Psychology 101 modeled by Calvin and Hobbs

1. BILL WATTERSON, THE CREATOR OF CALVIN & HOBBS, IS A CARTOONIST T HAT IS A
MASKED PSYCHOLOGIST IN HIS OWN RIGHT. CALVIN & HOBBS IS USED IN THIS
PRESENTATION FOR THE SIMPLE FACT THAT THERE IS A HUGE AMOUNT OF
PSYCHOLOGICAL REPRESENTATION. ENJOYMENT ON YOUR PART IS HOPEFUL .

2. PSYCHOLOGY 101 INTERESTING KEY POINTS
EXPLAINED WITH THE HELP OF CALVIN & HOBBS
CASEY HINES

3. P S Y C H O L O G Y
• PSYCHOLOGY is the
study of the mind and
behavior of humans and
animals.

4. E M P I R I C I S M
• EMPIRICISM is the view
that knowledge originates
through experience.
• This does not speculate,
have a belief, or use
common sense.
• Calvin is explaining this
concept clearly to Hobbs in
this strip. Although Hobbs
aids in the explanation.

5. CALVIN IS IDENTIFYING A PROBLEM, CONDUCTING
RESEARCH, AND FORMULATING A HYPOTHESIS.
Scientific Method

6. C O R R E L A T I O N
• Exists when two variables are
related to each other.
• Correlation Coefficient-
Numerical Index referred to as
an “r” (r=-.2). This can a be a
positive or a negative, weak or
strong. Represented in a
number from a range of +1 to -1.
• Here, Hobbs is correlating
Calvin’s Business model to his
future success.

7. N E R V O U S
S Y S T E M
• AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM-
Things that a person cannot control.
• SYMPATHETIC NERVOUS
SYSTEM-The “fight of flight”
response.
• PARASYMPATHETIC NERVOUS
SYSTEM-Rest.
• Calvin’s fight response is clearly
visible by him running after the car in
the first part of this cartoon
sequence, than after he wrecked the
their family car his fear makes him
make the flight choice.

8. CALVIN HAS JUST LEARNED SOMETHING THAT IS
SHOWN BY HIS SO-CALLED CHANGED BEHAVIOR.
LEARNING

9. Conditioning
• Classical Conditioning—
Phenomenon in which two stimuli
are associated, thus creating a
reflex response.
• Operant Conditioning—Form of
learning which organisms
associate their actions with
consequences.
• In these two strips, the top one
shows a classic conditioning, and
the bottom one shows a form of
operant conditioning known as a
variable-interval schedule.

10. CALVIN AND HOBBS ARE MODELING SOCIETAL
CONFORMITY IN THE FIRST CARTOON, AND CALVIN IS
MODELING CHAMELEON CONFORMITY IN THE SECOND
CARTOON.
CONFORMITY

11. P A R E N T I N G
S T Y L E S
• Authoritarian—Very rigid, lots of rules,
demands respect.
• Authoritative—Has rules and
boundaries, but allows independence.
• Neglectful—No emotion, and no
attachment.
• Permissive—Overly involved, no rules,
no boundaries, and the parent wants to
be a friend to the child.
• Calvin, in this single pane cartoon, is
showing Calvin’s knowledge of
parenting styles and is concerned that
he is being parented well.

12. P S Y C H O L O G I C A L
D I S O R D E R S
• Schizophrenia-Paranoid, delusions,
hallucinations (hearing and sight), and
catatonic states.
• Amnesia-event that causes memory
mishaps.
• Hypochondria-Abnormal anxiety about
one’s health.
• In the top strip Calvin is exhibiting
schizophrenia behavior, in the middle
strip Calvin is showing signs of a
memory mishap due to overwhelming
stress, and in the last strip Calvin is
modeling Hypochondriac behavior.

13. T R E A T M E N T O F
B E H A V IO R A L
D IS O R D E R S
• Insight Therapies—These are known as the “talk
therapies”. Uses Psychoanalysis which recover
unconscious conflicts, motives, and defenses.
• Cognitive Therapy—Emphasizes recognizing and
changing thoughts and maladaptive beliefs.
• Behavior Therapy—Application of principles of
learning to change clients’ maladaptive
behaviors.
• Biomedical Therapies—Treating psychological
disorders with pharmaceuticals for treatment of
biological factors.
• Calvin is demonstrating a biomedical therapy in
the bottom pane, and Calvin is representing the
cognitive therapy in the top strip.

14. CALVIN IS DEFINITELY MODELING HOW A TEENAGER WOULD
ACT DUE TO THEIR FRONTAL LOBE NOT BEING FULLY
MATURED AND THEIR LIMBIC SYSTEM FULLY MATURED IN THE
LEFT PANE, AND IN THE RIGHT STRIP CALVIN TALKS ABOUT
HOW BEHAVIOR CAN CHANGE WITH AGE.
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

15. “ W E L L , I
H O P E Y O U
E N J O Y E D
I T . ”
-CASEY HINES-