Psychological Perspectives Seven Ways of Approaching Psychology

Origins of the Approaches All of the modern approaches are influenced by the ways that people studied psychology in the past Most modern psychologists would not call themselves structuralists, functionalists, or Gestalt psychologists, but they may use parts of these old methods to explain human behavior

Biological Psychology Emphasizes the influence of biology on our behavior Our thought processes (thoughts, feelings, and dreams) are made possible by the nervous system Biological psychologists study the brain to see which parts of it we use when performing certain activities This branch is interested in the influences of hormones and genes on personality traits, psychological health, and behavior patterns

Evolutionary Psychology Focuses on the evolution of behavior and mental processes evolutionary psychologists believe many of our behavior patterns may be hereditary This field is related to Charles Darwin’s theory that the most adaptive traits of organisms are more likely to be passed on to future generations

Cognitive Psychology This field studies the role that thoughts play in determining behavior Cognitive psychologists study the way that people perceive information, make mental images of the world, and solve problems They focus on how we process information and use both short-term and long-term memory to store and retrieve information People’s behavior is influenced by their values, perceptions, and choices

Humanistic Psychology Humanistic psychologists stress the importance of consciousness, self awareness, and the ability to make choices These things enable us to “invent ourselves,” to choose our own behavior Humanistic psychologists help people explore their feelings, manage negative impulses, and realize their potential People are basically good and need to become aware of their strengths to reach their full potential

Psychoanalytic Psychology Focuses on the influences of unconscious forces on human behavior –Related to the work of Freud and Jung The goal of psychoanalysis is to make people aware of their unconscious and better understand their conscious choices If we are aware of our unconscious, we can control how we react to daily stresses

Learning Theory Our experiences affect our behavior, as do reinforcements There are 2 main perspectives to learning theory –Behaviorists study what people do rather than what people know and stress the importance of environmental influences –Social learning theorists believe people learn intentionally and they can choose how to behave in certain situations People learn from direct experiences and from observing others

Sociocultural Psychology Sociocultural psychologists study the influences of gender, ethnicity, culture, social and economic status on our behavior and mental processes They try to explain how these factors affect groups and individuals in specific ways This approach helps us understand and appreciate the social and cultural heritage of various groups