Unit I: Introduction to
Behavioral Psychology
By: Ms. Mehwish khan
(Lecturer, PHSION)
Date: 25th Oct 2023
1
Objective
s
At the end of this unit learners will be
able to:
1. Define Behavioral Psychology.
2.Outline the major
perspectives which developed
into modern psychology.
2
What is
Psychology
• The scientific study of mind and behavior.
• The word “ psychology comes from the
Greek words “psyche, meaning life, and “
logos, meaning explanation.
• Psychology is a popular major for
students, a popular topic in the public , and
a part of our everyday lives.
3
WHAT IS
PSYCHOLOGY?
4
Psychology: the study
of ..
• why we do what we do;
• why we feel the way we feel;
• why we think as we think;
5
Goal of
Psychology
• To predict behavior by understanding
its causes.
• Making predictions is difficult in part
because people vary
and respond differently in different
situations.
• Individual differences are the variations
among people on physical or psychological
dimensions
6
Psychologist vs.
•Psychiatrist
Psychologist
• 5 yrs. B.S. psychology
• 2 yrs. Masters in psychology
• 4 yrs. PhD psychology
• 6 yrs supervised training before individual works
alone with patients
• 10 yrs training
• Can’t give medicine
• Psychiatrist
• 5 yrs. B.S. Pre Med
• 4 yrs. Med School
• 3 yrs. Residency – have patient load
• 11 yrs. Training
• Can prescribe medicine
Big difference between them is that
Psychiatrists CAN prescribe
medicine and Psychologist CAN’T
7
Can we predict
behavior
• Because of the many individual difference
variables that influence behavior, we cannot
always predict who will become aggressive or
who will perform best in graduate school or on
the job.
• Almost all behavior is multiply determined,
or produced by many factors.
• These factors occur at different levels of
explanation.
8
•Behavioral psychology is the study of
external behavior
•Behavior is objective and observable, where
as what goes on in one’s mind can never
really be known or measured (the mind is a
“black box”)
•Behavior is the response of an
organism to stimuli
•An approach or perspective in psychology
is a particular view as to why, and how, it is
we think, feel, and behave as we do.
9
Behavioral
• Behavioral Psychology is
basically interested in how our
behavior results from the stimuli
both in the environment and
within ourselves.
10
Biological
• The biological approach believes
us to be as a consequence of our
genetics and physiology. It is the
only approach in psychology that
examines thoughts, feelings, and
behaviors from a physical point
of view.
11
Neurotransmitters and their role
Acetylcholine: Learning, memory and muscle control
Dopamine: motor activity, coordination, Memory.
Glutamate: anxiety, mood.
Epinephrine: emotion, stress.
12
Evolutionary
• Evolutionary psychology focus on
how evolution has shaped the mind
and behavior.
13
Developmental
• Developmental psychology, also
known as Human Development,
is the scientific study of
progressive psychological
changes that occur in human
beings as they age.
14
Psychodynamic
• Sigmund Freud was the founder of the
psychodynamic approach to
psychology. This school of thought
emphasized the influence of the
unconscious mind on behavior.
• Psychodynamic perspective give
importance to the inner unconscious
experience and the force that led that
behaviour.
15
Cognitive
• Focus on our information
processes of perception,
attention, language, memory,
and thinking, and how they
influence our thoughts, feelings
and behaviors.
16
Human behavior
• What is unique about humans?
• What do we have in common with other
species?
• How do we differ from each other?
• How did we come to be who we are?
• It also stresses that people , by nature
tend to move towards higher levels of
maturity.
• Humans possess the ability to make
decision about their life.
17
Socio-cultural:
Behavior results from
social and cultural
influences.
Ex: Kissing , hand shaking
Occupational
psychology
Occupational psychology, also known as
industrial-organizational psychology, work
psychology, organizational psychology,
work and organizational psychology,
occupational psychology, personnel
psychology or talent assessment - studies
the performance of people at work and in
training, develop an understanding of
how organizations function and how
people and groups behave at work.
The occupational psychologist aims to
increase effectiveness, efficiency, and
satisfaction at work
Referen
ce
• Psychology,Theme and
variations,7th
edition,Wayne Weiten
20
