Philip G. Zimbardo Robert L. Johnson Ann L. Weber

What Are Psychology’s Historical Roots? Modern psychology developed from several conflicting traditions, including structuralism, functionalism, Gestalt psychology, behaviorism, and psychoanalysis

Devoted to uncovering basic structures that make up mind and thought Tradition Devoted to uncovering basic structures that make up mind and thought Structuralism Functionalism Gestalt psychology Behaviorism Psychoanalysis 28

Tradition Structuralism Believed mental processes could best be understood in terms of their adaptive purpose and function Functionalism Gestalt psychology Behaviorism Psychoanalysis 28

Interested in how we construct “perceptual wholes” Tradition Structuralism Functionalism Interested in how we construct “perceptual wholes” Gestalt psychology Behaviorism Psychoanalysis 28

Argued psychology should deal solely with observable events Tradition Structuralism Functionalism Gestalt psychology Argued psychology should deal solely with observable events Behaviorism Psychoanalysis 28

Asserted mental disorders arise from conflicts in the unconscious mind Tradition Structuralism Functionalism Gestalt psychology Behaviorism Asserted mental disorders arise from conflicts in the unconscious mind Psychoanalysis 28

What are the Perspectives Psychologists Use Today? Seven main perspectives characterize modern psychology: the biological, developmental, cognitive, clinical, behavioral, trait, and socio-cultural views

Seven Modern Perspectives of Psychology Biological Developmental Cognitive Clinical Behavioral Trait Sociocultural 28

Neural structures, biochemistry, and innate responses to external cues Perspective View of Human Nature: We are complex systems that respond to hereditary and environmental influences Biological Developmental Cognitive What Determines Behavior: Neural structures, biochemistry, and innate responses to external cues Clinical Behavioral Focus of Study: Nervous and endocrine systems, evolutionary advantages of behaviors Trait Sociocultural 28

People undergo predictable patterns of change throughout their lives Perspective View of Human Nature: People undergo predictable patterns of change throughout their lives Biological Developmental Cognitive What Determines Behavior: Interaction between heredity and environment Clinical Behavioral Focus of Study: Patterns of developmental change and their underlying influences Trait Sociocultural 29

We are information-processing systems Perspective View of Human Nature: We are information-processing systems Biological Developmental What Determines Behavior: Interpretation of experience by means of mental processing Cognitive Clinical Behavioral Focus of Study: Mental processes, including sensation, perception, learning, memory, and language Trait Sociocultural 30

We are driven by unconscious motives Perspective View of Human Nature: We are driven by unconscious motives Biological Developmental What Determines Behavior: Psychodynamic view stresses unconscious conflicts Cognitive Clinical Humanistic view focuses on self-concept and need for personal growth Behavioral Trait Focus of Study: Counseling and psychotherapy Sociocultural 31

Stimulus cues, history of rewards and punishments Perspective View of Human Nature: We respond to surroundings according to principles of behavioral learning Biological Developmental Cognitive What Determines Behavior: Stimulus cues, history of rewards and punishments Clinical Behavioral Focus of Study: “Laws” connecting our responses to stimulus conditions in the environment Trait Sociocultural 33

Each person’s unique combination of traits Perspective View of Human Nature: Individual differences result from differences in our underlying patterns of stable characteristics Biological Developmental Cognitive What Determines Behavior: Each person’s unique combination of traits Clinical Behavioral Trait Focus of Study: Fundamental traits, Using trait patterns to predict behavior Sociocultural 34

Cultures, social norms and expectations, social learning Perspective View of Human Nature: We are social animals; human behavior must be interpreted in social context Biological Developmental Cognitive What Determines Behavior: Cultures, social norms and expectations, social learning Clinical Behavioral Focus of Study: Social interaction, socialization, cross-cultural differences Trait Sociocultural 34

Next Steps Please close this PowerPoint and then click Assignment 2 in the course to continue. 27