1. Perspectives Perspectives Key Characteristics Contributors
Psychoanalytic (early 1900’s to present)
* The unconscious mind influences behavior.
* Unconscious motives and childhood experiences influence personality.
Sigmund Freud
Carl Jung
Alfred Adler
Biological (1950’s to present)
* Biological processes, especially in the brain, influence mental processes and behavior.
* Biology and genetics, not environmental factors, determine behavior.
Norman Geschwind
Donald Hebb
Cognitive (1950’s to present)
* Perceptions and thoughts are major influences of behavior.
* The brain processes, stores, and retrieves information, such as language.
Jean Piaget
Norm Chomsky
Humanistic (1950’s to present)
* Each individual’s sense of self influences his or her behavior.
* People make free and conscious choices.
Carl Rogers
Abraham Maslow

2. Perspectives Continued
Key Characteristics
Contributors
Sociocultural (1960’s to present)
* Thinking and behavior is influenced by social and cultural identification.
* Psychology should not neglect gender, ethnic, and socioeconomic factors.
Lev Vygotsky
Kenneth Clark
Mamie Clark
Evolutionary/
Sociobiological (1980’s to present)
* Natural selection influences behavior and thinking.
* Behaviors and thoughts that help ensure survival are passed on hereditarily over time.
David Buss
Leda Cosmides
John Tooby
Behavioral (1920 – to present)
*Science is rooted in observation.
* You cannot observe a sensation, a feeling, or a thought, but you can observe & record behavior in different situations.
John B. Watson
B.F. Skinner
Today few psychologists would describe themselves as structuralists or functionalists. Traditional behaviorists and psychoanalysts have also been declining in recent years. It is important to remember that the approaches are not mutually exclusive, but rather are complementary tools that shed light from different angles.