Approaches of Present Day Psychology

Behavioral Approach First described by John B. Watson, 1913 Emphasized environmental determinants of behavior Role of heredity deemphasized Environment can be manipulated to change behavior

Behavioral Approach Deal with directly observable behaviors Behavior is the result of external stimuli B.F. Skinner prominent advocate of this approach View behavior as the product of learning and associations

Behavioral Approach Advantages: It can help parents teach children appropriate behavior. Disadvantages: It takes away our “free will”

Psychoanalytic Approach Developed by Sigmund Freud Human behavior primarily determined by unconscious processes Theory not based on experimental evidence; many aspects of Freud’s psychoanalytic theory are untestable. Influential on American psychology Stressed the importance of early experiences in determining later behavior patterns

Psychoanalytic Approach A system of viewing the individual as the product of unconscious forces Advantages: It provides a framework for analyzing thought processes below consciousness Disadvantages: It focuses on how people are only products of mostly negative unconscious impulses.

Neurobiological Approach Behavior understood by describing underlying biochemical and neurological causes Observable behaviors reduced to physiological explanations Viewing behavior as the result of nervous system functions and biology Roger Sperry- split-brain research

Neurobiological Approach Advantages: Understanding biological aspects of behavior can help in developing treatment for some disorders. Disadvantages: It does little to explain social influences on behavior

Cognitive Approach Origins can be traced to Gestalt psychology, as cognitive psychologists study thoughts and mental processes Study the intervening mental processes between stimulus inputs and response outputs Significant contributions made in the areas of language, thought, and memory

Cognitive Approach Prominent figures include: Jerome Bruner, Jean Piaget, Herbert Simon, and Noam Chomsky Emphasizes how humans use mental processes to handle problems or develop certain personality characteristics

Cognitive Approach Advantages: It analyzes how thoughts affect behavior. Disadvantages: It downplays the role of emotions

Humanistic Approach Emerged in the 1950’s Viewed behavior as a product of free will and opposed the determinism of behaviorism and psychoanalysis Believed too much emphasis placed on ‘rat studies’ in the understanding of human behavior Emphasized the inherent goodness of human beings

Humanistic Approach Developed methods of psychotherapy consistent with their views Prominent figures include Carl Rogers, Abraham Maslow, and Gordon Allport Believing that people are basically good and capable of helping themselves

Humanistic Approach Advantages: It gives people power over their own lives and behavior. Disadvantages: No one is good all the time; it may be a bit too good to be true.

Sociocultural Approach Behavior viewed as strongly influenced by the rules and expectations of specific social groups or cultures. Advantages: It helps psychologist to counsel people from different cultures and to understand social influences on behavior. Disadvantages: It does not address physiological influences on behavior

Assignment You will create a magazine cover for a magazine written by and for people from one of the modern day perspectives. Name the magazine Develop a creative cover design List the titles of five articles that would be found in this magazine Due Mon.