not sufficient to explain development of science or society ·         history fact at time are distorted, altered to protect reputation	·

3.       Describe the ways in which contextual forces have influenced the development of modern psychology. Provide relevant examples for each contextual force.

4.       Explain the term “school of thought”. Provide an example of a school of thought.

5.       Explain and provide an example of a Zeitgeist. How does the Zeitgeist affect the evolution of a science?

6.       Is psychology a science? Provide 3 reasons to support your answer.

7.       List and describe two (2) persistent questions in psychology. List two (2) possible reasons why these questions have not been solved.