Psychology’s Perspectives The Big SIX

Neuroscience Perspective Focus on how the physical body and brain creates our emotions, memories and sensory experiences. If you could not remember the names of your parents and went to a psychologist who adheres to the neuroscience perspective, what might they say?

Psychodynamic Perspective Fathered by Sigmund Freud. Our behavior comes from unconscious drives. Usually stemming from our childhood. What might a psychoanalyst say is the reason someone always needs to be chewing gum?

Behavioral Perspective Focuses on our OBSERVABLE behaviors. Only cares about the behaviors that impair our living, and attempts to change them. If you bit your fingernails when you were nervous, a behaviorist would not focus on calming you down, but rather focus on how to stop you from biting your nails.

Cognitive Perspective Focuses on how we think (or encode information) How do we see the world? How did we learn to act to sad or happy events? Cognitive Therapist attempt to change the way you think.

BEHAVIORISTS How people learn Rewards and punishment John B. Watson

Social-Cultural Perspective Focus on how your culture effects your behavior. Even in the same high school, behaviors can change in accordance to the various subcultures.

Approaches cont. HUMANISTIC PSYCHOLOGY people try to achieve their maximum potential (self actualization) Promote health and self-growth

Humanistic Perspective Focuses on positive growth Attempt to seek self-actualization Therapists use active listening and unconditional positive regard. Mr. Rogers would have made a great Humanistic Therapist!!!

Evolutionary (subperspective) Focuses on Darwinism. We behave the way we do because we inherited those behaviors. Thus, those behaviors must have helped ensure our ancestors survival. Mother nature practicing selective breeding How could this behavior ensured Homer’s ancestors survival?

What Approach is Best? What perspectives should we consider throughout this class? ECLECTIC Combination of approaches Some topics/issues have become dominated by a certain approach, so this will lead our thinking, but all should be in our considerations.

How do we approach cases? DSM IV-TR Multi-Axial Assessment Eclectic Perspective Approach

CASE Example Kristen is a 38 year-old divorced mother of two teenagers. She has had a successful, well-paying career for the past several years in upper-level management. Even though she has worked for the same, thriving company for over 6 years, she’s found herself worrying constantly about losing her job and being unable to provide for her children. This worry has been troubling her for the past 8 months. Despite her best efforts, she hasn’t been able to shake the negative thoughts. Ever since the worry started, Kristen has found herself feeling restless, tired, and tense. She often paces in her office when she’s there alone. She’s had several embarrassing moments in meetings where she has lost track of what she was trying to say. When she goes to bed at night, it’s as if her brain won’t shut off. She finds herself mentally rehearsing all the worse-case scenarios regarding losing her job, including ending up homeless.

CASE Causation/Solutions Which perspective is each of the following psychologists following?

Which perspective? Dr. Gupta suggests that her internal thoughts are inhibiting her from performing her job according to her standards.

Which Perspective? Dr. Roberts believes that she is experiencing a lack of epinephrine, leading to a lack of preparedness for her job.

Which Perspective? Kristin’s perception of herself does not reveal how good she really is a t her job. She needs to work on satisfying her esteem needs.

Which Perspective? Dr. Bel suggests that every time Kristen has a positive vote of confidence, she should immediately reward herself with an M&M.

Now create your own questions! Martin is a 21 year-old business major at a large university. Over the past few weeks his family and friends have noticed increasingly bizarre behaviors. On many occasions they’ve overheard him whispering in an agitated voice, even though there is no one nearby. Lately, he has refused to answer or make calls on his cell phone, claiming that if he does it will activate a deadly chip that was implanted in his brain by evil aliens. His parents have tried to get him to go with them to a psychiatrist for an evaluation, but he refuses. He has accused them on several occasions of conspiring with the aliens to have him killed so they can remove his brain and put it inside one of their own. He has stopped attended classes altogether. He is now so far behind in his coursework that he will fail if something doesn’t change very soon. Although Martin occasionally has a few beers with his friends, he’s never been known to abuse alcohol or use drugs. He does, however, have an estranged aunt who has been in and out of psychiatric hospitals over the years due to erratic and bizarre behavior.