Modern psychology There are 5 different perspective dominate each of them complementing the other in explaining people thoughts & behavior. 1. Neuro-biological Perspective: proposes that behaviors is influenced by physiology of the brain and nervous system mainly. - normal behavior (state of equilibrium) abnormal behavior (physical pathology) .

. Neuro-biological Perspective… cont. * Research &treatment focused on four main areas: A – Nervous system disorders. B – Structural changes to the brain (post trauma or in degenerative disorders) C – Endocrine or gland dysfunction,( as in hypothyroid may lead to depression). D – Genetic transmission of mental illness ( as schizophrenia) Critique: Biomedical model treatments (medications)

Modern psychology (cont…) 2) Psychoanalytic Perspective: behavior is driven by unconscious processes, and influenced by childhood/developmental conflicts. (Sigmund Freud) human behavior determine by: ( unconscious forces, developmental factors, and family relationships

Freud's theory proposes that personality development progresses through four stages throughout childhood. Psychoanalysis is the treatment of choice . * Critique of psychoanalytic theory: -The unconscious nature difficult to test.

Modern psychology (cont…) 3) Behaviorist perspective: The external environmental stimuli shape and control the persons actions. Behaviors are learned depending on whether they are rewarded or not. ** scientific approach to study behavior, (differ from psychoanalytic theory).

The focus is on observable behavior and conditions that elicit and maintain the behavior (classical conditioning) or factors that reinforce behavior (operant conditioning).

Behaviorist perspective …cont. * Three basic assumptions underpin behavior theory: 1. Personality is determined by prior learning 2. Human behavior is changeable throughout the life-span. 3. Changes in behavior are caused by changes in the environment. (Behavioral psychotherapy is the treatment of choice).

Critique of behavioral theory: the first scientifically testable theory of human development: Their explanations are less convincing when applied to psychosis or organic brain disorders. Most behaviorist research has been conducted on animals under laboratory conditions (mechanistic) . mental illness can occur in a person in healthy environment?.

4) Cognitive perspective: Explains behavior by looking at a person’s particular ways of reasoning and thinking and interaction with his influencing environment. proposes that people actively interpret their environment.

* behavior is a result of the interplay of external events (the stimuli and reinforcements) and internal events (perceptions and thoughts) Thoughts → feelings → behavior Albert Bandura states : that human behavior results from the interaction of environment with perception &thinking.

Critique of cognitive psychology: The therapeutic techniques are practical and effective, and can be self-administered by the client under the direction of a therapist. *Cognitive theory is criticized as: 1- Being unscientific (as are psychoanalytic and humanistic theories) because mental processes cannot objectively be observed. 2- The insight will not itself bring about behavior change.

5) Humanistic Perspective: Abraham Maslow Focuses on the development of a concept of self and the striving of the individual to achieve personal goals. Client-centered therapy: is the counseling model, to overcome harmful effects human behavior is motivated by a drive for self-actualization

Critique of humanistic psychology: 1- Theory humanistic psychology is incomplete. (e.g. disturbed states as depression) 2- Humanistic concepts difficult to define objectively 3- There is little recognition of unconscious drives in explaining behavior.

Applying different perspectives: In 1989 Charles Whitman, a student in the university of Texas, climbed a building and proceed to fire people below and killing thirteen and injuring thirty two, the night before he had shot his mother and stabbed his wife to death. Psychologists tackles the issue from other angles and contributing different explanations for his bizarre aggressive behavior:

Neurobiological perspective suggested that he has brain tumor. Behavioral psychologists explained his aggression was encouraged by rewards as social approval . Cognitive psychologists explained that Whitman think that strong man is a aggressive, when he often seen his father beating his mother.

Psychoanalytic looked to unconscious childhood conflict when Whitman's parents separated and he lived with his poor mother. Humanistic psychologists focused on how Whitman's progress to self-actualization was blocked, and respond to frustration with aggression.