Approaches to Psychology (aka Theories) Since the early years, psychology has expanded dramatically. Many theories about what the human is and how we develop have arisen. Some are no longer talked about, but six approaches to the nature of the human being are important today. The first thing you will notice is that the different theories to some extent contradict each other. The fact that they don’t agree is all right however, since we don’t have anything close to the final answers about human nature. Also, sometimes one theory will fit a particular situation, where another might not. So, while most psychologists tend to lean toward one of the six approaches, they often borrow from other theories, making their own combination. This process is called eclecticism.

What Determines Behavior Perspective View of Human Nature What Determines Behavior Focus Behaviorism reactive environment, stimulus-response, rewards and punishments observable behavior Psychoanalysis learn with instincts heredity, childhood unconscious drive Humanism goodness, unlimited potential self-directed, phenomenology uniqueness of individual Cognitive active mental process, stimulus conditions mental processes Neurobiological mechanistic neurobiochemical processes, heredity brain and nervous system Socio-cultural reactive to culturalisms cultural perspective, heredity human behavior in cultural settings

Behaviourism Behaviorism looks at humans as reactive (the effect of things done to them), the “things” being the environment around (physical and human) as well as cause/effect and the reward/punishment of positive and negative reinforcement. It focuses on observing behaviors and interpreting them. Example: You will see this with Pavlov and the experiment he did with a dog, a dish of food and a bell. In support of the behavioral theory, there certainly is evidence that we do a great number of things because we have been rewarded for them in the past. Problems with this theory: On the other hand, there are problems with this theory. For one thing, it takes away a person’s “free will”. In other words, if you decide on the spur of the moment to go get a pizza, the behaviorists say you really had no choice. Whether you went or not is the result of everything that has happened to you up to the present moment, not an impulse. Another problem is that this theory doesn’t take into account what is going on in your life. If you are very attached to a person who takes drugs or if you are part of a group that is involved with drugs, the pull you feel toward drugs is going to be greater than if you are close to people who don’t do drugs. Thus, at times, previous learning is not as important as the present situation. Finally, the most uncomfortable aspect of behaviorist theory is that it sees us as little more than robots, a belief few of us want to accept.

Essentially: We repeat actions that we were rewarded for in the past

Psychoanalysis Psychoanalysis sees people as being born with and behaving as a result of instincts buried deep within the subconscious mind. Behaviors are a result of heredity and early childhood experiences that “set” in the mind and affect all current and future behaviors of the individual. It delves into early childhood to look at what drives the person to do their actions and the root causes of conflict. Think of Freud as the “grandfather” of this perspective. He believed that sexual and aggressive impulses cause our behavior.

Essentially: Brain/Behaviour -= complex Heavily influenced by childhood experiences Talk it out

Humanism Humanism sees people as inherently good, ever capable of change and improvement using experiences and learned techniques to bring about a greater understanding of the potential and individuality of each being. We are also all responsible for our own destinies. Essentially: We are all good people inside.

Cognitive Cognitive perspectives of psychology focus on the mind and how it works (intelligence, thinking, memory, perception). It takes an active approach to see how the mind works, where things occur in the brain and the effects on the person and how the way they think and process thought affects the way they behave. To the cognitivist, our personalities are made of up of the different kinds of thoughts we have inside our heads. If we have negative thoughts, we become a more negative person.

Neurobiological Analysis Neurobiological Analysis is a very scientific look at how the body’s many chemicals (and those found in the body’s environment) affect the brain and consequent behavior, even emotion. Side point: Prozac is a result of neurobiological research on the causes of depression which is a result of a reduction in the brain’s production of serotonin (a brain chemical). Prozac brings the serotonin level back up to where it should be and short-circuits the depression.

Socio-Cultural Socio-cultural perspective sees the individual as behaving in certain ways as a result of the influence of the culture surrounding the person – their ethnic and religious background for example. It sees some of this as being hereditary (ancestors survived in that culture and flourished because of certain behaviors and adaptations that are passed down by generations). It also looks at how societies work to change or cause behaviors.

Modern Day Psychology In recent years a new approach was developed. Rollo May’s existentialism which centers on the way mankind deals with the reality of his own existence in the face of anxiety and death. The belief is that people are searching to find out who, and what they are throughout life as they make choices based on their experiences, beliefs, and outlook. And personal choices become unique without the necessity of an objective form of truth. An existentialist believes that a person should be forced to choose and be responsible without the help of laws, ethnic rules, or traditions.

Check for Understanding Refer back to class notes and History of Psychology chart True/False B.F. Skinner was an early behaviorist who wrote a book on child rearing. Psychology is no longer interested in the study of unconscious processes. The overall structure of the human brain is remarkably similar to that of a rat. The process of introspection helped Wilhelm Wundt categorize sensations into five main areas. Eclecticism refers to a combination of psychological theories.

Matching 6. Rewards and punishments control behavior. 7. Physical changes are emphasized. 8. Humans are basically good. 9. The unconscious plays a great role in behavior. 10. The environment is all important. 11. Ethnic and religious backgrounds influence behavior. 12. Humans control their own destinies. 13. A person’s thoughts are emphasized. 14. Chemical changes in the brain influence behavior. 15. Sexual and aggressive impulses control behavior. 16. Internal sentences directly influence personality. behavioral approach Psychoanalytic cognitive approach Neurobiological humanistic approach socio-cultural

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