Intro to Psychology: Crash Course Psychology #1

Summary

This script introduces the complex and mysterious world of psychology, tracing its historical roots from ancient thinkers to modern science. It highlights the evolution of psychological thought, from Freud's psychoanalysis to behaviorism and cognitive science, emphasizing the field's diversity and integrative nature. The video promises an exploration of the brain, behavior, mental health, and consciousness, aiming to deepen understanding of the human mind and its intricacies.

Takeaways

• 🧠 The human mind is considered the most complex part of the universe known to humans, with mysterious and elusive rules governing it.
• 📚 Psychology is the science of behavior and mental processes, evolving from the Latin term for 'study of the soul' to its modern definition.
• 🕰 The formal establishment of psychology as a science dates back to the mid-1800s, but human curiosity about the mind dates back much further.
• 🤔 Early psychological examinations were conducted by Chinese rulers two thousand years ago, and Persian doctor Rhazes described mental illness in the late 800s.
• 🧐 Psychology explores fundamental questions about human behavior, free will, mental illness, and consciousness.
• 🛋️ Sigmund Freud was a highly influential and controversial figure in psychology, known for his theories on dreams, sexuality, and the unconscious mind.
• 🔬 Wilhelm Wundt established the first psychology laboratory, advocating for a structuralist approach to understanding the mind, similar to breaking down matter in chemistry and physics.
• 🤯 Freud's psychoanalysis introduced the idea that our personalities are shaped by unconscious motives, which was a radical and initially difficult concept to grasp.
• 📈 William James, with his functionalist approach, focused on the purpose and adaptive function of behaviors, influenced by Charles Darwin's evolutionary theory.
• 🐦 Behaviorism, led by Ivan Pavlov and B.F. Skinner, emphasized the study of observable behavior through conditioning.
• 🌐 Modern psychology is an integrative science, combining various schools of thought and methods to understand the complexity of the human mind.

Q & A

What is the origin of the word 'psychology'?

The word 'psychology' comes from the Latin for the 'study of the soul.' It was coined around the turn of the sixteenth century.

How did the field of psychology evolve from its early beginnings to what it is today?

The field of psychology evolved from early thinkers like Aristotle and Rhazes to formal scientific psychology in 1879 with Wilhelm Wundt's laboratory. It has since incorporated various schools of thought, including structuralism, functionalism, psychoanalysis, behaviorism, and others, to become the integrative science it is today.

What was the significance of the 'talking cure' in the development of psychoanalysis?

The 'talking cure' was significant because it allowed patients to talk freely about their symptoms and repressed memories, which helped reduce their symptoms. This method was foundational to Freud's psychoanalysis and the idea that mental disorders could be treated through talk therapy.

What are the core tenets of Freud's psychoanalysis theory?

Freud's psychoanalysis theory posits that our personalities are shaped by unconscious motives, which we are not aware of but can be discovered through therapeutic techniques such as dream analysis, projections, and free association.

How did behaviorism differ from Freud's psychoanalysis?

Behaviorism focused on the study of observable behavior, emphasizing the role of conditioning and the environment in shaping behavior, as opposed to Freud's psychoanalysis, which delved into the unconscious mind and its impact on thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

What is the current formal definition of psychology?

The current formal definition of psychology is the study of behavior and mental processes, which integrates the observation and recording of behavior with the understanding of mental processes.

Why was the structuralist school of thought short-lived?

The structuralist school of thought was short-lived because it relied heavily on introspection, which was too subjective. The difficulty in observing a patient's inner thoughts or feelings made it less reliable as a scientific approach.

What is the significance of the Chinese rulers' psychological exams from two thousand years ago?

The significance of the Chinese rulers' psychological exams is that they represent the world's first psychological evaluations, requiring public officials to take personality and intelligence tests, showing an early interest in understanding human consciousness.

What was the contribution of William James to the field of psychology?

William James contributed to the field of psychology by proposing the approach of 'functionalism,' which focused on the function of behavior and mental processes, emphasizing the adaptive nature of behaviors throughout the evolutionary process.

How did the practice of psychoanalysis evolve after Freud?

After Freud, psychoanalysis evolved into various branches and schools of thought, collectively known as psychodynamic theories, which continued to focus on the importance of early experiences and the unconscious mind in shaping human behavior and personality.

What is the role of cognitive science and neuroscience in modern psychology?

Cognitive science and neuroscience play a significant role in modern psychology by providing insights into mental processes, such as thinking, feeling, and believing, and how these processes are linked to the brain's structure and function.

Outlines

00:00

🧠 The Complexity of the Human Mind and the Birth of Psychology

This paragraph introduces the complexity and mystery of the human mind, suggesting that it may be the most intricate part of the universe known to us. It delves into the history and evolution of psychology, from its ancient roots with figures like Aristotle and early psychological examinations in China, to the formal coining of the term in the sixteenth century and the establishment of scientific psychology in the mid-1800s. The paragraph also outlines the field's quest to answer profound questions about human behavior, consciousness, and mental health. It sets the stage for a journey of exploration into how our brains function, malfunction, and heal, and what it means to be sentient beings.

05:03

🛋️ Sigmund Freud and the Development of Psychoanalysis

The second paragraph focuses on Sigmund Freud, a pivotal and controversial figure in the history of psychology. It discusses Freud's influence on our understanding of childhood, personality, dreams, and sexuality. The paragraph outlines Freud's career, from his early medical practice to the development of his psychoanalytic theory, which introduced the concept of the unconscious mind shaping our personalities. Freud's method of free association and dream analysis laid the groundwork for a new approach to mental health treatment. The paragraph also touches on Freud's personal life, including his smoking habit, his escape from Nazi-occupied Austria, and his eventual death by assisted suicide. It emphasizes the lasting impact of Freud's work on the field of psychology, despite the emergence of competing theories.

10:05

🔬 The Evolution of Psychological Theories and Practices

This paragraph explores the evolution of psychological theories and practices, highlighting the contributions of various influential figures and schools of thought. It mentions the early work of Wilhelm Wundt and Edward Bradford Titchener, who attempted to break down the structures of consciousness through introspection, leading to the short-lived school of structuralism. The paragraph then contrasts this with William James' functionalism, which focused on the purpose of behaviors and mental processes. It also discusses the rise of behaviorism in the 20th century, led by Ivan Pavlov, John B. Watson, and B. F. Skinner, emphasizing the study of observable behaviors. The paragraph concludes by acknowledging the integration of various schools of thought into modern psychology, which recognizes the complexity of the human mind and the need for diverse approaches to understanding it.

🎬 Behind the Scenes of Crash Course Psychology

The final paragraph provides a behind-the-scenes look at the production of the Crash Course Psychology series. It acknowledges the support of Subbable subscribers, who make the series possible, and invites viewers to explore perks available to them. The paragraph credits the writing and editorial team, including Kathleen Yale, Blake de Pastino, Dr. Ranjit Bhagwat, Nicholas Jenkins, Michael Aranda, and Thought Cafe. It expresses excitement for the upcoming exploration of psychology and its applications to understanding ourselves and the world around us.

Keywords

💡Psychology

Psychology is defined as the science of behavior and mental processes. The video emphasizes its evolution from the 'study of the soul' to a rigorous scientific discipline. It discusses how psychology seeks to understand why humans behave the way they do, both in everyday contexts and under extreme conditions.

💡Consciousness

Consciousness refers to the state of being aware of and able to think about one's own existence, thoughts, and surroundings. The script discusses how our understanding of consciousness remains elusive and how early thinkers like Aristotle mistakenly believed it resided in the heart. It highlights the ongoing quest to comprehend this complex aspect of the human mind.

💡Freud

Sigmund Freud was a pivotal figure in psychology, known for developing psychoanalysis. His theories about unconscious motives and the importance of early experiences shaped the field significantly. The video covers his influence, from his work on the interpretation of dreams to his controversial ideas about personality and mental disorders.

💡Behaviorism

Behaviorism is a school of thought in psychology that focuses on observable behaviors rather than internal mental processes. Key figures like Ivan Pavlov, John B. Watson, and B. F. Skinner emphasized studying behavior through conditioning experiments. The script contrasts behaviorism with psychoanalysis and its focus on unconscious processes.

💡Structuralism

Structuralism was an early approach in psychology aimed at breaking down mental processes into their most basic components. Wilhelm Wundt and Edward Bradford Titchener used introspection to explore consciousness, although the approach was criticized for its subjectivity. The video mentions how this method sought to apply the principles of chemistry and physics to the human mind.

💡Functionalism

Functionalism is a psychological perspective that emphasizes the functions of mental processes in helping individuals adapt to their environments. Influenced by Charles Darwin's evolutionary theory, William James was a key proponent. The video highlights functionalism's focus on understanding why mental processes occur, rather than just describing them.

💡Psychoanalysis

Psychoanalysis, developed by Freud, is a method of exploring the unconscious mind through techniques like free association and dream interpretation. It posits that unconscious motives shape behavior and personality. The script discusses how psychoanalysis was revolutionary in suggesting that mental disorders could be treated through talk therapy and self-discovery.

💡Mental Illness

Mental illness refers to a wide range of mental health conditions that affect mood, thinking, and behavior. The script covers historical perspectives on mental illness, including early treatments and the shift towards understanding mental health through psychological science. It also mentions how Freud's work helped change perceptions and treatment approaches.

💡Humanist Psychology

Humanist psychology is a movement that focuses on individual potential and personal growth. It emphasizes the importance of self-actualization and free will. The video briefly mentions humanist psychology as one of the major forces in psychology that emerged in the mid-20th century, contributing to a more holistic understanding of the human mind.

💡Cognitive Science

Cognitive science is an interdisciplinary field that studies the mind and its processes, including perception, thinking, memory, and learning. The script mentions cognitive science as one of the significant influences in modern psychology, helping to integrate various approaches to understanding mental processes and behavior.

Highlights

The human mind is considered the most complex part of the universe known to humans.

The word 'psychology' originates from Latin, meaning 'study of the soul', and has evolved to mean the science of behavior and mental processes.

Early psychological examinations were conducted by Chinese rulers two thousand years ago, assessing personality and intelligence of public officials.

Persian doctor Rhazes was an early pioneer in describing and treating mental illness in a hospital setting in Baghdad.

Psychology aims to tackle big questions about human behavior, free will, mental illness, and consciousness.

Sigmund Freud was a highly influential and controversial figure in psychology, impacting views on childhood, personality, dreams, and sexuality.

Freud's psychoanalysis introduced the idea that our personalities are shaped by unconscious motives.

Behaviorism, led by Ivan Pavlov and B.F. Skinner, focused on observable behavior and conditioning.

Psychoanalysis and psychodynamic theories emphasize the importance of early experiences in shaping the unconscious mind.

Psychology is a diverse science with various schools of thought, including structuralism, functionalism, and psychoanalysis.

Wilhelm Wundt established the first psychology laboratory, marking the beginning of scientific psychology.

The structuralist school of thought, led by Wundt and Titchener, sought to understand the structures of consciousness but was limited by its reliance on introspection.

Functionalism, proposed by William James, focused on the function of behavior and adaptive behaviors in the evolutionary process.

Freud's technique of free association became the basis for a therapeutic approach to uncover repressed feelings.

Psychology is an integrative science that combines observation of behavior with understanding of mental processes.

The human brain is acknowledged as the most complex physical object in the cosmos, and psychology seeks to understand it.

Crash Course Psychology will explore the application of psychology to deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world.

Transcripts

That dream about the dinosaur in the leotard, those times that you said that thing that

you know you shouldn't have said, or even that thing you didn't even know you were gonna

say. The little cogs of your consciousness cranking away, making your life possible,

making society function, all of the things that you're so glad you can do and all of

the ones that you wish you could stop doing. Excluding other human minds, your mind is

the most complicated piece of the universe that humans currently know about. The rules

that govern it are mysterious and elusive. Maybe our brains just aren't complex enough

to understand themselves. But that's not going to stop us from trying!

The word 'psychology' comes from the Latin for the "study of the soul." And while its

formal definition has evolved over the last several decades, today we can safely call

it the science of behavior and mental processes. The term 'psychology' wasn't coined until

around the turn of the sixteenth century, and the practice that we would actually call

science today wasn't established until the mid-1800s. But of course, humans have always

been curious about themselves and what's going on up here. Aristotle pondered the seed of

human consciousness and decided that it was in the heart, not the head -- being, as we

have seen quite a lot here on Crash Course, absolutely and completely wrong.

Two thousand years ago, Chinese rulers conducted the world's first psychological exams, requiring

public officials to take personality and intelligence tests. And in the late 800s, Persian doctor

Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Rhazes, also known as Rhazes, was one of the first to describe

mental illness, and even treated patients in what was essentially a very early psych

ward in his Baghdad hospital.

From the efforts of those early thinkers up until today, the field of psychology has been

all about tackling some of the big questions: How can humans do horrible things like commit

genocide and torture other humans, and how come we know those things are horrible? Do

we have free will, or are we simply driven by our environment, biology, and non-conscious

influences? What is mental illness, and what can we do about it? And what is consciousness?

Or the notion of self? If I lose my awareness of myself, am I still human?

I DON'T KNOW!

But over the next 6 months, these are the questions that we're gonna be exploring together:

how our brains work, how they can break, how they can be healed, why we behave the way

we do, even when we don't want to, and what it means to be thinking and feeling and alive.

[Intro]

When hearing the word psychology, most people probably think of a therapist listening to

a patient unpacking the details of his day while reclining on a couch. Maybe that therapist

is wearing glasses, chewing on a cigar, stroking his whiskered chin.

Admit it! If you're thinking about psychology, you're probably picturing Freud.

Sigmund Freud was one of the most tremendously influential and controversial thinkers of

his time, maybe of all time. His theories helped build our views on childhood, personality,

dreams and sexuality. And his work fueled a legacy of both support and opposition.

His life was long and spanned an important swath of history from the American Civil War

to World War II. But like most great scientists, Freud developed his revolutionary ideas by

building on the work of others, and of course innovation in the field didn't stop with him.

In truth, psychology is one of the most wildly diverse sciences in terms of the questions

it proposes, the methods it applies, and the different schools of thought and disciplines

it contains.

Perhaps more than any other science, psychology is just a big old integrated melting pot.

For instance, right around Freud's time, there were a lot of different schools of thought

of about how the study of the human mind should be tackled. Mainly, there were the ideas of

structuralism, functionalism and psychoanalysis.

Scientific psychology got its start in 1879 in Germany when physician Wilhelm Wundt set

up the first psychology laboratory at the University of Leipzig just a few years after

publishing his Principles of Physiological Psychology, considered the first true psychology

textbook.

Wundt and his student Edward Bradford Titchener took cues from chemists and physicists and

argued that if those people could break down all matter into simple elements or structures,

why couldn't they do the same for the brain?

They tried to understand the structures of consciousness by getting patients to look

inward, asking them how they felt when they watched the sun set, or smelled a coffee,

or licked a kitten, or whatever.

Titchener named this approach 'structuralism', but despite its rigid sounding name, it really

relied so much on introspection that it became too subjective. I mean, you may sense and

feel something different that I do, even if we lick the same kitten. Psychologists, of

course, can't actually observe a patient's inner thoughts or feelings, so ultimately,

the structuralist school of thought was fairly short-lived.

By contrast, American physician and philosopher William James proposed a different set of

questions, focusing on why we think and feel and smell and lick, or whatever. Basically,

he focused on the function of behavior. This approach, 'functionalism', was based on Charles

Darwin's idea that adaptive behaviors are conserved throughout the evolutionary process.

James published his seminal book, The Principles of Psychology, in 1890, defining psychology

as the science of mental life, just as Freud was starting to flex his big brain.

Sigmund Freud began his medical career at a Viennese hospital, but in 1886, he started

his own practice, specializing in nervous disorders. During this time, Freud witnessed

his colleague Josef Breuer treat a patient called Anna O with a new talking cure. Basically,

he just let her talk about her symptoms. The more she talked and pulled up traumatic memories,

the more her symptoms were reduced. It was a breakthrough, and it changed Freud forever.

From then on, Freud encouraged his patients to talk freely about whatever came to mind,

to free associate. This technique provided the basis for his career, and an entire branch

of psychology.

In 1900 he published his book The Interpretation of Dreams, where he introduced his theory

of psychoanalysis. Now, you probably think of psychoanalysis as a treatment -- the whole

patient on the couch scenario. And that's definitely part of it. But Freud's concept

was actually a lot more complex than that, and it was revolutionary.

A radical kernel of psychoanalysis was the theory that our personalities are shaped by

unconscious motives. Basically Freud suggested that we're all profoundly affected by mental

processes that we're not even aware of.

Now that sounds almost obvious to us now, but part of the genius of Freud's theory was

that in 1900, it wasn't obvious at all. The idea that our minds could be driven by something

that our minds themselves didn't know about was hard to grasp. As hard as like, uhh, maybe

organisms evolving by natural selection. It was abstract, invisible, and there was something

about it that seemed irrational.

But the other important part of Freud's theory was that the unconscious, literally the thing

below consciousness, was still discoverable. Even though you weren't aware of it, you could

come to understand it through a therapeutic technique that used dreams, projections and

free association to root out repressed feelings and and gain self-insight.

So what Freud was really saying was that mental disorders could be healed through talk therapy

and self-discovery. And this was a really big breakthrough. Because prior to this, people

with mental illnesses would be confined to sanatoriums and at best given menial labor

to do and at worst, shackled to a bed frame.

After The Interpretations of Dreams, Freud went on to publish over 20 more books and

countless papers with an iconic cigar in hand all the while. He believed smoking helped

him think, but it also helped him get jaw cancer. During the last sixteen years of his

life, he underwent at least thirty painful operations while continuing to smoke.

By the late 1930s, the Nazis had taken over Austria, and Freud and his Jewish family narrowly

escaped to England. By September 1939, the pain in his cancerous jaw was too great and

a doctor friend assisted him in suicide through morphine injection. He was eighty-three.

Whether you love him or hate him - and make no mistake, plenty of people vehemently disagreed

with him - there is no question that Freud's impact on psychology was monumental. While

competing theories in the young field of psychology either fell away or evolved into something

else, psychoanalysis remains an important concept and practice today.

The next big shake-up rolled in during the first half of the 20th century when behaviorism

gained a higher profile. Heavy hitters like Ivan Pavlov, John B. Watson, and B. F. Skinner

were key players here. They focused on the study of observable behavior. You may remember

Skinner as the dude who put rats and pigeons and babies in boxes and conditioned them to

perform certain behaviors. Right around when Freud escaped to England, Skinner published

his Behavior of Organisms, ushering in the era of behaviorism which remained all the

rage well into the 1960s.

The other major force at the time was, of course, Freud's psychoanalysis, and its many

descendents collectively known as the psychodynamic theories. These focused on the importance

of early experiences in shaping the unconsciousness and how that process affects our thoughts,

feelings, behaviors, and personalities.

By the mid-20th century, other major forces in psychology were also brewing -- schools

we'll explore later in this course including humanist psychology, which focuses on nurturing

personal growth; cognitive science and neuroscience, all of which contributed their own unique

takes on the study of mind.

Today's formal definition of psychology, the study of behavior and mental processes, is

a nice amalgamation that pulls from all these different schools of thought. It recognizes

the need for observing and recording behavior, whether that's screaming, crying or playing

air saxophone to an imaginary audience, but it also gives credit to our mental processes:

what we think and feel and believe while we're tearing it up on our invisible instruments.

Because again, the point I really want you to take home is that psychology is an integrative

science. Yes, folks still get grumpy and disagree plenty, but the essence of the discipline

has everything to do with creating different ways of asking interesting questions and attempting

to answer them through all kinds of data-gathering methods. The human mind is complicated. There

is no single way to effectively crack it open; it must be pried at from all sides.

Harvard astronomer Owen Gingerich has gazed into the distant horizon of space, and even

he has acknowledged that the human brain is by far the most complex physical object known

to us in the entire cosmos. And we all get to have one! Of our very own! Just knocking

around right up in here.

We here at Crash Course are really excited to spend the next several months delving into

the world of psychology -- how it applies to our lives, our minds, and our hearts, and

how it deepens our understanding of each other, our world, and ourselves.

Thanks for watching this first lesson in Crash Course Psychology, and I'd like to especially

thank all of our Subbable subscribers, without whom we would literally not be able to do

this. Would you like a personalized signed Crash Course Chemistry Periodic Table, or

even to see yourself animated in one of our episodes? To find out about these and other

perks, go to Subbable.com/CrashCourse.

And thanks to our crew. This episode was written by Kathleen Yale and edited by Blake de Pastino.

Our psychology consultant is Dr. Ranjit Bhagwat, our director and editor is Nicholas Jenkins.

The script supervisor was Michael Aranda who was also our sound designer, and our graphic

team is Thought Cafe.