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Introduction to Psychology

v3.1 Charles Stangor

Chapter 1 Introducing Psychology

is 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 media, and a part of our everyday lives. Television shows such as In TreatmentLie to Me, Obsessed, and Hoarders feature psychologists who provide personal advice to those with personal or family difficulties. Other shows including This is Us, BoJack Horseman, and Parks and Rec deal with the psychological  problems of their characters. Crime dramas such as CSI, Bones, Dexter, and others feature the work of forensic psychologists who use psychological principles to help solve crimes. And many people have direct knowledge about psychology because they have visited psychologists, for instance, school counselors, family therapists, and religious, marriage, or bereavement counselors.

Because we are frequently exposed to the work of psychologists in our everyday lives, we all have an idea about what psychology is and what psychologists do. In many ways I am sure that your conceptions are correct. Psychologists do work in forensic fields, and they do provide counseling and therapy for people in distress. But there are hundreds of thousands of psychologists around the world, working together to learn about human behavior and to help people who are in psychological distress cope with their difficulties.  Psychology is a fast-growing global effort which aims to understand how people think and act, and to create a better world for all of us.

Most psychologists work in research laboratories, hospitals, and other field settings where they study the behavior of humans and animals. For instance, my colleagues in the Psychology Department at the University of Maryland study such diverse topics as how college students learn new material, the interpretation of dreams, the effects of caffeine on thinking, how birds recognize each other, how praying mantises hear, how people from different cultures react differently in negotiation, and the factors that lead people to engage in terrorism. Other psychologists study such topics as alcohol and drug addiction, memory, emotion, hypnosis, love, what makes people aggressive or helpful, and the psychologies of politics, prejudice, culture, and religion. Psychologists also work in health care settings, schools, and businesses, and they use a variety of methods—including observation, questionnaires, interviews, and laboratory studies—to help them understand behavior.

This chapter provides an introduction to the broad field of psychology and the many approaches that psychologists take to understanding human behavior. We will consider how psychologists conduct scientific research, with an overview of some of the most important approaches used and topics studied by psychologists, and also consider the variety of fields in which psychologists work. I expect that you may find that at least some of your preconceptions about psychology will be challenged and changed, and you will learn that psychology is a field that will provide you with new ways of thinking about your own thoughts, feelings, and actions.

The COVID-19 health crisis has brought dramatic changes to the field of psychology, just as it has affected everyone else’s daily lives. For psychologists who work in university settings, their buildings are closed and their students are gone. It is difficult and potentially dangerous to conduct research. The demand for the services provided by psychologists who work in the areas of mental health has increased dramatically. Many psychologists are conducting therapy sessions online, but it is not yet known how effective this approach is. It is not yet known how psychology will change as a result of the coronavirus. Will there still be funding for research on psychological questions? Will psychologists develop new ways of treating psychological disorders virtually on a mass scale? Will the coronavirus cause a turning point in the history of psychology? We will consider these questions in the chapters to come.

Figure 1.1 The Science of Behavior

Psychology is, in large part, the study of behavior. Why do you think these people are behaving the way they are behaving?

A couple sitting on the couch ignoring each other, each on their phones; a family hiking; coworkers in masks in an office; a woman in a wheelchair at smiling at her physical therapist.

In addition to learning about its content, your study of psychology will also provide you with another important benefit. Psychologists think carefully and critically about the world around them. They systematically differentiate opinions that are based on values and preconceptions from those that are based on rational, scientific, and empirical evidence. The ability to make appropriate judgments and decisions based on available information is known as critical thinking. According to the American Psychological Association (2013), good critical thinkers have the traits listed in this table:

Tolerant of ambiguityAmiably skepticalOpen-mindedCurious
CreativeInventiveLogicalPersistent
SystematicIntentionalConstructively criticalPrecise
Self-directedSelf-startingCollaborativeCareful

The ability to think critically is important because critical thinking is a strong predictor of your future success, including your performance in postgraduate education and in your working career. Students with psychology degrees are highly sought after by employers in various domains, and critical thinking skills are an important part of the market value of a psychology degree. Among others, a degree in psychology can prepare you for the jobs shown in Table 1.1 (Appleby, Millspaugh, & Hammersley, 2011).

Table 1.1 Careers in Psychology

Potential careers with a bachelor’s degree in psychologyCareers that require a degree beyond the bachelor’s degree in psychology
Activities directorAcademic counselor
Admissions evaluatorAir Force psychologist
Advertising sales representativeArmy psychologist
Alumni directorArt therapist
Animal trainerAssessment professional/program evaluator
Applied statisticianBiogerontologist
Army mental health specialistChief psychologist
Benefits managerChild abuse counselor
Career/employment counselorChild counselor
Career information specialistChild psychologist
CaseworkerClinical psychologist
Child development specialistClinical social worker
Child welfare/placement caseworkerCognitive neuroscientist
Child welfare social workerCognitive psychologist
ChiropractorCollege/university professor
Claims supervisorCommunity counselor
CoachCommunity psychologist
Community organization workerComparative psychologist
Community workerCounseling psychologist
Computer programmerDevelopmental psychologist
Conservation officerDomestic violence counselor
Consumer psychologistEducational psychologist
Correctional treatment specialistPsychologist
Corrections officerExercise therapist
Criminal investigator (FBI and other)Experimental psychologist
Customer service representative supervisorFamily counselor/caseworker
Database administratorForensic psychologist
Database design analystGerontological counselor
Delinquency prevention social workerGeropsychologist
Department managerGuidance counselor
DieticianHealth psychologist
Disability policy workerIndustrial/organizational psychologist
Disability case managerLawyer
Elementary school teacherLicensed professional counselor
Employee health maintenance program specialistMarriage and family counselor
Employee relations specialistMarriage and family therapist
Employment counselorMathematical/quantitative psychologist
Employment interviewerMedia psychologist
Engineering/human factors/ergonomicMedical social worker
Financial aid counselorMental health counselor
Fund raiser IMilitary chaplain
Fund raiser IIMilitary counselor
Geriatric social workerMilitary psychologist
Group workerMinister, priest, rabbi, chaplain, etc.
Health care facility administratorMulticultural counselor
High school teacherMusic therapist
Host/hostessNavy clinical psychologist
Human resources advisorNeurologist
Information specialistNeuropathologist
Job analystNeuropsychologist
Labor relations managerNeurosurgeon
Loan officerNurse
Management analystOccupational therapist
Market research analystOptometrist
Mental health social workerPediatrician
NeuropsychologistPenologist
News writerPersonnel psychologist
Occupational analystPharmacologist
Patient resources and reimbursement agentPhysiatrist
Personnel recruiterPhysical therapist
Police officerPhysician
Polygraph examinerPrimary therapist
Preschool teacherPsychiatric social worker
Probation/parole officerPsychiatrist
Psychiatric aide/attendantPsychological anthropologist
Psychiatric technicianPsychometrician
Psychological stress evaluatorPsychotherapist
Public health directorRehabilitation psychologist
Public health social workerSchool psychologist
Public relations representativeSchool social worker
Purchasing agentSocial psychologist
Real estate agentSpeech pathologist
Recreation leaderSports psychologist
Recreation supervisorTherapist for the blind
Recreational therapistVeterinarian
Research assistantVocational rehabilitation counselor
Retail salesperson
Sales clerk
Social group worker
Social services aide
Substance abuse counselor
Systems analyst
Teacher for the emotionally impaired
Teacher for the hearing impaired
Teacher for the learning disabled
Teacher for the mentally impaired
Teacher for the visually impaired
Technical writer
Veterans contact representative
Veterans counselor
Victims’ advocate
Vocational training teacher
Volunteer coordinator
Writer