Major Perspectives of Psychology What do you see

Major Perspectives of Psychology What do you see? It depends on your perspective

Perspectives � Psychoanalytic/psychodynamic � Behaviorism � Humanism � Cognitive � Sociocultural � Biological/Neuroscientific � Evolutionary

Psychodynamic/Psychoanalytic � Originated with the work of Sigmund Freud. � Emphasizes the role of the unconscious mind, early childhood experiences, and interpersonal relationships to explain human behavior.

Freud Focused on early childhood experiences, especially parent-child relationships, believing that personality was formed in the first six years of life.

Psychodynamic/Psychoanalytic � Freud Believed we have three levels of consciousness: � Conscious – now aware � Preconscious – not immediately aware but can be retrieved (memories) � Unconscious – totally out of awareness. › Full of sexual and aggressive drives – Oedipus and Electra Complexes.

Psychodynamic/Psychoanalytic � We are born with certain drives › Life –Eros › Death – Thanatos � Unconscious drives – influence our behavior, often in ways we don’t realize. � Childhood experiences determine adult personality through unconscious conflict � There are no accidents – everything happens for a reason. › Freudian Slips

Psychoanalysis is the form of treating psychological disorders, invented by Freud � Dream Analysis � Free association � Defense Mechanisms � › › Displacement Denial Repression Regression

What drives us? Our personality is a conflict between: › our unconscious Id › our superego (moral sense) › our ego (our sense of reality).

Pros of Freud’s theory � 1. Argued that childhood experiences are important in personality development. � 2. Information outside of awareness does influence us. � 3. Defense mechanisms—good descriptions of some of our behaviors.

Criticisms of Freud’s theory: � 1. Freud had no scientific data to support his � 2. Freud’s theories (unconscious, libido, etc. ) cannot be observed. � 3. Theory explains behavior after the fact. � 4. Observations not representative of population (very sexist and not multicultural). theories.

Behaviorism We must see it to believe it. All behavior is learned.

Behaviorism � By the 1950 s, Psychoanalysis seemed very unscientific. Behaviorists will bring science back into psychology, even if they overdo it a little. � Behaviorism is NOT interested in the unconscious mind since it cannot be observed or measured in a laboratory.

A telling quote… � Give me a dozen healthy infants, wellformed, and my own specified world to bring them up in and I’ll guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become any type of specialist I might select -- doctor, lawyer, artist, merchant-chief and, yes, even beggar-man and thief, regardless of his talents, penchants, tendencies, abilities, vocations, and race of his ancestors. --John Watson, Behaviorism, 1930

Behaviorism � Study of observable behavior. › For many years, behaviorist saw no value in studying mental processes. › There is no part of the brain you can’t access. � Learned through interaction with environment � Not born with behaviors, they are learned over time.

Ivan Pavlov � He was not a psychologist but a Russian physiologist. He discovered classical conditioning. Classical conditioning is associative learning. He trained a dog to drool to a bell.

Dog associates food with bell.

B. F. Skinner � B. F. Skinner is the most famous of the Behaviorists. He is famous for operant conditioning. Operant conditioning (aka shaping) is learning through reinforcements (rewards) and punishments.

Behaviorism � Albert Bandura did a famous experiment that said our behavior does not have to be classically conditioned or operant conditioned. We can simply observe behavior and copy it.

Behaviorism � The behavioral perspective can explain why people get addicted to gambling (positive reinforcement) � …or why you come home before curfew � …or why you don’t like grape jelly. � Reinforcement – Reward � Punishment – Reaction to stop behavior

Behaviorism Summary � Behaviorism says we do what we do because of classical conditioning, operant conditioning or we simply learn the behavior from watching or copying it. � In its extreme, they think we are simply rats in a cage pressing buttons. � Many diets and workout schedules are based on behaviorist approach.

Humanism Becoming your best self

Humanistic Humanism came about in the 1960 s in reaction to psychoanalysis and behaviorism. Humanistic psychology was instead focused on each individual’s potential and stressed the importance of growth and self-actualization. The fundamental belief of humanistic psychology was that people are innately good. � We are not rats in a cage! We are not iddriven animals! We are humans with free will. � Born with natural drive to personally achieve and be your best �

Humanism � Abraham Maslow said we have a hierarchy of needs

Humanism � Carl Rogers revolutionized talk therapy. His therapy is client-centered, where the client has all the answers instead of therapist. Therapists treat the client with unconditional positive regard (no judgments). Group therapy comes from Humanism.

Humanism summary Humanists are really touchy-feely, but without them we are just rats in a cage. n Rogers and Maslow put the “human” element back into psychology and therapy. n Their philosophy: We are all humans striving to maximize our potential. We are not driven to fail. A therapist’s job is to remove obstacles to self-actualization n Least scientific. Hard to prove personal growth. n

Cognitive Theory � COGNITIVE = THINKING � How the mind seeks, transforms, transmits, and evaluates information. � Memory, Language, Problem solving › Example: Should I, or should I not post this on social media? What is your thought process? � HOW do people acquire, store, process, and utilize information?

Cognitive Perspective � Cognitive therapy is about changing the maladaptive thoughts of a person. � False perceptions cause problems for us. � Think about how you think: › Self Talk is acknowledged – the conversation you have in your head.

Cognitive Therapy � Cognitive therapy is about changing the maladaptive (bad) thoughts. Albert Ellis, Aaron Beck and William Glasser are famous for reality therapy. They challenged his patients to ask, “Are my thoughts realistic or rational? ” Cognitive therapy also “educates” the client, teaches him/her proper behaviors/thoughts

Cognitive Psychologists � Jean Piaget studied cognitive development in children.

Cognitive perspective on depression � We are depressed because we are irrational. Our expectations are too high and/or misplaced. We want everyone to love us and accept us. We want every thing to go our way. We stay angry about issues or events that happened a long time ago. WE MUST CHANGE THE WAY WE THINK TO BE HAPPY AND SUCCESSFUL.

Social Cultural Perspective � How social environment and culture influence behavior and thoughts. Behavior is heavily influenced by social norms and expectations.

Social Cultural Perspective � We are unable to rid ourselves of our cultural upbringing. This impacts how we adapt in new situations. � How does the same individual behaves differently depending upon their surroundings and company? › Impact of racism, socio economic status › Gender Roles

Kenneth B and Mamie Clark Doll Studies Their research demonstrated that segregation harmed Black children’s self-images, Their testimony contributed to landmark Supreme Court case Brown v Board of Education of Topeka, KS

Cross Cultural research � Reaction to ethnocentric bias, relying on European and North American subjects. � Compare and contrast two or more cultures

Biological/Neuroscience Perspective � This perspective is among the most respected right now. Neuroscientists focus on our brain, nervous system, neurotransmitters and hormones to explain our behaviors.

Biological /Neuroscience � Behaviors, thoughts and emotions are explained by physical events in the nervous or endocrine system – hormones matter! � Genetics – the NATURE portion of Nature vs. Nurture � Brain chemicals and functions – neurotransmitters › Fight or Flight › 90% of feelings are chemical

Questions asked by Biological Psychologists…. � Which types of mental disorders seem to be genetic? (Depression/Addiction) � Which part of the brain is showing the most activity to a variety of stimuli? � Treatment Example: Mirror box treatment for phantom limb syndrome

Studying the Brain � Brain Hemispheres � Corpus allosum Connected the two hemispheres. › Split brain patients have severed corpus callosum

Tools used by neuroscientists PET Scan: Positron emission tomography f. MRI machine: functional magnetic resonance imaging

Evolutionary Psychology � Studies the evolutionary origins of human behavior. Behavior and mental characteristics adapt over time based on natural selection. � Sometimes considered a subfield of biopsychology

Evolutionary Psychology � Darwin published his theory of evolution in 1859 � Natural selection- if an inherited trait gives certain members an advantage over others (such as increasing ability to attract mates, escape danger and acquire food) these members will be more likely to survive and pass these characteristics on to their offspring).

Evolutionary Psychology Questions. Why do men desire a younger mate and women desire an older mate? How does this help pass on genes? � Why are more people right handed? �