Dr. Rhea Lowella Santillan Fiser, RPsy, Rpm, CSIOP
Professor

Objectives:
At the end of this lesson,
you should be able to:
a. Express your expectation in this
course, Introduction to
Psychology
b. Describe how you think and feel
about yourself
c. Explain the meaning and goals of
psychology
Dr. Rhea Lowella Santillan-Fiser, RPsy, Rpm, CSIOP
Professor

What is Psychology?
comes from the Greek word:
– Psyche- mind, spirit or soul
– Logos- study
❑Scientific study and practical
application of observable behavior
and mental processes of organism.
Dr. Rhea Lowella Santillan Fiser, RPsy, Rpm, CSIOP
Professor

Psychology
• Scientific study of
A = Affect
B = Behavior
C = Cognition

What is Psychology?
• Psychology is the science of human behavior
and mental processes.
• Behavior is anything we do
– overt actions and reactions
• Mental processes are our internal
experiences
– thoughts, feelings, memories…

Mental Processes
It include forms of cognition or the
ways of knowing which includes:
✓Perception
✓Attention
✓Remembering
✓Reasoning
✓Solving Problems
✓Dreams
✓Fantasies
✓Wishes

Study of Behavior
To study the
mind, one has
associated the way
of thinking of an
individual to his
behavior.
It linked the
behavior of man
and what runs in his
mind.

Different Types of Behavior
A. Overt and Covert
Overt
Behavior is a
behavior which is
observable and can
manifested outwardly.
Example:
Walking, Playing,
Writing
Covert
Behavior is a
behavior of which
actions that is not
directly visible.
Example:
Lying, Thinking,
Learning

B. Conscious, Unconscious and Non-
conscious
Conscious behavior pertains to
the action that is within one’s awareness
Example: Solving math problems
mentally
All emotional feelings
Unconscious are those action done by
an individual yet he is not aware of
doing so.
Example: Sleep Walking

B. Conscious, Unconscious and Non-
conscious
Non-conscious bodily
activities which may be detected by
instruments or apparatus
Example: Blood Pressure, Pulse
rate, Digestion of Food

C. Rational & Irrational
Rational behavior is
manifested through an action
which is in the reals of sanity and
adequate reason
Example: Admiring an girl
because of her beauty.
Irrational behavior pertains
to actions which are done without
any apparent reason and
explanation.

D. Voluntary and Involuntary
Voluntary behavior is done
with the man’s full will and
discretion
Involuntary are those
actions done automatically.
Example: Breathing,
Digestion and Circulation of
the Blood.

E. Simple & Complex
Behavior may also be
considered as simple or
complex based on the
number of neurons involved
in the process of behavior
Simple behavior
utilized fewer neurons
Complex behavior
utilized large amount of
neurons.

• Psychology helps us scientifically evaluate
common beliefs and misconceptions about
behavior and mental processes.

Can you identify which of the
beliefs on the
following slide are

The best way to learn
and remember
information is to
“cram,” or study it
intensively during one
concentrated period.

This is the worst way to prepare for an
exam! Don’t confuse this for a quicker
method of study- students who cram
often perform more poorly than those
who do not study at all!

Advertisers and
politicians often use
subliminal persuasion
to influence our
behavior.

This is a psychology urban legend!
Although we will discuss the influence of
sensation and perception below our
threshold of awareness.

Punishment is the
most effective way
to permanently
change behavior.

We will examine this ineffective practice
when we begin our study of learning.

Eyewitness testimony
is often unreliable.

Our memories are very fragile and subject
to many variables. We will examine the
influence of memory formation during this
semester.

Police often use
psychics to help solve
crimes.

It’s important to recognize the difference
between psychology and pseudopsychology,
which includes the area of psychics.

People with
schizophrenia have
two or more distinct
personalities.

This disorder is very misunderstood
among the general public. People often
confuse this disorder with Multiple
Personality Disorder, now known as
Dissociative Identity Disorder

This quiz was a brief illustration of how
psychological information is often
misunderstood. Psychology is NOT limited to
“common sense” information.
We will examine each of these questions in
detail through the course of this class

What is Pseudoscience?

Fortune-telling is the
practice of predicting
information about a person's
life
Astrology predicting human behavior
based on position of stars, planets
and the date of birth.

Numerology involves significant
numbers in an individual life like
birthdate, house address, to predict
future events or describe the
influences on a personal life
Phrenology the bumps of the skull account
for specific trait like personality and
mental abilities

Graphology involves interpreting handwriting to judge
a person’s character and issues about their lives.

Physiognomy ( Face Reading) assessment of a
person's character or personality from his or her
outer appearance, especially the face.

Palmistry is the art of characterization and
foretelling the future through the study of the
palm.

Psychological Concept
Example:
Long Distance Relationship
Belief:
1. Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
2. Out of sight, Out of Mind

Dr. Rhea Lowella G. Santillan, Rpm,
CSIOP
Can you think
“outside the box?”

Next we will talk
about why psychology
is a science, which
requires critical
thinking. Use your
imagination and “think
outside the box” on this
next puzzle.

A man dressed entirely in black
and wearing a black mask, is
standing in the middle of a
crossroad. All of the streetlights
at the intersection are broken. A
car speeds down the road,
heading straight for the man, yet
it turns in time and doesn't hit
him.
How does it manage to miss him?
SAMPLE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL QUESTION

• The driver of the car avoided
hitting the man wearing only
black because it was DAYTIME
• These “Lateral Thinking”
exercises are a great
example of how psychologists
think critically about
psychological questions.

Dr. Rhea Lowella G. Santillan, Rpm,
CSIOP
Psychology is a Science
• Psychology is considered as a
science because it is focused upon
the study and investigation of
certain behavior with the
application of one or a combination
of

Scientific Methods

Psychological information is
based on empirical evidence
This is information based on
direct observation and
measurements with

• Describe-typically based on detailed
record of behavioral observation
• Understand-explain an event. Known
for understanding when we state the cause
of behavior or explain a perplexing problem.
• Predict Behavior-prediction is the
ability to accurately forecast behavior
• Control-altering conditions that
influence behavior

Dr. Rhea Lowella G. Santillan, Rpm,
CSIOP
How Accurate is the Image
of Psychology?
Think on your own…
Make a list of words you would use to
describe a psychologist

Dr. Rhea Lowella G. Santillan, Rpm,
CSIOP
Typical images of Psychology

How about Scientists?
Think on your own..
Make a list of words would
you use to describe a
scientist? What images do
you have?

Dr. Rhea Lowella G. Santillan, Rpm,
CSIOP
Did any of these
images come to
mind?

Dr. Rhea Lowella G. Santillan, Rpm,
CSIOP
It’s important to
remember that…
Psychologist’s ARE
scientists!

Think on Your Own…
You have a problem that you want
to address in therapy…
Can any Psychologist help you?

No…There are many
types of psychologists,
and many have nothing
to do with counseling!

Why do we have so
many types of
psychologists?

Dr. Rhea Lowella G. Santillan, Rpm,
CSIOP
Psychologists have different ways of
looking at the same problem, which is why
there are so many sub-fields of psychology

Psychology and Other Sciences
• Biopsychology
• Physiological Psychology
• Psychiatry
• Psychotherapy
• Psychotropics
• Psychosurgery
• Social Psychology
• Psycholinguistics or psychology of
Language

Psychology and Other Sciences
Biopsychology Application of the principles of biology to the study
of mental processes and behavior
Physiological
Psychology
Study of neutral mechanism of perception and
behavior through direct manipulation of the brains of
non human animal subjects in controlled experiments
Psychiatry Branch of medicine which exists to study, prevent
and treat mental disorders in humans

Psychology and Other Sciences
Psychotherapy Pertains to the application of specialized
psychological method to the treatment of
diagnosed mental disorders or to the problems of a
person’s daily adjustment
Psychotropics Is a sub-field of medicine that deals with the various
pharmacological agents such as anti-depressants,
anti-anxiety, anti-manic, & anti-psychotic agents
utilized to affect behavior, mood and feelings.

Psychology and Other Sciences
Psychosurgery Branch of medicine which involves the surgical
severing and chemical alteration of brain fibers with
the purpose of modifying psychological disturbances
and other behavior aberrations.
Social Psychology Merged the discipline of Sociology and Anthropology
together with the basic premise about the common
concern in psychology which is to study human
behavior and mental processes
Psycholinguistic or
psychology of language
Study of psychological and neurobiological factors
that enable human to acquire, use and understand
language.

Psychogenesis of Psychology
Ancient Period Greek Period Medieval Period
Animism
It is the GOD and
Spirits
who were attributed
to be direct cause of
events
Democritus
Plato
Aristotle
Hippocrates
Galen
St. Agustine of Hippo
he introduce the
method
instrospection
St. Thomas Aquinas
When bodies dies, the
Soul separates and
became
SPIRIT

Psychogenesis of Psychology
Pre-Modern Period Modern Psychology Contemporary
Psychology
Rudolf Gockel
Francis Bacon
Rene Descartes
Thomas Hobbes
John Locke
George Berkeley
Christian Von Wolff
David Hume
Franz Anton Mesmer
Immanuel Kant
Johann Friedrich
Herbart
Ernst Weber
Herman von Hemholtz
Charles Darwin
Paul Broca/ Francis
Galton
Wilhelm Wundt
William James
Emil Kraeplin
Edward Titchener
Sigmund Freud
Carl Jung
Alfred Adler
Karen Horney
Karl Pearson
Charles Spearman
Alfred Binet
Theodore Simon
Ivan Pavlov
William Mc Dougall
Edward Thorndike
B.F Skinner

TREPHINING
FIRST KNOWN SURGERY/DRILLING THE SKULL

Insanity Treatment

Electroconvulsive Therapy

Modern Treatment for Insanity

Dr. Rhea Lowella G. Santillan, Rpm,
CSIOP

Schools of Psychology
• Structuralism-importance of the structure of mind
• Functionalism-importance of the function of mind.
• Behaviorism-importance of the environment in shaping individual’s
behavior
• Gestalt-to configure or form a pattern
• Psychoanalysis-behavior is determined by powerful inner
forces buried in the unconscious mind.
• Cognitive Psychology-human perception, thought memory
• Existentialist Psychology-free will & uniqueness of individual
• Humanistic-Individual behavior is primarily determined by his
perception of the world around him.

]

Branches of Psychology
• Abnormal Psychology
• Behavioral Psychology
• Biopsychology
• Cognitive Psychology
• Comparative Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Educational Psychology
• Experimental Psychology
• Personality Psychology
• Social Psychology

Applied Field in Psychology
• Clinical Psychologist
• Cognitive and Perceptual Psychologist
• Counseling Psychologists
• Developmental Psychologists
• Educational Psychologists
• Engineering Psychologist
• Evolutionary Psychologist
• Experimental Psychologist
• Forensic Psychologist
• Health Psychologists
• Industrial/Organizational Psychologists
• Neuropsychologists/Behavioral Neuropsychologists
• Quantitative & Measurement Psychologist
• Rehabilitation psychologist
• School Psychologists
• Social Psychologist
• Sports psychologists

What is the Difference Between a
Psychologist and a Psychiatrist

Methods of Psychology
• Controlled Experiments
• Animal Studies
• Qualitative & Descriptive Research
• Survey Questionnaires
• Longitudinal Studies
• Neuropsychological Methods
• Computational Modeling

Where did Psychology come from?
• The first psychological
laboratory was not
created until 1879 by
Wilhelm Wundt.
• Wundt was responsible
for creating the first
school of psychological
thought called
Structuralism
– This school focused only
on immediate conscious
experience and thought.

Problems with Structuralism
This group of
Psychologists used a
technique called
Introspection which was
a process of self-
examination where the
person described and
analyzed thoughts as
they occurred.

Think on your own…
What are some potential
problems with this type of
Psychology?

Structuralism…the first step
• The focus of study was way too
narrow
• They studied people only like
themselves- very wealthy white
males.
• No valid research was produced
• This school of thought was a
great start, but no longer
exists.

The Next Evolution
• Functionalism is the second
perspective to emerge, founded
by William James.
• They studied how and why the
mind functions.
• This perspective broadened the
scope of psychology and applied
psychology to practical settings.
• This perspective still focused on
consciousness but began to
examine overt behavior, not just
mental processes.

Psychology continued to
expand based on the early
work of these perspectives

Psychological Perspectives
• Psychologists have different ways of looking at
behavior…click on the links to learn more
about each area of psychology!
– Psychoanalytic perspective
– Behaviorist perspective
– Humanistic perspective
– Cognitive perspective
– Biopsychology perspective
– Social psychological perspective
– Evolutionary perspective
See p. 12

Dr. Rhea Lowella G. Santillan, Rpm,
CSIOP
Who hasn’t heard of Freud?
• This is one of the most
well-known psychological
perspectives in history
developed by Sigmund
Freud.
• Freud believed that
emotional problems are
due to anxiety from
unresolved conflicts that
reside in unconscious

Dr. Rhea Lowella G. Santillan, Rpm,
CSIOP
Psychoanalytic Theory
• Freud was an early pioneer
in treating emotional
disorders and was the first
to provide counseling and
therapy to patients.
• Free association and dream
interpretation were
developed technique to
explore the unconscious
processes

Psychoanalytic Theory
• Freud was one of the first to treat emotional
disorders.
• Freud’s theories were the first to suggest that
our childhood experiences impact our adult
behaviors
– The first to provide therapy for patients.
– Developed dream interpretation and free
association

Think on your own…
Do childhood experiences affect
adult life?
What are some childhood experiences
that you feel have shaped who you
are now as an adult?

Behaviorism…the opposite of Psychoanalysis
• Behaviorism was founded
by John Watson in direct
opposition to
Psychoanalytic Theory.
• Behaviorism focused on
behavior that can be
measured and
observable. This returned
the scientific approach to
psychology.
– We can describe, predict,
and control that behavior.
John B. Watson
Father of Behaviorism

Behaviorism
• Behaviorist’s believe
people are controlled by
their environment.
– Behaviorism focuses on
observable behavior
• We are the result of
what we have learned
from our environment.

Cognitive Psychology
• Cognitive psychology
believes that behaviors are
performed because of
ideas and thoughts.
• The cognitive perspective
focuses on such processes
as perception, memory,
and thinking
• That’s what this area of
psychology believes and
Cognitive psychology
currently exerts a strong
influence in psychology.

Dr. Rhea Lowella G. Santillan, Rpm,
CSIOP
Biopsychology Perspective
• How biological factors affect mental processes
and how the brain effects behavior.
• Behavior and biology interact in important
ways, and we will discuss the impact of this
field when examining psychopharmacology,
development and genetics.

Think on your own..
Where do Psychologist’s Work?
Make a list of potential work places or
jobs for psychologists.

Experimental Psychologists
(usually researchers and professors)
About 1/4th of Psychologists work in
colleges and universities.

Applied Psychologists
(service providers)
The remaining 3/4ths work in hospitals,
clinics, police departments, research
institutes, government agencies, business
and industry, schools, nursing homes,
counseling centers, and private practice.

Dr. Rhea Lowella G. Santillan, Rpm,
CSIOP

Dr. Rhea Lowella Santillan-Fiser, RPsy, Rpm, CSIOP
Professor
For more questions you can email me through
rheasantillan@live.com
Youtube Channel
DR. Rhea Lowella Santillan Fiser
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChWhr-Lk0o5mo6mXQR-
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