Note: This handout only consists of additional
information and must not be reviewed solely. It must
be read together with the PowerPoint presentation.
PERSONALITY – is a pattern of relatively permanent
traits and unique characteristics that gives both
consistency and individuality to a person’s behavior.
I. PSYCHOLOGY AS A SCIENCE
Psychology is the SCIENCE OF BEHAVIOR AND
MENTAL PROCESSES.
- Psychologist attempt to understand human
behavior
- Behavior is observable (external)
Ex. Speech and Physical movement
- Mental processes are internal.
Ex. Remembering and thinking
HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY
 Aristotle
A Greek philosopher wrote extensively about
topics like sleep, dreams, the senses and the
memory (Theory of sleep and dreams)
- For Aristotle observation, god did not send
dreams. Even animals could see a dream. It is the
product of our experiences while we are awakeand
then used by our imagination during dreaming.
While we are awake, we are still able to distinguish
what is an external object and what is our
imagined object, however in sleep, this faculty
disappears or absent.
EMERGENCE OF PSYCHOLOGY AS A SCIENCE
- Right hemisphere of our brain controls the left side of
our body and vice versa. It is because the nerve fiber
crosses each other and it is NEURONAL DECUSSATION.
It is a criss-cross wiring (anatomical) happens when
nerve fibers crosses each other.
HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY
STRUCTURALISM
Proponent: Wilhelm Wundt (pronounced as Vilhem
Vundt) and Edward Titchener
Keyword: Structure. Basic components or structures
Psych students, kapag structuralism, yung complex
conscious experience (remember my example about
apple?) It can be BROKEN DOWN into elemental
structures, component parts, structure or feelings.
FUNCTIONALISM
It studies the purpose, function of behavior and mental
experience.
Proponent: William James
Keyword: Function. Practical applications.
How the behavior allow the people and animals to
adapt to their environment
Pragmatism is a belief that knowledge is vaidated by its
usefulness.
BEHAVIORISM
- School of psychology and theoretical viewpoint
that emphasizes the study of OBSERVABLE
BEHAVIORS, especially as they pertain in the
process of learning.
PSYCHOANALYSIS
- Unconsious conflicts in determining behavior and
personality.
Proponent: Sigmund Freud
Keyword: Unconscious
GESTALT PSYCHOLOGY
- Organized whole is perceived more than its parts.
Proponent: Max Wertheimer
HUMANISTIC PSYCHOLOGY
- Emphasized the importance of self-determination,
free will and human potential as well as the
conscious experience toward growth and
actualization.
Proponent: Carl Rogers
FOUR MAJOR RESEARCH PERSPECTIVE
- Like pieces of jigsaw puzzle, it gives more complete
picture to explain behavior.
For example, a person has a depression and the
researchers want to explain how it happened. The
four major research perspectives will come up to
different findings that complement each other
such as follows:
BIOLOGICAL- it can be because of certain
chemicals in the nervous system (mood is also
partly function of our brain chemistry)
COGNITIVE – Unhealthy patterns of thinking
BEHAVIORAL – Environmental causes
SOCIOCULTURAL – People around us.
Moreover, these explanations give us a whole
understanding why a person has a depression.
GENOVESE SYNDROME (Bystander Effect) – the
probability of a victim receiving help in emergency
is higher when there is only one bystander than
when there are many. (recall Kitty Genovese story
)
 3 CATEGORIES OF RESEARCH:
1. Descriptive
- observational , case study, survey research
2. Correlational - correlational studies examines how
strongly two variables are related to, associated with,
each other. The number in the correlation tells us
about the strength of the relationship and the sign
indicates the direction of the relationship

3. Experimental
Control group serves as the baseline to which other
experimental groups can be compared.
Independent variable – the purposely manipulated
factor thought to produce change in an experiment
Dependent- the factor that is observed and measured
for change in an experiment.

SCIENTIFIC METHOD
Like scientists, psychologists are guided by the basic
assumptions that are EVENTS ARE LAWFUL. When the
scientific assumption is applied to psychology, it means
that psychologist assume THAT BEHAVIOR AND
MENTAL PROCESSES FOLLOW CONSISTENT PATTERNS.
*PSYCHOLOGIST ARE WILLING TO CONSIDER NEW
EXPLANATION OF BEHAVIOR AND MENTAL PROCESSES
BUT THEY CRITICALLY EVALUATE THE EVIDENCE FOR
NEW FINDINGS. IN PROMOTING NEW IDEAS AND
FINDINGS, PSYCHOLOGISTS ARE CAUTIOUS IN THE
CLAIMS THEY MAKE. (Systematic process)
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“The man who does not read has no advantage over the
man who cannot read” =)

Prepared by: Ms. Alondra Ara A. Mena