The Science of Psychology Week 1 Webinar:

Welcome to the World of Psychology

TUTORS: JAMES CLAY, KATE LEWIS, BRIONY PULFORD & SONIA TOMESCU-STACHIE
 Introduction

• Get to know your tutor!

Administrative

• Moodle functionality

Content

Outline • Spark Activity

• Background Information
• Challenge Activity

Assignment Check-In

• Weekly check-in on the assignments

Wrap-Up

• Schedule for next week

 Introduction

• Get to know your tutor!

Administrative

• Moodle functionality

Content

Outline • Spark Activity

• Background Information
• Challenge Activity

Assignment Check-In

• Weekly check-in on the assignments

Wrap-Up

• Schedule for next week

 Introduction

• Get to know your tutor!

Administrative

• Moodle functionality

Content

Outline • Spark Activity

• Background Information
• Challenge Activity

Assignment Check-In

• Weekly check-in on the assignments

Wrap-Up

• Schedule for next week

 Moodle Functionality
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 Moodle Functionality
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 Introduction

• Get to know your tutor!

Administrative

• Moodle functionality

Content

Outline • Spark Activity

• Background Information
• Challenge Activity

Assignment Check-In

• Weekly check-in on the assignments

Wrap-Up

• Schedule for next week

 Spark Activity
Imagine that a child asks
Is the mind the same Can you prove that
you what a mind is.
thing as the brain (i.e., a someone other than
What would you tell
purely biological entity)? yourself has a mind?
them?

What happens to your

Do non-human animals
mind when you go to
have minds? What does the mind have
sleep, are put under
If so, how comparable are to do with behaviour?
anaesthesia, or when you
they to human minds?
die?
 Introduction

• Get to know your tutor!

Administrative

• Moodle functionality

Content

Outline • Spark Activity

• Background Information
• Challenge Activity

Assignment Check-In

• Weekly check-in on the assignments

Wrap-Up

• Schedule for next week

Introspection
Who wants to explain what they think ‘Introspectionism’ is in psychology?
 Introspection
Wilhelm Wundt and his student Edward B. Titchener began
the study of experimental psychology in the late 1800s.

Introspection: “looking within” to record the content of our

own experiences.
 Introspection Examples

Answering Collecting self- Mindfulness

questions on a report data on meditation
personality test anxiety practices
 Introspection Examples

Answering Collecting self- Mindfulness

questions on a report data on meditation
personality test anxiety practices
 Introspection Examples

Answering Collecting self- Mindfulness

questions on a report data on meditation
personality test anxiety practices
The Limits of Introspection

What would you say were the pros

and cons of this approach to learning
about mind and behaviour?
 The Limits of Introspection

Pros • Allowed researchers to gain some information

• Some people may not be able to introspect as well as others

• Some thoughts are unconscious
Cons • Thoughts are not directly observable or measurable
• It is generally impossible to know if self-report accurately reflects the
conscious experience
 The Limits of Introspection

Pros • Allowed researchers to gain some information

• Some people may not be able to introspect as well as others

• Some thoughts are unconscious
Cons • Thoughts are not directly observable or measurable
• It is generally impossible to know if self-report accurately reflects the
conscious experience
Behaviorism
Who wants to explain what Behaviourism is?
 Behaviorism

Behaviorism sought to overcome the limitations posed by introspection

Did so by focusing on observable behaviors and stimuli

 Behaviorism

Behaviorism sought to overcome the limitations posed by introspection

Did so by focusing on observable behaviors and stimuli

Which is an example of Classical vs. Operant
Conditioning?

You are unable to sleep and become

frustrated laying in bed. Each night, the You reward your kids for behaving well. Is
frustration sets in a little quicker. What is this classical or operant conditioning?
this an example of?

Classical Conditioning Operating Conditioning

A simple stimulus (bed) and Rewards are used as positive reinforcers of

response(frustration) association. (Like behaviour, punishment as negative
Pavlov’s famous dogs.) reinforcers.
Which is an example of Classical vs. Operant
Conditioning?

You are unable to sleep and become

frustrated laying in bed. Each night, the You reward your kids for behaving well. Is
frustration sets in a little quicker. What is this classical or operant conditioning?
this an example of?

Classical Conditioning Operating Conditioning

A simple stimulus (bed) and Rewards are used to increase the likelihood
that the behaviour will be repeated,
response(frustration) association. (Like punishment to decrease the likelihood that
Pavlov’s famous dogs.) the behaviour will be repeated.
The Limits of Behaviourism

What would you say were the pros

and cons of this approach to learning
about mind and behaviour?
 The Limits of Behaviorism

• Behaviorism uncovered principles of how behavior changes in

Pros response to stimuli, such as rewards and punishments.

• Stimulus-response accounts are, in many cases, not enough to explain

behavior.
Cons • In a wide range of cases,
s we cannot hope to accurately study and
explain behavior without considering the mental causes.
 The Limits of Behaviorism

• Behaviorism uncovered principles of how behavior changes in

Pros response to stimuli, such as rewards and punishments.

• Stimulus-response accounts are, in many cases, not enough to explain

behavior.
Cons • In a wide range of cases, we cannot hope to accurately study and
explain behavior without considering the mental causes.
Interpretation of Meaning
Interpretation of Meaning
Interpretation of Meaning
 Introduction

• Get to know your tutor!

Administrative

• Moodle functionality

Content

Outline • Spark Activity

• Background Information
• Challenge Activity

Assignment Check-In

• Weekly check-in on the assignments

Wrap-Up

• Schedule for next week

 Challenge Activity
Think!
What area of Psychology or research question interests you?

Apply!
How could you apply the introspective and
Do you think one might be more effective
behaviorist approaches to your chosen area
than the other (if so, why)?
of interest?
 Challenge Activity
Think!
What area of Psychology or research question interests you?

Apply!
How could you apply the introspective and
Do you think one might be more effective
behaviorist approaches to your chosen area
than the other (if so, why)?
of interest?
 Introduction

• Get to know your tutor!

Administrative

• Moodle functionality

Content

Outline • Spark Activity

• Background Information
• Challenge Activity

Assignment Check-In

• Weekly check-in on the assignments

Wrap-Up

• Schedule for next week

 Overview of Course Assignments
• Assignment 1: Quantitative
Testing whether the perception of happiness (as compared to neutral emotions)
results in changes in the observer’s heart rate

• Assignment 2: Qualitative
Using thematic analysis (will learn more about this in the coming weeks) to
examine whether social media use influences feelings of loneliness
 Introduction

• Get to know your tutor!

Administrative

• Moodle functionality

Content

Outline • Spark Activity

• Background Information
• Challenge Activity

Assignment Check-In

• Weekly check-in on the assignments

Wrap-Up

• Questions?
Any questions?

Wrap-Up
Next week:
Cognitive & Biological Psychology.