Perspectives in Psychology

Vocabulary flashcards covering the key psychological perspectives, eclecticism, and the distinction between psychologists and psychiatrists based on lecture notes.

Eclecticism

The process of making your own system by borrowing from two or more perspectives.

Biopsychosocial Perspective

A perspective that combines three major facets of an individual: Biology, Psychology, and Socio-cultural Interactions. It states that not only can mind and body influence social interactions, but a person's social interactions can also influence mind and body.

Behavioral Perspective

A perspective that focuses on studying observable behavior and the principles of learning, such as attempting to determine what triggers angry responses and aggressive acts in people.

Biological Perspective

A perspective emphasizing behavior as a product of biological responses made possible by the nervous system, the brain, hormones, disease, and genes. It studies the influence of genes on personality traits, psychological health, and various behavior patterns.

Cognitive Perspective

A perspective that focuses on the role of thinking in determining behavior, such as how our interpretation of a situation affects our anger and how anger affects our thinking.

Evolutionary Perspective

A perspective that focuses on the evolution of social behavior and mental processes.

Humanistic Perspective

A perspective that views behavior as a reflection of self-awareness, including personal goals and internal growth, and considers personal experiences to be the most important aspect of psychology.

Psychodynamic Perspective

A perspective that views the individual as a product of both conscious and unconscious forces, attempting to understand what kinds of perception, thinking, and memory go on below our level of awareness.

Sociocultural Perspective

A perspective that views behavior as influenced by rules and expectations of social groups or cultures, noting that cultural values vary from society to society.

Psychiatrists

Medical doctors focused on mental/behavioral health who can prescribe drugs.

Psychologists

Mental/behavioral health professionals who can develop treatment plans, but CAN NOT prescribe drugs.