general psychology Firouz meroei milan Approaches and Schools of Psychology 1

Approaches and Schools of Psychology: Not all psychologists look at psychology the same way. Some believe that you are who you are purely because of your genetics. Some believe that experiences play a much bigger factor. Psychology is a broad field that aims to answer questions from many different perspectives. We are going to look at the different schools and approaches to psychology.

Lesson 2: Approaches and Schools of Psychology: By the late 1800’s, psychology was beginning to emerge as a separate scientific discipline. Biologist Charles Darwin came up with the theory of natural selection. Psychology branched into two schools of psychology (structuralism and functionalism) and from there several approaches to psychology.

Structuralism: Wilhelm Wundt Wilhelm Wundt – Credited as the founder of scientific psychology because in 1879 he set up a research laboratory in Germany. The lab was dedicated to the scientific study of conscious experiences and sensations. Introspection – the process of looking inward to identify how one feels, thinks, or acts. he replicated his studies in different conditions with similar results. Wundt helped found the School of Structuralism which aimed to focus on the structure of the mind and indentify the basic elements of consciousness.

Functionalism: William James: William James was a psychologist that felt that Wundt was asking the wrong questions. James was more interested in the function or purpose of behavioral acts. School of Functionalism – Researchers that focused on how we adapt to our environments. (stream of consciousness) Main Goal: Explain human behavior Also wrote first psychology textbook

Gestalt Psychology: Max Wertheimer – founded Gestalt Psychology The whole is more than the sum of it’s parts Example: A beautiful painting A painting is more than just colors and line – its an experience So, each person has a completely different experience when viewing the world – must be sensitive to this during therapy.

Eight Approaches to Psychology: Behavioral Behavioral Approach – Focuses on measuring and recording observable behavior. (behavior results from learning) Pavlov and his dogs, Watson and Baby Albert, Skinner and his rats. (rewards, punishments, and associations) All these men believed that psychology should be the science of behavior.

Eight Approaches to Psychology: Psychoanalytic / Psychodynamic Psychoanalytic Approach – Focuses on unconscious internal conflicts to explain mental disorders, personality, and motivation. Sigmund Freud developed this approach and focused on unconscious desires (Freudian slips, life and death instincts, libido, early life experiences. Psychodynamic Approach – Those that varied Freud’s ideas but kept with the roots of psychoanalysis.

Eight Approaches to Psychology: Humanistic Humanistic Approach – Emphases the importance of people’s feelings and view human nature as naturally positive and growth seeking. Abraham Maslow (Hierarchy of Needs) and Carl Rogers (Unconditional Positive Regard) led the charge. This approach came out the 60’s and 70’s.

Eight Approaches to Psychology: Biological Biological Approach – Examines how complex chemical and biological processes within the nervous and endocrine systems are related to the behavior of organisms. Much research is being done today using this approach – Brain based research.

Eight Approaches to Psychology: Cognitive Cognitive Approach – Emphasizes the importance of receiving, storing, and processing information. It also focuses on thinking, reasoning, and using language to understand human behavior. Cognition – thinking and memory.

Eight Approaches to Psychology: Evolutionary Evolutionary Approach –Attempts to explain behavior patterns as adaptations naturally selected to increase reproductive success. This approach uses Darwin’s theory of natural selection as a basis. Darwin wrote Origin of Species.

Eight Approaches to Psychology: Socio-cultural As time progressed more people were traveling and visiting other cultures. Psychologists soon recognized the difference in cultural gestures, body language, and spoken language. Socio-cultural Approach – Examines the cultural differences in an attempt to understand, predict, and control behavior.

Eight Approaches to Psychology: Eclectic The most widely used psychological approach today is eclectic Eclectic – No one perspective can best explain all human behavior So…Eclectic psychologists use a combination of all the approaches