Intro Psych Fm - Carter Center

LECTURE NOTESIntroductionto PsychologyFor Health Extension WorkersGirma LemmaDefense University CollegeIn collaboration with the Ethiopia Public Health Training Initiative, The Carter Center,the Ethiopia Ministry of Health, and the Ethiopia Ministry of EducationNovember 2004

Funded under USAID Cooperative Agreement No. 663-A-00-00-0358-00.Produced in collaboration with the Ethiopia Public Health Training Initiative, The CarterCenter, the Ethiopia Ministry of Health, and the Ethiopia Ministry of Education.Important Guidelines for Printing and PhotocopyingLimited permission is granted free of charge to print or photocopy all pages of thispublication for educational, not-for-profit use by health care workers, students orfaculty. All copies must retain all author credits and copyright notices included in theoriginal document. Under no circumstances is it permissible to sell or distribute on acommercial basis, or to claim authorship of, copies of material reproduced from thispublication. 2004 by Girma LemmaAll rights reserved. Except as expressly provided above, no part of this publication maybe reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,without written permission of the author or authors.This material is intended for educational use only by practicing health care workers orstudents and faculty in a health care field.

AcknowledgmentsThe development of this lecture note for training Health Extensionworkers is an arduous assignment for Ato Fasika Melesse at DefenceUniversity College.Essentially, it required the consolidation and merging of existing indepth training materials, examination of Health Extension Packagemanuals and the Curriculum.Recognizing the importance of and the need for the preparation of thelecture note for the Training of Health Extension workers THECARTER CENTER (TCC) ETHIOPIA PUBLIC HEALTH TRAININGINITIATIVE (EPHTI) facilitated the task for Defence University to nsionCoordinating Office of the Federal Ministry of Health.Finally the Federal Ministry of Health would like to express specialwords of gratitude for those who contributed and endeavored to thedevelopment of this lecture note and to TCC/USAID for the technicaland financial support.i

Table of ContentsContent TopicPagesAcknowledgments ------------------------------------------ iTable of contents duction ------------------------------------------------- 1UNIT ONE: The Sociological PerspectiveTopic One: The Nature of SociologySociology defined -------------------------------------------- 2The study of sociology -------------------------------------- 2Sociology and social sciences --------------------------- 3Sociology and common sense --------------------------- 4Historical development of sociology -------------------- 5Topic Two: The Sociological ApproachMajor theoretical perspectives -------------------------- 7Sociology and social policy ----------------------------- 8ii

UNIT TWO: The Individual And SocietyTopic One: CultureCulture and society ------------------------------------------ 9Development of culture ------------------------------------ 10Elements of culture ------------------------------------------ 10Culture variation and integration ------------------------ 13Culture and dominant ideology -------------------------- 14Topic Two: SocializationSocialization defined -------------------------------------15The role of socialization ---------------------------------15The self and socialization -------------------------------16Socialization and the life cycle-------------------------16Agents of socialization -----------------------------------17Topic Three: Social Groups and OrganizationsUnderstanding groups -----------------------------------20Studying small groups -----------------------------------21Understanding organizations---------------------------21Formal organizations and bureaucracy--------------21Voluntary opic Four: Deviance and Social ControlSocial control aw and society -------------------------------------------25iii

The concept of deviance --------------------------------26Crime -----27UNIT THREE: Social In-EqualityTopic One: Social Stratification and Social MobilityUnderstanding stratification ----------------------------29Stratification by social class ----------------------------33Social mobility ic Two: Stratification by GenderGender identity and gender roles ---------------------35Gender role socialization -------------------------------35Women as the oppressed majority -------------------36Topic Three: Social Stratification by AgeAging and society ----------------------------------------40Aging locally and globally -------------------------------40Role transition in later life -------------------------------40Topic Four: Race and EthnicityMinority, racial and ethnical groups ------------------41Studying race and ethnicity ----------------------------42Prejudice and discrimination --------------------------43iv

Patterns of inter group relations -----------------------43UNIT FOUR: Social InstitutionsTopic One: The FamilyThe concepts of the family -----------------------------45The functions of the family -----------------------------46Marriage and the family ---------------------------------46Factors associated with divorce -----------------------47Topic Two: ReligionSociological approach to religion ---------------------48The function of religion ----------------------------------48Dimension of religion ------------------------------------49Topic Three: Health and MedicineAnthropological perspective on health andillness ------50Social epidemiology and health -----------------------52Factors that affect the distribution ofheath/illness -----------------------------------------------53v

UNIT FIVE: Social Research And Methodology:Anthropological ApproachTopic One: Concepts in Social ResearchDefinition of social research ----------------------------55The goals of social research ---------------------------55Topic Two: Research MethodologyData collections ---------------------------------------------- 58Survey -------- 58Observation -------------------------------------------------- 60Participant observation ------------------------------------ 61Research and Health Extension Workers ------------- 63Reference --- 64vi

Introduction to PsychologyUNIT ONEPsychology An OverviewGeneral Objective: At the end of the unit thetrainee willbe able to describe the introductoryaspects of psychology.1.1. Nature of PsychologySpecific objective: At the end of the lesson thetrainee will be able to describe thenature of psychology.Activity: Start the lesson by forwarding thefollowing brainstorming questions.Have you ever read any material or heard anythingrelated to psychology?Specify the source?Did you appreciate? Psychology originated from two Greek words i.e.,Psyche soulLogos study Psychology brokeaway from philosophy andphysiology and emerged as a separate disciplinesome 100 years ago.1

Introduction to Psychology since its emergence as a separate science it hasundergone a series of changes in its researchmethodology and definition.Widely used definition: Psychology is the science ofhuman and animal behavior.When explaining the definition underline the maincomponents of the definition. What is science? Steps in scientific Study Problemidentification(example:sanitary problems in the family) Data collection (family size, age,gender,expenditure,accesstopotable water) ,questionnaire, case studies, focusgroup discussions) Organizingthedataandreporting Based on the conclusions arrivedputting into practice Behavior is an action, activity or process thatwe can observe and measure indirectly.2

Introduction to PsychologyExample: to know health practices of a family we caninterview members of the family or head ofthe household by asking different questions.1.2 Scope of psychologySpecific objective: At the end of the lesson the trainee willbe able to state the scope ofpsychology.Activity: Start the lesson by asking this question (What isthe role of psychology in your future career?) Compared to other sciences psychology is a youngdiscipline but it is growing at afaster rate. Thesedays, directly or indirectly, psychology contributessomething to all aspects of human life. Explain thefollowing relationships: Psychology and politics. Psychology and economics. Psychology and health.1.3 Branches of psychologyLeading question In Biology the sub fields are zoology,botany, anatomy andphysiology. What do you thinkare the sub fields of psychology?3

Introduction to Psychology1.3.1 Educational psychology It is about Ways and methods of educating people.Example: Which seating arrangement (chairs inrows, chairs in smallgroups, chairs inaparticipationcircle)increasesofcommunity members in discussing thefollowing community problem. (How canwe protect the spring water in thecommunity to make it safe and clean?)Remind the trainees on the advantages of participatorylearning inhealth education in the acquisition of newknowledge and skills.1.3.2 Developmental psychology Deals with aspects of human developmentover the entire span of life. Span of life covers from conception to death. Aspects of human development are thefollowing: Physical Mental Social4

Introduction to Psychology1.3.3 Social psychology It is the study of how people’s thoughts, feelingsand actions are affected by others. Socialpsychologistsstudyaggressivebehaviors (example: violence, rape, alcoholismin thecommunity) Social psychologists study conflict betweengroups, communities, and ethnic groups andmethods of solving it.1.3.4 Behavioral psychology It is about the role of environment indeveloping behavior It is about ways of learning new knowledgeand skillsExample: When introducing a new way of thinking in healthstart from what community members alreadyknow and proceed from the known to theunknown. It is about shaping human behaviorusing rewards. Toilet training in children Dietary habit in the family Sanitation practices in the family5

Introduction to Psychology1.3.5 Clinical psychology It is about Psychological disorders and theirtreatment. It is about how to change the environment toprevent the prevalence of psychological disorders.Example: the role a health extension worker plays insensitizing the bad effects of khat, alcohol, andtobacco on health and productivityNote: indicate that there are traditional ways of healingpsychological disorders in our society.1.3.6 Health psychology Emphasizes the preventive aspect of healththan the curative aspect Health is not merely the absence of illness.Health is a state of physical, mental andsocial well-being .Example: Teaching about personal hygiene is not enough.But the family and the society at large mustparticipate in health programs. Recognizing therole of every member in the community isimportant to implement any health program.Assignment: ask the trainees to search for otherbranches of psychology.6

Introduction to PsychologyUNIT TWOHuman DevelopmentGeneral Objective: At the end of the unit trainees will beable to describe human development.2.1. Introduction to human developmentSpecific objective: At the end of the lesson the traineeswill be able to describe the introductory aspect of humandevelopment. Reflection: Start the lesson by review questionsfrom their previous experience. Which branch of psychologystudies development? What do you understand by theword development? Describeawell-developedpersonality? Development: It is the sequence of changes overa full span of life. developmentisabouthowthebiological infant turns into the socialadult.7