PSYC1001 - Psychology 1A
Psychology
Psychology is the scientific study of behaviour (overt/observable actions) and mental processes (thoughts, emotions, interactions between the two - e.g. decision making).
Psychology Feature Lectures
Aims of Psychology
- What: Descriptions of carefully observed of behaviour
- When: Specific conditions that it is predicted the behaviour will occur under
- Why: Explanation identifying the causes of the behaviour
- Change: Facilitate positive changes in behaviour
Psych and the Brain
So, could we sidestep the study of behaviour and mental events, and focus instead on neurons and neurotransmitters? No, and one big reason is levels of analysis:
- Political and Economic Patterns
- Group Behaviours
- Behaviour of Individuals
- Neural Events
- Molecular Analysis
- Subatomic Analysis
If we have a better functional understanding we can better look for and understand neural mechanisms responsible for the steps in the process
Relationship between Psychology and other disciplines
Psychiatry
- Psychiatrists
- Psychiatry is a specialisation taken after a medical degree
- Medical degrees focus on normal and abnormal functioning of the body
- e.g. anatomy, physiology, biochemistry
- They treat psychological disorders that involve brain dysfunction
- e.g. neurological conditions
- Psychiatrists are also authorised to prescribe drug treatments
- Psychologists
- Many psychological disorders appear to involve dysfunction at the “software” level
- e.g. incorrect beliefs
- Many psychological disorders appear to involve dysfunction at the “software” level
- Some disorders are both hardware and software (chemical imbalance and beliefs) and hence need to work together
page revision: 12, last edited: 20 Mar 2013 07:01