AP Psychology: Psychological Perspectives with Examples

Based on Barron's AP Psychology Review Textbook

Humanist Perspective

Definition: Human behaviors are the result of choice and free will

Example: An introvert chose to limit social interaction because of xyz

Notable Humanists: Maslow, Rogers

Psychoanalytic Perspective

Definition: Our behaviors are affected by repressed memories pushed into our unconscious mind

Example: A person is an introvert b/c they have repressed memories of social settings being bad

Notable Psychoanalytic: Sigmund Freud

Biopsychology Perspective

Definition: Explains human behavior through biological terms (genes, hormones)

Explanation: A person is an introvert because they inherited that trait from their parents

Evolutionary Perspective

Definition: Examines human thought and behavior in terms of natural selection

Explanation: Being extroverted may be the favored trait, so that’s why someone is extroverted

Notable Evolutionist: Charles Darwin

Behavioral Perspective

Definition: Look at strictly human behaviors and what causes them; looks at human behavior in terms of conditioning

Example: A person may be extroverted because it has rewarded them

Notable Behaviorists: Watson, Skinner

Cognitive Perspective

Definition: Human behavior and thought of in terms of how we interpret, process and remember environmental events

Example: A person may be more extroverted in one situation because it may benefit them more than if they were extroverted in another situation

Notable Cognitive Psychologists: Jean Piaget

Sociocultural Perspective

Definition: People from different cultures and social backgrounds express different types of behavior

Example: A person may be extroverted because that is a cultural norm

Biopsychosocial Perspective

Definition: Believes that human thought and behavior is affected equally by biological, psychological, and social factors

Example: A person who is extroverted/introverted is affected by their genes, environmental conditions, and social norms

Eclectic

No perspective answers all the questions about human thought and behavior