1. Introduction to Psychology

• Course title: Introduction to Psychology

Course code: PSY-101

By:

Muhammad Bilal Younas

0323-6168636

2. Current approaches/ perspectives/ models

The major approaches to study Psychology are following:

i) The biological approach/ model

ii) The psychodynamic approach/model

iii) The cognitive approach/ model

iv) The behavioral approach/ model

V) The humanistic approach/ model

3. i) The biological approach/ model

According to this approach, the behavior of people and animals should be considered from the view of their biological functioning.

The study of brain and nervous system helps us interpret perception, memory emotions and psychological disorders, etc.

4. ii) The psychodynamic approach/model

The psychodynamic theory emphasizes unconscious motivation and the influence of sexual and aggressive drives on behavior. It has major impact in the fields of personality, psychological disorders and therapy

5. iii) The cognitive approach/ model

This approach includes the study of mental processes, such as thinking, perception, memory and problem solving. Cognitive psychologists seek to explain how we process information and how our ways of thinking about the world influence our behavior.

6. iv) The behavioral approach/ model

The behavioral approach concentrates on observable behavior. It suggests that an understanding and control of a persons environment is sufficient to fully explain and modify behavior.

7. V) The humanistic approach/ model

The humanistic approach emphasizes that people are unique and complex organism; each person has a capacity to reach his or her maximum potential. It is specially important in the field of personality , motivation and psychotherapy.

8. Psychology today

All these five approaches have come to dominate psychology in the 21 stcentury. These models add to our understanding of why human beings behave the way they do.

Psychologists with different view points have different things to say; each tackles the issue from different angle and contribute different insights.

9. Psychology today

They are now more likely to have an eclectic approach to study behavior and cognitive processes.

10. Psychology as a science

Psychology is a science of behavior including a persons overt behavior and his cognitive mental processes.

As a science, psychology shares goals and scientific methods with other sciences, such as biology, chemistry, etc.

Psychologist begin with a body of knowledge and then proceed to investigate. They use a variety of methods

11. Psychology as a science

for this purpose. These research methods allow them to reach the goals of description, explanation, prediction and control.

Psychology is comprised of systematized knowledge that is gathered by carefully measuring and observing events.

Theories are used to summarize observation and to predict the outcomes of

12. Psychology as a science

future observations.

Another important aspect of psychology as a science is its use of measurement_ the assignment of numbers to objects or events according to certain rules.