Chapter Overview
            Chapter Overview
   Describe what Psychology is
     Describe what Psychology is
     Goals of Psychology
       Goals of Psychology
     Fields of Psychology
       Fields of Psychology
   Research methods of Psychology 
     Research methods of Psychology 
     Experiments within Psychology 
       Experiments within Psychology 
   Important people of Psychology
     Important people of Psychology
      I. Introducing Psychology
      I. Introducing Psychology
   Psychology is  the scientific study of 
    Psychology is  the scientific study of 
    behavior and mental processes. 
    behavior and mental processes. 
     Studying Psychology offers practical solutions 
      Studying Psychology offers practical solutions 
      to everyday problems
      to everyday problems
     Psychologists use the scientific method to 
      Psychologists use the scientific method to 
      make observations
      make observations
      I. Introducing Psychology
      I. Introducing Psychology
   Psychology is a social science which 
    Psychology is a social science which 
    means it is: 
    means it is: 
     Based on findings that are subjected to 
      careful scrutiny
     Grounded in facts
   Psychology is not a false science which is 
    NOT based on facts (astrology) 
      I. Introducing Psychology
      I. Introducing Psychology
   Psychologists seek to observe, describe, 
    Psychologists seek to observe, describe, 
    explain, predict, and modify behavior and 
    explain, predict, and modify behavior and 
    mental processes
    mental processes
     (4 goals – will be discussed on next slide) 
      (4 goals – will be discussed on next slide) 
   Psychologists rely on research to learn 
    Psychologists rely on research to learn 
    whether certain methods will work before 
    whether certain methods will work before 
    they use them to help people
    they use them to help people
              I. Introducing Psychology
              I. Introducing Psychology
      4 Goals of Psychology
           4 Goals of Psychology
          1.  Description – describe particular behaviors 
          1.   Description – describe particular behaviors 
              by careful observations
               by careful observations
          2.  Explanation – explain behaviors by 
          2.   Explanation – explain behaviors by 
              conducting experiments
               conducting experiments
          3.  Prediction – predict when a behavior that is 
          3.   Prediction – predict when a behavior that is 
              being studied will happen in the future
               being studied will happen in the future
          4.  Change – change inappropriate behavior 
          4.   Change – change inappropriate behavior