Lesson Notes

Lesson 1.1a  What is Psychology? Science Versus Pseudopsychology

In this lesson you will learn that psychology is defined as the scientific study of behaviour and mental processes. Psychology is different from other “pseudopsychologies” because it is based on critical thinking and scientific research. For example, where psychology looks at research to make informed decisions, astrology uses the alignment of the stars as a predictor of our behaviours and personalities. Which method do you think would be more reliable? After reading this section, try the pseudopsychology test, then maybe you’ll have your answer. What you are going to learn is that psychology is a dynamic and interesting field of study. There are new discoveries being made each day and if you listen to the news or read the newspaper, it is almost impossible to not see the effects psychology has on our culture.

Lesson 1.1b  Psychology’s Goals: Describe, Explain, Predict, and Change

Psychology has four main goals: Describe, Predict, Explain, and Change behaviour. In this section, explore the differences between these goals and learn how they guide psychological research.

• Explanation tries to explain “why” something has occurred (i.e. consuming 3 alcoholic beverages in one hour increases likelihood of aggressive behaviour)
• Description tries to explain “what” has occurred (i.e. observing that boys are more aggressive than girls)
• Prediction starts with asking questions of why and what, but then tries to predict future behaviour or mental processes (i.e. alcohol increases aggression, so there will be more fights when there are drunk people)
• Change means wanting to apply psychological knowledge to prevent unwanted outcomes (i.e. improve work conditions)

Lesson 1.1c  Applying Psychology to Work

Psychology is more than a therapist and a couch or a person doing research in a lab. This section explores different career fields that incorporate the use of psychology. You may be surprised by what types of careers are available for a person with psychological training and to what extent psychology plays in our everyday lives.

Important thing to remember is that depending on the field of psychology that you may be interested in will depend on the type of training that is needed. Most of these positions require a doctorate degree, which usually takes about seven years, but there are others that need either a master’s degree or even a diploma (i.e. Youth Care Workers).